Episode One: A Tale of Tradition and Transition
Accross the North West Region of Cameroon, coffee once reigned supreme as the lifeblood of communities, fueling dreams of prosperity and education for generations. Over half a century ago, this region stood as a bastion of coffee cultivation, with hardworking farmers tending to their cherished crops under kolanut trees, the rolling hills and rich valleys.
In today's Bui, Donga Mantung, Menchum, Momo, Mezam, Boyo, and Ngoketunjia Divisions, families relied on the sale of coffee to educate their children, investing their sweat and toil into nurturing the coffee plants that adorned their land.
"Through the sweat of our hands and the labour of our hands, coffee paved the path to education for our children, lighting the way to a brighter future," Hon Albert Waingeh, former Member of Parliament and a coffee farmer in Fondong, Boyo Division tells The Hilltop Mail.
From dawn till dusk, they laboured tirelessly, clearing fields and ensuring their farms remained pristine, cultivating not just crops but also hope for a better future.
During harvest seasons, the communities where busy with activity as young men and women flocked to the farms, eager to earn their keep by plucking ripe cherries from the boughs of coffee trees.
"When the time came to reap the fruits of our labour, we stood shoulder to shoulder in the fields, young and old alike, as the earth yielded its treasures," Hon Waingeh added showing us his weathered hands as proof of years spent in communion with the soil.
In sprawling plantations, under kolanut trees, they toiled for days on end, their hands stained with the rich hues of coffee, their pockets swelling with the promise of prosperity. It was not uncommon for a diligent worker to earn as much as 1000FCFA daily —a small fortune in those bygone days—fueling aspirations and sustaining livelihoods.
"It was more than just a crop; it was a lifeline, asource of hope that illuminated the path to a better future for our children," Hon Waingeh remarked with his voice filled with pride and nostalgia.
The journey of the coffee didn't end with its harvest; rather, it marked the beginning of a meticulous process of hauling, washing, and drying—a labour of love that transformed raw cherries into the prized beans coveted across the globe.
Cooperative societies served as the conduits through which these precious beans found their way to the market, ensuring fair prices for hardworking farmers and fostering a sense of community solidarity.
However, a lurked shadows of change, as whispers of a clandestine network began to weave through the fabric of these coffee-growing communities.
Stay tuned as we peel back the layers of this intricate web in our upcoming episodes, uncovering the hidden truths of the coffee black market in the North West Region.
By Bakah Derick
Email: debakah2004@yahoo.com
Tel: 6 94 71 85 77