Founding & National Origins

The Birth of the United Kingdoms of Bamenda (UKB)

Introduction

The United Kingdoms of Bamenda (UKB) was born out of the historical journey, struggles, betrayals, and aspirations of the Anglophone people of the North West Region of Cameroon—formerly Southern Cameroons under British administration. Its foundation is rooted in a pursuit of dignity, justice, and the restoration of a distinct political and cultural identity.

1. Colonial Foundations & British Oversight (1916–1953)

After the defeat of Germany in World War I, Kamerun was divided between Britain and France. Britain governed the Southern Cameroons as a United Nations Trust Territory, administered under British Nigeria. From 1916 to 1953, Anglophones lived under indirect rule from Enugu, Nigeria.

However, this arrangement began to stifle the aspirations of the people. On May 6, 1953, Southern Cameroons representatives staged a historic walkout from the Eastern House of Assembly in Enugu, protesting marginalization and asserting their right to self-governance.

2. Autonomy & Self-Government (1954–1961)

Following the walkout, Southern Cameroons gained a quasi-independent status under British trusteeship. Between 1954 and 1961, it operated with its own Prime Minister, House of Assembly, judiciary, police force, and public institutions—all modeled after British democracy. This period saw the formation of democratic institutions and legal structures that reflected the Anglophone spirit of order, education, and equity.

3. The 1961 Plebiscite & the Federal Vision

In 1961, the United Nations supervised a plebiscite offering two options:

• Join the newly independent Nigeria

• Join the French-administered La République du Cameroun

A glaring omission was the absence of a third option: full independence.

On February 11, 1961, Southern Cameroonians voted to join French Cameroun, but with the expectation of equality and federalism. This was not a vote for absorption—it was a vision for partnership.

4. The Betrayal of 1972 & Erosion of Federalism

In May 1972, without the consent of Southern Cameroonians, President Ahmadou Ahidjo dismantled the federal structure via a unilateral referendum and declared a unitary state. The United Republic of Cameroon replaced the former federal partnership, stripping Anglophones of their autonomy, legal protections, and equal standing.

This marked the beginning of marginalization, cultural suppression, and systematic erasure of Anglophone identity. It also violated the core agreement under which Southern Cameroons had joined the union.

5. Renaming & Erasure (1984)

In 1984, President Paul Biya changed the country’s name from United Republic of Cameroon to Republic of Cameroon—the name French Cameroun held prior to reunification. This was a symbolic and legal erasure of Southern Cameroons from the union.

No treaty was ever signed formalizing the union. There was no act of integration under international law, which renders the union constitutionally illegitimate by most international standards.

6. The Rise of a New Consciousness (2016–Present)

Decades of political exclusion, economic neglect, and cultural repression culminated in the 2016 Anglophone crisis. Teachers, lawyers, and civil society leaders protested against assimilation policies. The government’s brutal response, including mass arrests, internet shutdowns, and military operations, intensified the call for complete separation.

This period awakened a generation of youth, intellectuals, and traditional leaders who now seek restoration—not secession—of a sovereign status that was illegally dissolved.

7. Why the United Kingdoms of Bamenda?

The name “United Kingdoms of Bamenda” reflects the indigenous identity of the North West Region, its royal heritage, and its unifying vision. It stands not for conflict, but for a peaceful restoration of the Anglophone people’s right to govern themselves according to their values, systems, and aspirations.

Conclusion

The founding of the UKB is not an act of rebellion—it is a return to legitimacy. It is rooted in truth, forged in justice, and driven by the vision of a generation ready to reclaim its future. The sovereignty of the UKB is historically justified, legally defensible, and morally inevitable.