May 20 UNIFICATION OF CAMEROON
During World War I during which Cameroon was conquered by the French and British Forces (entry of allied troops into Yaounde on January 1, 1916 marking the end of the German colony), the German colony was divided into two territories entrusted by the mandate of the League of Nations (SDN) in 1922, to France (for 4/5): French Cameroon; and the rest (1/5) UK: British Cameroon.
The French Cameroon
Mandate (1914-1946)
This part of Cameroon was given to France by the League of Nations after the First World War. This part was the largest (431,000 km²) but was sparsely populated (about 2,000,000 inhabitants).
France practiced a policy of assimilation like what was happening in its other colonies.
This part of Cameroon was headed by a High Commissioner and was put under the colonial regime of rights of citizenship of allowing indigenous help to address problems facing them through their traditional authorities.
The capital of French Cameroon was transferred to Yaoundé.
The French colonial authorities developed cash crops, including rubber plantations, cocoa, bananas and palm oil. The Douala-Yaoundé railway already begun by the Germans was completed and many roads were built to connect major cities together and various infrastructure such as bridges and airports.
 |
 |
During the night of August 25 to 26, 1940, Captain Leclerc and his 22 men landed in Douala swamp that connects the detachment of Captain Louis Dio (regular French army of Cameroon) to the cause of Free France.
It was returning from Fort Lamy (Ndjamena) with a Senegalese riflemen detachment. This was the beginning of the legion of Cameroon, forerunner of the 2nd Armored Division.
The city and the colonial administration quickly fell into the hands of the detachment of Leclerc after rallying behind Captain Louis Dio detachment, and then October 8, General de Gaulle arrived in Douala to prepare for the conquest of Gabon.
Guardianship (1946-1960)
After World War II, the UN changed the status of Cameroon from protectorate to a guardianship, but still part of the French union like other colonies.
By the 1940s, the colonial authorities encouraged agricultural diversification due to the appearance of new cash crops such as coffee in the West and cotton in the North. Livestock farming and logging took a new dimension with the new routes.
In 1946, a Representative Assembly of Cameroon (ARCAM) was formed; since 1945, Louis-Paul, Alexander Aujoulat and Douala Manga Bell already sat in the French National Assembly, joined by Jules Ninine (from Guadeloupe) from 1946 to 1958. André-Marie and Maurice Plantier Mbida later sat joined from 1956- 1958.
This period saw the opening of new public and private schools and also several secondary schools, including the General Leclerc high school.
The colonial authorities began sending the best students to Dakar and France to pursue higher education. That time also was the beginning of electrification and water supply in major cities.
In 1952, the Assembly changed its name to Territorial Assembly of Cameroon (ATCAM).
In 1955, the Marxist UPC nationalist party, who wanted the unification of British Cameroon and French Cameroon but also immediate independence was forbidden after violent movements.
In 1956, France granted an internal autonomy and the assembly became the Legislative Assembly of Cameroon (ALCM).
In 1957, André-Marie Mbida became Prime Minister and Ahmadou Ahidjo became deputy prime minister.
Despite the intervention of Ruben Um Nyobé (UPC leader), the new government refused to lift the ban on the UPC. The UPC then became a guerrilla movement.
In 1958, Mbida was forced to resign and Ahidjo replaced him. Um Nyobé was killed by French troops who hunted for him in the bushes of Bassa.
On January 1, 1960, Cameroon under French trusteeship became independent and took the name Republic of Cameroon.
On 2 March 1960, under the direction of the French army, Cameroonian troops razed the village of Yogandima, killing nearly 8,000 unarmed civilians.
The British Cameroon
The British Cameroon (or Cameroons) was administered by the British colony of eastern Nigeria until 1954.
In 1946, the old German plantations were managed by the British through a single company, CDC (Cameroon Development Corporation) which allowed the development of a river port on the Mamfe Manyo River. Wood was exploited in the southwest.
Few students were sent to study in Nigeria and the UK because the education in British Cameroon was done in local languages.
In 1944, the National Council for Nigeria and Cameroon (NCNC) was founded as autonomous local government.
In 1951, the Kamerun National Council (KNC) led by Dr. Endeley was founded.
In 1954, the British Cameroon adopted its own administration and installed its capital in Buea.
In 1958, Dr. Endeley became premier of "self-Government" British Cameroon. This favoured the integration with Nigeria, rather than the unification of Cameroon. An opposition to the inclusion led to the creation of the Kamerun National Democratic Party (KNDP) led by John Ngu Foncha.
In 1959, John Ngu Foncha became prime minister.
The UN created a referendum to enable the people to choose between integration with Nigeria and reunification with French Cameroon.
On June 1, 1961 the northern Kamerun became independent and joined Nigeria.
On October 1, 1961, the Southern Cameroon became independent and joined the Republic of Cameroon.
The United Republic of Cameroon
On May 20, 1972, President Ahidjo held a referendum to end the federal system in force.
The referendum was largely won and May 20th became the National Day of Cameroon which was then called "United Republic of Cameroon."
