East, Bertoua and Makas
Ma ville, ma patrie, mon ethnie
The South West region is one of the English speaking regions in Cameroon. It is characterised by a rich and evergreen vegetation due to heavy rainfall.
Rich in its subsoil (oil) and in its volcanic soil, suitable for agriculture (oil palm, rubber, tea …) the South West develops a great agribusiness activity.
Buea, once a village, has its capital is at the foot of Mount Cameroon, former Bakweri village. This strategic location makes it become the capital of Cameroon under German occupation from 1901 to 1914. The main touristic sites here include the Governor Von Puttkamer’s residence and Mount Cameroon.
Buea is equally a university zone, with 7 faculties and 2 prestigious schools. Thirty (30) minutes westward, one can visit the Limbe botanical garden and the primates’ zoo.
Bakwerians are courageous Bantu people; they vigorously resisted the Germans during colonisation.
They are ruled by a chief: Prince Esuka Endeley. Languages spoken here include pidgin and Douala.
Since 2016, part of the English-speaking minority has been protesting against what they term “marginalization in society”. Some are claiming for a new state (the ambazonia), others the return to federalism that prevailed from 1961 to 1972.
Nevertheless, this crisis should not make us draw a blank on the beauty and cultural wealth of this region to be preserved at all cost!
FOCUS
- Statut : Région de l’est
- Département : Lom et Djerem
- Superficie : 3500 km2
- Population : 200 000 habitants
- Ethnies : Gbayas, Makas, Pôl, Kepéré, Bororos, Foulbés, Bamilekés…..