[size=28pt]Residents of Bakassi - an oil-rich territory legally ceded by Nigeria to Cameroon in 2002 -have until August to decide to become Cameroonian or leave the territory[/size]. Most residents consider themselves Nigerian.

Accessto the Bakassi Peninsula, located on the Atlantic coast on the Cameroon-Nigeria border, is mostly by speed boats that navigate between the rich mangroves.


[size=18pt]The area has been heavily guarded by Cameroonian soldiers since their country took control of the territory from Nigeria on August 14, 2008[/size].

The International Courtof Justice had awarded Bakassi to Cameroon in a 2002 ruling. Nigeria eventually decided not to fight the ruling and ceded control, over the protests of many Bakassi residents.

[size=22pt]Sporadic attacks from rebels made Cameroon's government deploy forces to maintain law and order. In one attack in February 2011, two Cameroonian soldiers were killed and 11 others were declared missing. A group called the Bakassi Freedom fighters claimed responsibility, vowing that Bakassi will find no peace under Cameroon's rule[/size].

[size=18pt]Nigerians constitute 90 percent of the 300,000 people on the peninsula and will have to obtain residence permits and be treated as foreign nationals living in Cameroon if they decide to stay after the August 14 deadline given to them by theICJ[/size].

Many of the Nigerians are still undecided on if they will leave or not. Forty-year-old Glory Benson, a Nigerian teacher, says they have a lot of worries.

"Let us just go to the aspect of women that are pregnant. For the women to deliver here is not an easy task. So we want the governmentvto provide a midwife in the hospital here that can be helping us. [size=14pt]To be sincere the life here has been very good in terms of security and every thing," Benson said[/size].

Most Nigerians who live in the territory are fishermen. They have created an association to take care of their needs. Their president James Nande, who is about 50 years old, says the main problem that may force them to leave is that Cameroon's government has taken little care to protect their huts, threatened by waters from the Atlantic.

James Nande says the only problem they have is that water from the ocean is destroying their houses and adds that he is worried because that is where he struggles to raise money and send his children to school.

Ever since the ICJ ruling, the payment of taxes was suspended, but beginning August14, residents of Bakassi will have to start paying their share. JamesNande says although some of his fishermen colleagues have been protesting, he wants them to respect that civic responsibility.

He says when thetime comes, they will have to pay, adding that even in Nigeria when somebody gets to the standard of paying taxes, he has to pay, [size=18pt]but in their village, Djabani in the Bakassi Peninsula, people have not been paying[/size].

Nigerian-born Tom Efiom repairs engine boats in Bakassi. He wants to return to Nigeria but only if he is assured that he can get another job.

Efiom says he will not go to Nigeria because he has no handwork to do there. He says for the time being, it is only in Cameroon that he has the job of an engineboat repairer, and that even though he is living in Cameroon, people use Nigerian currency, the Naira, because CFA Francs used in Cameroon are difficult to come by.

The legacy left by Nigeria is still very present. Nigerians trained many health staff and teachers who are now working for Cameroon. Even thoughCameroon has sent its own teachers to the area, pupils and their parents still prefer the Nigerian system of education they have been acquainted with.

Muffu Chong Pierre, the 35-year-old teacher at a Djabani primary school created by Cameroon, said she and her colleagues are trying to convince parents to keep their children in school.

"The parents are very mobile, they are not stable. They travel with their children to sell. When we struggle to bring up the children, as soon as they know how to read and write, the parents take them to Nigeria at times. When we find it very difficult to get the children at school, I personally and my staff we move from door to door. We do what they call educational evangelism, so as to encourage the children to come to school," Pierre said.

Cameroon has been struggling to make the people, especially the children learn national symbols like the national anthem.

Cameroon still has to guarantee the fundamental rights of Nigerians, before gaining full control of Bakassi, according to the ICJ verdictand the Green tree agreement that Cameroon signed with Nigeria under the supervision of the United Nations.

Tanda, a Cameroonian expert on Bakassi, thinks that the peace process is right on course.

"The peace process is progressing, the population is getting to know the Cameroon administration better and better. There is consciousness now that acts of vandalism, piracy or questioning Cameroon's sovereignty does not pay. And we are hopeful that by the month of August, things will be much better," Tanda said.



In line with the ICJ , as of this August 14, Cameroon will govern Bakassi like any other part of its territory

http://m.voanews.com/a/1634181.html

[size=20pt]BAKASSI UNDER NIGERIA ADMINISTRATION[/size]

[size=28pt]BAKASSI SINCE CAMEROON ADMINISTRATION[/size]


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NU23N9ZPpDM




https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w5RxD8nlxs

they should just apply for Cameroonian citizenship. very simple.
They are Bakassi/ Cameroonians. They're not Nigerians any longer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakassi_Movement_for_Self-Determination

what ethnic group lives there

they shld accept cameroonian citizenship

dey shld always have it @ the back of their minds. .that dey are always welcomed in Nigeria n can come back whenever they want

PAGAN 9JA:
what ethnic group lives there

cross river n akwa ibom efik, ibibio's n annangs

hmm i see. it doesnt matter really. they can do what they want. I wish Nigeria and Cameroon were one country. we would be a Superpower in Africa.

PAGAN 9JA:
hmm i see. it doesnt matter really. they can do what they want. I wish Nigeria and Cameroon were one country. we would be a Superpower in Africa.

nop

onila: nop

why ?

PAGAN 9JA:


why ?

whats so special abt them apart from soccer

cameroon is a french colony anyways, we dont need to unite

onila: whats so special abt them apart from soccer

cameroon is a french colony anyways, we dont need to unite

that is no reason. the people are fine like us. They have good resources and a decent millitary.

its not a french colony now. they can replace french with English.

PAGAN 9JA:


that is no reason. the people are fine like us. They have good resources and a decent millitary.

its not a french colony now. they can replace french with English.

u dont know cameroonians quite well, do you

those pple worship their french language more than anything

onila:

u dont know cameroonians quite well, do you

those pple worship their french language more than anything

well its a colonial language. they must give it up for English if they are to progress on a global scale.

PAGAN 9JA:


well its a colonial language. they must give it up for English if they are to progress on a global scale.

thats y we call them french puppets

onila:

thats y we call them french puppets

lol

Shut up Onila, anyway i think at this point the best for them is to go back to Nigeria..since they still feel Nigerian..I guess they will continue to b loyal to Nigeria ...

PAGAN 9JA:
hmm i see. it doesnt matter really. they can do what they want. I wish Nigeria and Cameroon were one country. we would be a Superpower in Africa.

Sometimes I wish/think the same eh eh
Being a west central African country is very confusing.

PAGAN 9JA:


well its a colonial language. they must give it up for English if they are to progress on a global scale.

So English is not a colonial language.? Abi? You people really think deep inside u that you created English Humm at least in Cameroon we speak both and unlike what that Onila said ......we ain't puppet.

CAMEROONPRIDE:

So English is not a colonial language.? Abi? You people really think deep inside u that you created English Humm at least in Cameroon we speak both and unlike what that Onila said ......we ain't puppet.

french puppet.
Lol.

CAMEROONPRIDE: Shut up Onila, anyway i think at this point the best for them is to go back to Nigeria..since they still feel Nigerian..I guess they will continue to b loyal to Nigeria ...

they love Nigeria

^ they will learn to love their new boss

CAMEROONPRIDE: ^ they will learn to love their new boss

naa they wont

camer are so boring

yr forums make me sleep

onila: naa they wont

camer are so boring

yr forums make me sleep

Eh eh
How many people have the internet in Bakassi lol..

CAMEROONPRIDE:

Eh eh
How many people have the internet in Bakassi lol..

i hate those 1diots camerounian. Who stole Nigeria land , Bakassi is a Biafraland. When we are ready we shall reclaim Bakassi and cause great civil war in camerouns. Those f00ls can always run to france for help

Thankgodifeduba: i hate those 1diots camerounian. Who stole Nigeria land , Bakassi is a Biafraland. When we are ready we shall reclaim Bakassi and cause great civil war in camerouns. Those f00ls can always run to france for help

wipe those french cameroon first when u invade cameroon

camer dumb idiots

Thankgodifeduba: i hate those 1diots camerounian. Who stole Nigeria land , Bakassi is a Biafraland. When we are ready we shall reclaim Bakassi and cause great civil war in camerouns. Those f00ls can always run to france for help

Then u wake up
Illiterate

what is the process of accepting citizenship anyway? shouldn't they just be granted automatic Cameroonian citizenship? The Bakassi folks should advocate for themselves and make sure the cameroonians aren't cheating them. Nigeria should provide support in that area of making sure they are being treated right in Cameroon as new Cameroonian territory citizens.

Thankgodifeduba: i hate those 1diots camerounian. Who stole Nigeria land , Bakassi is a Biafraland. When we are ready we shall reclaim Bakassi and cause great civil war in camerouns. Those f00ls can always run to france for help

LOL ROTFLMAO. hehehe what a dumb t[size=1pt].[/size]wat

c.fours:
what is the process of accepting citizenship anyway? shouldn't they just be granted automatic Cameroonian citizenship? The Bakassi folks should advocate for themselves and make sure the cameroonians aren't cheating them. Nigeria should provide support in that area of making sure they are being treated right in Cameroon as new Cameroonian territory citizens.




LOL ROTFLMAO. hehehe what a dumb t[size=1pt].[/size]wat

c.fours:
what is the process of accepting citizenship anyway? shouldn't they just be granted automatic Cameroonian citizenship? The Bakassi folks should advocate for themselves and make sure the cameroonians aren't cheating them. Nigeria should provide support in that area of making sure they are being treated right in Cameroon as new Cameroonian territory citizens.




LOL ROTFLMAO. hehehe what a dumb t[size=1pt].[/size]wat

c.fours:
what is the process of accepting citizenship anyway? shouldn't they just be granted automatic Cameroonian citizenship? The Bakassi folks should advocate for themselves and make sure the cameroonians aren't cheating them. Nigeria should provide support in that area of making sure they are being treated right in Cameroon as new Cameroonian territory citizens.




LOL ROTFLMAO. hehehe what a dumb t[size=1pt].[/size]wat

contradiction , Cameroon is a sovereign country andif they become Cameroonian nigeria has nothing to say in how we treat our citizens, you make it sounds like they will become special/different citizens ...this is the kind of commets which make me think they should go back to nigeria.simple
as for citizenship there is money to make with resident permits and Cameroon hardly grants citizenship like very hardly ..also we don't recognize dual citizenship so you should tell them to not try to trick the Cameroon gov ...

CAMEROONPRIDE:
contradiction , Cameroon is a sovereign country andif they become Cameroonian nigeria has nothing to say in how we treat our citizens, you make it sounds like they will become special/different citizens ...this is the kind of commets which make me think they should go back to nigeria.simple
as for citizenship there is money to make with resident permits and Cameroon hardly grants citizenship like very hardly ..also we don't recognize dual citizenship so you should tell them to not try to trick the Cameroon gov ...

what do u mean by "go back to Nigeria"?
bakassi people are from bakassi.The land is bakassi and the people are bakassi. duh
u badly wanted the land, but u don't want the people that come with the land. rubbish.

Cameroon still has to guarantee the fundamental rights of Nigerians, before gaining full control of Bakassi, according to the ICJ verdictand the Green tree agreement that Cameroon signed with Nigeria under the supervision of the United Nations.

I wonder why u didn't highlight this important part of the article.
Cameroon doesn'have full control of Bakassi until Aug 15. The people are still Nigerians and are no required to pay any taxes until then. When d time comes, and they don't pay, then feel free to create another thread. until then, stop peddling misinformation and lies about bakassi nigerians.