Upsurge of Killings in Manyu:

Manyu Chiefs Invoke ‘Juju’ against Amba

 -Say anyone involved in ‘amba’ activities or who supports armed rebels in anyway should repent or be ready to face the wrath of the gods

By Ekumtambe Eku in Mamfe

Eyumojock Chiefs Invoking “Juju” Spirits against separatists

Chiefs of Manyu Division, under the banner of the Manyu Traditional Rulers Association, MATRA, have performed dreaded traditional rites to shield their land and peoples against the obnoxious activities of armed rebels seeking to create a state they call Ambazonia.

                In separate mystical performances in Eyumojock, Tinto (Upper Bayang), Akwaya and Mamfe last week, the ‘chiefs’ swore that harm will follow anyone who engages in secessionist activities, or supports the non-state armed groups who are occasioning killings of the people of Manyu.

                The performance of the cleansing rites in all the four subdivisions that make up Manyu division was immediately informed by the brutal killing of the Mayor of Mamfe, Ashu Pristly Ojong, which was followed days later by the macabre slaughter of a prince of Bakebe village.

                Introducing the invocation ceremony at the Mamfe grandstand on Thursday, 4 June 2020, former mayor of Mamfe, Ayuk Takunchung John, said the rituals would allow for peace and tranquility to return to Manyu. He explained that since God has been slow in answering their call, the last resort was to go the way of their forefathers.

                He said anyone, be it at home or abroad, who engages in separatist activities or supports the separatist fighters in any form would meet death, a predicament that will run through their maternal lineage.

“Anyone who supports Ambazonia fighters or gives them information to come and carry out atrocities, this juju will enter that person and kill them. The same rites have been performed in Akwaya, Eyumojock, Upper-Bayang, and now Mamfe Central,” Takunchung said shortly before the chiefs began performing the rites.

                Ayuk Takunchung urged those in the bushes to come out from their hideouts and be ‘cleansed’ and reintegrated into society.

                Conducting a similar ‘traditional cleansing’ ceremony in Eyumojock, the traditional ruler of Eyumojock, who doubles as the Mayor of the border town, Chief Ayamba Ita Jacques, said after consulting with the chiefs and elders of Eyumojock subdivision, they were given the go ahead to perform the traditional cleansing of their land.

“We, the custodians of the traditions and culture of Eyumojock, have resolved to perform a traditional cleansing of our land. We gone round the town of Eyumojock, moving bare-foot and invoking our spiritual fathers and ancestors to protect our land from all forms of atrocities occasioned on our people by armed separatists. We also prayed them to intercede for us and grant peace and development in our land,” Chief Ita said, in a video that went viral on social media.

                It should be noted that the MATRA initiative was taken by all the chiefs of Manyu, subsequent to an engagement in the declaration that sanctioned an enlarged meeting of Manyu elites, chiefs and the general population, in Mamfe town, on 16 May 2020. About 4000 persons took part in the meeting, which provided a veritable occasion for the elites, chiefs, the populations and the administration to review the security situation in the division that had been rocked by an upsurge of killings, harassments, extortion and nocturnal armed attacks on the populations.

                It was the first time since the unset of the Anglophone conflict in 2016 that MATRA was coming out with a clear position in a speech presented to the public. The subsequent declaration that sanctioned the enlarged meeting, enjoined the chiefs as the custodians of the traditions and cultures of Manyu, to bring their traditional powers to bear on the children of Manyu, to hands-off the obnoxious activities that have taken away lives and destroyed the socio-cultural and economic activities in the division.  

                By swearing ‘juju’ and invoking the gods to visit their wrath on amba fighters and their supporters, Manyu chiefs are saying enough is enough. They have literally banned ‘amba’ activities henceforth in Manyu.

                The chiefs have invoked the ancestors of Manyu to ban all obnoxious activities in Manyu, and for perpetrators at home and in the Diaspora to desist from masterminding heinous activities in the name of the virtual republic which they call Ambazonia.

Manyu became the center of the Ambazonia insurgency when the first armed attacks against government defense and security forces were launched in the villages of Agborkim German and Akwen both in Eyumojock subdivision. Later in December 2017, armed separatists were reported to have killed four gendarmes in Kembong, also in Eyumojock, Manyu Division.

                Matters have since worsened leading to the deaths of many as well as the displacement of thousands of the local population.