Buea in normalcy after ritual killings confessions in Tole

BY ATIA TILARIOUS AZOHNWI

There was frenzy, looting, destruction of property and the threat of the lives of some individuals in Tole, in Buea considered to be members of a secret cult (‘nyongo’) that has retarded the growth of the village.

Population 'destroy' Tole

The youths of Tole-Bwiyuku, a village in Buea Subdivision went on rampage, January 4, after a certain Joseph Mbomela, a businessman operating in the village confessed being a member of a secret cult.

Mr. Joseph Mbomela is said to have called the names of 20 other members of the group residing in Tole.

The untimely deaths of individuals and the recent mysterious death of an about 16-year-old student after consuming gramazone, a poisonous chemical angered the population to take the confessions of Joseph Mbomela seriously.

The population became violent and went on to attack the suspects. Over eleven homes, stalls, business premises and eight vehicles were damaged.

Provision shops and bars were looted, while other properties, belonging to the suspects were razed and burnt.

Some of the suspects were heavily brutalised, even as members of their family have been rendered homeless.

Irate population besiege one of the suspect cultists

It is alleged that after the death of the chief of Tole- Bwiyuku Village late last year, over 40 youths of the village below the age of thirty have died under questionable circumstances.

They say the progress of youths in the village has also been stalled due to the activities of this ‘nyongo’ group.

It took the intervention of the Divisional Officer (DO) of Buea, Kouam Wokam Paul accompanied by gendarme and police officers for the suspects to be rescued and some rushed to hospital.

Three of the suspects have been detained by the police as investigations into the matter progress.

Irate Tole population burn property of alleged nyongo people

The presence of the DO and security forces did not stop the looting and destruction of property.

The irate population threatened to burn own the official vehicle he DO, as he escaped after receiving a stray slap on his back from an angered youth.

“All what is happening here is like a mystery. People have been dying here. We the youths have decided to react because we’re not safe. We’ve ensured that all the nyongo people, the wizards are chased away,” an angry youth snapped.

Another youth who identified himself as commandant said, “The youths of Toe have decided to take their destiny into their hands. We’ve seen that our progress has been slowed by some society people [witches and wizards]. Mr. Jo confessed that he was a member of a secret cult. We rallied the youths and we followed up the matter until today that it has escalated. We feel liberated.”

“The coming of the DO angered us. When we were complaining of nyongo people and sudden deaths in Tole, the DO and police did not come. We are not going to kill anybody. Our intention is to send them away,” commandant said.

Bakweri vs ‘graffi’ tribal lines drawn

Reacting to the incident, Wokama Ngange Edward Councillor of the Buea Council resident in Tole said North Westerners in Tole are members of the secret cult that has retarded the growth of the area.

“...I’m happy because there is no indigene who is involved in this thing. Most of them are Ngie people. I’m a Bakweriman. There is no indigene who is involved in this thing. People cannot leave their area, come here and spoil this place,” Councillor Wokama said.

Car, houses wrecked by angry inhabitants

“We actually have a problem in Tole and the youths are not progressing. About three weeks ago, one of these nyongo guys, Mr. Joseph Mbomela, a popular businessman made a statement and revealed a secret that they belong to a secret society. He cited about sixteen names. The youths grew very annoyed. He even mentioned how people who come into Tole with money cannot make any good out of it. Girls here don’t get married,” he said.

Wokama, just like the youths of Tole believe that if the said Nyongo people are sent away, good tidings will befall the village.

All this is happening at the eve of the Head of State’s visit to Buea, after an alleged ‘mbomaman’ swallowed a girl in a Buea hotel.

‘Crying Padlock’ Stuns Tole

Kouam Wokam, DO of Buea dangling  the 'crying padlock' on a stick while addressing Tole youth

Inhabitants of Tole, a Buea neighbourhood where, last weekend, suspect cultists confessed their practices, say they were astounded, January 7, when they “heard” a baby crying inside a destroyed building. The vandalised building, they said, belongs one of the cult members, Peter Akenji.

According to reports from the youths, the continuous crying of a baby in a house whose occupants have deserted and the doors yanked off aroused curiosity and suspicion among the inhabitants of the area, who flocked to the ruins. The search for the said child, who was reportedly “crying for food”, proved futile.

After repeated attempts by the searchers, it was allegedly discovered that the crying was mysteriously coming from a padlock that had been woven with a black thread and that hung from the ceiling of the building. The youths then took the “crying padlock” to the Chairperson of the Bwiyuku Traditional Council, Chrysanthus Ewinjah, who doubles as the Caretaker Chief of Bwiyuku-Tole, and immediately informed the DO of Buea, Paul Kouam Wokam.
 

When the DO arrived at the scene, the youths handed over the “crying padlock” to him in the presence of the Caretaker Chief. While the youths wanted the “crying padlock” burnt, the DO insisted that it be handed over to the Buea Central Police as evidence to any legal proceedings concerning the ritual killings in Tole, in future. Upon the insistence of the youths, the black thread was unwoven from the padlock. Human hair, Indian beans, salt, a stone and other mysterious contents were removed and burnt.

Cultist’s Family Complains Of Witch-hunting

The family of Julius Tata, one of the members of the secret cult implicated in the ritual killing confession in Tole recently, has complained of witch-hunting. The family also protested against what it termed as acts of ostracism meted out on them by the Tole populace.
 

According to the Tatas, after their house and car were destroyed and set ablaze by the irate youths of Tole, they were forced to spend the night in the cold, as nobody in Tole was willing to accommodate them even for the night. According to one of Tata’s children; “The hostile behaviour exhibited by neighbours towards us was surprising, given that we have maintained and enjoyed a cordial relationship with everybody in Tole before the escalation of the ritual killing scandal.”
 

He added, “After spending the night in the open, we were forced to flee for our dear lives because our safety was no longer guaranteed, even though it is our father who is being accused.” Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Bwiyuku Traditional Council, Ewinjah, commended the youths for their sense of responsibility and for taking their destiny into their hands.
 

According to him, the Traditional Council has condemned outright such activities like ritual killings or any other sinister practices that threaten the progress of the community or put the lives of its members in peril. He promised the Council’s unconditional support to the youths to ensure that such ungodly practices are completely stamped out in Tole. Nonetheless, Ewinjah also exhorted the youths to desist from destructive tendencies that contravene the law.
 

Deaths, Promiscuity, Unemployment Surge In Tole
 

According to Ewinjah, one of the reasons why the Traditional Council has given the youths the green light to dismantle cultism in Tole is to curb the number of deaths in Tole.
Ewinjah said the death rate among the youths is staggering with most of them dying in questionable circumstances. He said between November 15 and December 2013, close to 40 youths died mysteriously in Tole with more than half of them taking their own lives. To Ewinjah, this is not mere coincidence.
 

Seventy-two-year-old Peter Neba, retired worker of the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, and a resident of Tole, said 28 years ago, there was nothing like prostitution or abortion in Tole. “Most young girls were very proud of getting married and bringing forth their own children, so as to start benefiting from family allowances. But today, prostitution and abortion is the order of the day in Tole. It would not be misleading to conclude that our young girls are being manipulated by these demonic cultists to be committing such atrocities,” Neba told Cameroon Headlines.
 

The youths, meanwhile, were quick to believe the confession made by Joseph Mbomela that their progress and future have been mortgaged by members of the cult. According to a certain Priso, a taxi driver resident in Tole, all the money he has been working for over nine years ends up in one of the beer parlours owned by one of the cultists. He said he is not the only person facing such a problem.
 

“Young people in Tole who are resident abroad come back home with huge sums of money but cannot carry out any meaningful development, as they end up squandering all what they have toiled for in Europe on drinks,” said Priso. In like manner, youths from Tole graduate from different higher institutes of learning in and out of Cameroon but return to Tole with no jobs. “So, it is not surprising to see the youths in one force, willing and determined to liberate themselves from these blood-sucking vampires,” Priso quipped.
 

Price Hikes

After the destruction of most provision stores and the chasing away of most businessmen in the area, Tole is presently experiencing price hikes on basic commodities.
 

According to Emmanuel Ngoumba, a piece of soap that was normally sold at FCFA 250 now sells at FCFA 350 and the price of a bottle of beer has risen from FCFA 500 to FCFA 600.
Gwendoline Ngum said she was surprised when she was asked to pay FCFA 300 for a bulb that is usually sold at FCFA 200. Meantime, the youths have warned that any businessperson who is caught selling above the normal price will have his or her business premises shut down.