01 October - Unification Day (Cameroon)

 

Unification Day in Cameroon is celebrated annually on October 1. It marks the historical event in 1961, when the formerly British-administered Southern Cameroons joined the formerly French-administered Republic of Cameroon to form a unified, bilingual country.

Historical Background:

• After World War I, the German colony of Kamerun was divided between Britain and France under League of Nations mandates. The larger part, French Cameroon, gained independence in 1960 and became the Republic of Cameroon.
• The smaller British territory was split into Northern and Southern Cameroons. In 1961, a United Nations-organized referendum was held in both regions. The Northern Cameroons opted to join Nigeria, while the Southern Cameroons voted to join the Republic of Cameroon.
• On October 1, 1961, Southern Cameroons officially unified with the Republic of Cameroon, creating a federal state known as the Federal Republic of Cameroon. This date marks the foundation of the modern Cameroonian state.

Significance:

Unification Day represents the coming together of the Anglophone and Francophone regions of Cameroon. However, the day is also a reminder of the ongoing tensions between the two linguistic regions, particularly in the Anglophone parts of Cameroon, where there have been calls for greater autonomy and grievances about marginalization.

The celebrations for Unification Day typically involve official ceremonies, cultural events, and national reflections on the unity and diversity of Cameroon. However, in recent years, the day has also been marked by protests and unrest in some regions, particularly due to the Anglophone crisis.