The strength of a people is measured not by how loudly they assert their claims, but by how wisely they preserve their cohesion. This is not a moment for escalation. It is a moment for restraint.
By Carl Sanders
Guest Contributor, The Independentistnews
Soho, London
BAMENDA – February 28, 2026 – At moments of prolonged crisis, societies are often tested not only by external pressures, but by how they manage internal disagreements.
The recent debate surrounding the naming of the Bamenda Airport has stirred strong emotions in both Mankon and Bafut. History, heritage, and identity matter deeply. Communities take pride in their ancestral lands, and such pride should never be dismissed lightly.
But timing matters.
At a time when the wider political future of the region remains unresolved, symbolic disputes risk overshadowing structural questions — governance, security, economic survival, and long-term stability. If handled carelessly, what should be a matter of dialogue can become a source of unnecessary tension.
The real question is not whether the airport bears one name or another. The deeper question is whether the people of Mezam County can demonstrate political maturity in the face of provocation, distraction, or miscalculation.
History offers a consistent lesson: internal fragmentation weakens collective bargaining power. When communities divide over symbols, larger policy debates lose coherence. External actors — regardless of their intentions — inevitably benefit from such fragmentation.
That does not mean legitimate grievances should be silenced. It means they must be addressed through structured dialogue, traditional authority mechanisms, and respectful consultation — not through heated rhetoric or competitive mobilization.
Both Mankon and Bafut are pillars of Mezam. Their histories are intertwined. Their futures are intertwined. The airport, regardless of its name, sits within a shared geography and shared destiny.
Political maturity is not the absence of disagreement. It is the disciplined management of disagreement.
If the Midland Zone is to project seriousness — regionally and internationally — it must demonstrate the capacity to prioritize unity over symbolism, consultation over confrontation, and strategy over impulse.
In the end, infrastructure is meant to connect people, not divide them. An airport should symbolize mobility, opportunity, and cooperation — not rivalry.
The strength of a people is measured not by how loudly they assert their claims, but by how wisely they preserve their cohesion. This is not a moment for escalation. It is a moment for restraint.
Carl Sanders
Guest Contributor, The Independentistnews
