The Reunification Debate in British Southern Cameroons: The Role of French Cameroon Immigrants

Chapter 6. French Cameroonians and The Plebiscite, 1959-1961

237 Chapter 6 French Cameroonians and The Plebiscite, 1959-1961 French Cameroon immigrants, political refugees and political leaders visiting the Southern Cameroons actively participated in and promoted the reunification debate from 1956. As the reunification drive disappeared amongst Southern Cameroonians following constitutional developments in Nigeria, French Cameroonians became diehard reunificationists within the KNDP, UPC and OK593 . As the plebiscite approached, British authorities and the integrationists did everything possible to intimidate them and exclude them from the plebiscite. John Ngu Foncha and the KNDP on the other hand, attempted to woo French Cameroonians in and out of the Southern Cameroons so as to benefit from their moral and financial support during the plebiscite campaign. The reunificationists and political leaders in French Cameroon canvassed for reunification in the Southern Cameroons at the eve of the plebiscite. This chapter identifies the plebiscite issue and the methods that were used by Dr Emmanuel Endeley to persecute French Cameroonians sympathetic with the reunification drive and those used by John Ngu Foncha to woo them. It also examines the participation of these people in the plebiscite campaigns and in the voting proper. A. The Plebiscite Issue The most important political issue in the British Southern Cameroons after 1957 was in what form the territory would achieve 593 Commissioner Gibbons had predicted in 1951 that much of the drive behind the reunification movement will disappear once Mbile and Endeley had secured elections to the House of Assembly and turned their attention to more practical issues 238 independence. The issue revolved around Secession, Integration and Reunification. The supporters of secession wanted the Southern Cameroons to become independent as a separate territory without connection with either Nigeria or French Cameroon. This opinion was largely upheld by the chiefs within the SCHC. John Ngu Foncha also talked of secession but he considered secession as a step toward ‘ultimate reunification’. However, by 1960, the political leader who championed the cause of an independent Southern Cameroons state was P.M. Kale who founded the Kamerun United Party (KUP) for this purpose. The integrationists were those who wanted the Southern Cameroons to gain independence as a state within the federation of Nigeria. Nerius Mbile and Dr Emmanuel Endeley were amongst the supporters of this option. Mbile’s KPP and Endeley’s KNC were merged in 1960 to form the Cameroons People’s National Congress (CPNC) to serve as propaganda machinery in favour of integration with Nigeria. The supporters of Reunification wanted the Southern Cameroons to gain independence by joining their ‘brothers’ in French Cameroon. French Cameroonians were outspoken promoters of this option. Amongst them were; Joseph Henry Ngu, Robert Jabea Kum Dibongue, Roland Moumie, Joseph Innocent Kamsi and George Mbaraga. These reunificationists were either militants of the KNDP or those of the UPC/OK. The division between the Southern Cameroons political elite was first manifested in March 1957 when general elections were held in the territory. Endeley’s KNC campaigned on the platform of “full and autonomous self-government” for the Southern Cameroons within Nigeria and promised to maintain “useful contacts with the indigenous population of French Cameroon”. The KNDP campaigned for the secession of the Southern Cameroons from Nigeria and for ultimate reunification with French Cameroon. The French Cameroonian dominated UPC campaigned on a platform that called for the immediate independence and immediate reunification of the two Cameroons. 239 When the election results were declared, the ruling KNC party won six seats, the KNDP won five and the KPP won two seats. The UPC had no seat. The results indicated that the electorate was divided because no party or ideology obtained an absolute majority in the SCHA. However it was clear that the idea of immediate reunification supported by French Cameroonians and the UPCists was not popular amongst the Southern Cameroons electorate. The elections were immediately followed by a constitutional conference in London from May 23 to June 26, 1957. The constitutional changes for the Southern Cameroons were more in favour of the integrationists than it was for any other group. Southern Cameroons became a fully autonomous, not self-governing, region within Nigeria. Endeley the Premier went ahead to introduce a ministerial system of government despite opposition from the KNDP, NUKS and SCHC. When the conference resumed on September 29, 1958 the parties were still divided on the form the territory would achieve independence. The KNC-KPP alliance wanted independence within Nigeria while the KNDP demanded secession but not reunification...