Africa News
Nov 22, 2007, 16:23 GMT
Nigerian parliament rejects hand over of peninsula to Cameroon
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Older Talkback
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pls due process should be adhered to in this case. the parliament should have been properly furnished b4 the cessation. the question is-why are these parliamentarians coming up now with this issue since last yr june when OBJ signed the documents that prompted the cessation? where were they all these while? this is a sure sign of negligence on their part. something urgent should done in order to resettle our brothers and sisters that have been affected due to this gruesome act called cessation. Oga President Musa(Moses) Yar' Adua pls be the Moses for our suffering brethren over there. we are concern.
CORRECTION: 'cession' is the INTENDED word and not 'cessation'. THANKS.
Well done the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. How could a part and parcel of our country be ceded just with a stoke of the pen. Bakassi is Nigerian. And we should not allow Cameroon, a small country to over-run us without a fight. Whatever it takes we must keep Bakassi within Nigeria. President Umar Yar'Adua must now stand up and be counted.
It is almost sixty years of Africa's Independence, but the traces of colonial dependence lingers on.
WHY!?
It is common knowledge that the so-called 1913 Anglo-German charter wreaks of careless misconceptions and ignorance. They never knew the history, culture and political background Africans had prior that void act.
They drew senseless lines accross the map of Africa...let the nullity be undone.
NOW!
OJD writes from Delta State University, Faculty of Law, Delta State, Nigeria.
I think it was most tragic that Bakassi was ceded without the owners of the land having a voice in it. This indigenous people should be allowed to enjoy the lifestyle they have been accustomed to all their lives. They have a right like everyone of us and they should be treated with dignity.
This shows that no Nigerian anywhere can be taken for granted and I am most proud of my Senator, Mr Henshaw and all who sponsored his cause.
THANK YOU NIGERIAN PALIAMENT
I an a 'socalled Cameroonian' ie Anglophone Cameroonian, Since the independent French country of Cameroon annexed us from nigeria, its been hell to us. we do not even qualify as 2nd class citizens ,but thir class. they are so primitive that they have been effectiely working to abolish or minimise English and trying to franconise us. The police , gendarms and military in our zones mostly speak but frech to english population, they have been putting up public signs in french, example, CCAST BAMILI. a top historical high school internded to be a univesity over 40 years ago and still a high school today has buses labled in french as LYCEE DE BAMBILI. most anglophones in goverment are having meaningless positions. and those that are against their own people are rewarded with higher non significant positions or bribed with large sums of cash. Its old fashion mafia , they hate and kill us. when we talk they insult us as 'enemies in the house' , Bifrians etc . Nigeria sold us to french Cameroon and its time to correct this once and for all. NO BAKASSI TO FRENCH CAMEROON.
Bakassi and the Senate
Firstly, thank you for the opportunity to express my point of view on this matter (Bakassi). I think the Senate has lived up to expectations on this. I think the Senate decision (if only they are serious) is as good as I could have wished for. As far as I am concerned the future of our dear nation, her integrity, dignity, and respect, depends on the seriousness our leaders live by their words and deeds. Obasanjo made it possible for Cameroonians as well as other African countries not to respect us (Nigerians) because he made us looked like criminals at the ICJ by immediately endorsing, signing and the consequent handing over of our territory over to Cameroon. Obansanjo made empty threats and vowed that no single part of our country will be ceded to any country. What happened next? He did not just stop at ceding Bakassi but other parts of our nations to the Cameroon. “Bakassi” everyone knows that it rightly belongs to Nigeria or Cross River and Akwa Ibom States respectively. These people are still in shock that they have lost their livelihood, their fishing rights, and above all their ancestral home. What has Obasanjo and his supporters stood to gain than the unceasing attacks, killings, maiming, abuses and disgrace of innocent Nigerians? This is unthinkable, unbelievable and shameful to us ordinary Nigerians.
When our leaders behave like that, what do you expect? Of course no one would ever take you seriously; above all you will be portrayed or regarded as empty vessels, boasters, and cowards. Cameroonians and others such as Sierria Leonians, and Liberians, to mention but few whom we have sacrificed for so much in resources and blood believe we are idiots and thus afraid of them. The recent incidences absolutely are indicative of what would happen in a no distance future if we fail to put our act together as a nation.
I remember when I was a student nurse at the university of Calabar Teaching Hospital in the 1980s, during which time so many of our soldiers were attacked, killed, maimed by the Cameroonian soldiers or whatever they are called, yet we refused to retaliate because of our self tagged giant or big brother of Africa. I was working in the casualty section then. I remember when we (everyone) including Doctors and patients alike cried and wailed freely at the sight of our wounded soldiers, some of whom did not survive. For how long can we continue to sit and watch our fellow Nigerians being rendered homeless, abused, disgraced, killed and maimed at will by the Cameroonians and other Africans. We seem to forget so soon what the Liberians and Sierria Leonians did to our soldiers as well as innocent civilians while helping them. And what are our present leaders saying now? To forgive or write off millions or billions of dollars debts owed us by these countries. Yet they cannot say anything good about us in Africa or abroad. They pretend ignorance of our worth to them but chose to condemn and despise us with every chance they can get as fraud stars, bigmouths, empty vessels, idiots and what have you. This is a big shame on us. It is time we stand up and defend our dignity, integrity and uphold our honour and glory as a nation, even if it means war. I believe we can do it in a grand style. We must take back what rightly belongs to us. Bakassi is rightly ours without any doubts. I think the Nigerian Senate today is an inclusive one that seeks to kind of get views from the people, test their views, that is the way I put it, and this single example is a testament. This means that when they have heard from the Nigerian citizens, especially those that that did not have the opportunity to do so during Obasanjo’s era, their opinions, the Senate can then form a judgement, and back it up and go on with it with honesty and integrity. We must deviate from the past for the better. Something we can be proud of, a legacy for our future generation.
Finally, my congratulations to senator Henshaw; the senate president, David Mark, the entire senate members, and well meaning Nigerians. Long Live Niger Delta! Long Live Our dear Nation Nigeria!!
Sunny Jackson Writes from Sydney, Australia.
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