Dr. Emmanuel Mbela Lifafa Endeley, the man whose vision remains the Ambazonian dream.
By The Independentist editorial desk
In the complex history of the British Southern Cameroons—today claimed by many as Ambazonia—few names resonate with such lasting consequence as Dr. Emmanuel Mbela Lifafa Endeley. Born in 1916 in Buea, Dr. Endeley was not just the first Prime Minister of Southern Cameroons, but also a leading voice in the early movement for Anglophone autonomy. His career reflects a bold but often misunderstood chapter in the quest for dignity, representation, and self-determination.
More than six decades later, as Southern Cameroonians resist violent assimilation under the Francophone-dominated state of La République du Cameroun, President Dr. Samuel Ikome Sako has emerged as the principal standard-bearer of that same unfinished vision. His leadership of the Ambazonian independence movement, forged in the crucible of civil resistance and international advocacy, echoes many of the core convictions held by Endeley himself.
A Doctor Turned Pioneer of Self-Governance
Dr. Endeley trained as a medical doctor in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, returning home to serve his people with professionalism and care. His growing involvement in politics during the late colonial period was driven by his concern for British Southern Cameroons’ political future. He co-founded the Kamerun National Congress (KNC) and became a formidable advocate for autonomy under British Trusteeship.
In 1954, he was elected Prime Minister of Southern Cameroons, leading the territory with a vision rooted in democratic values, administrative competence, and the preservation of Anglophone identity.
A Contested Stand: The 1961 Plebiscite
Endeley’s most controversial moment came in 1961, when Southern Cameroonians were asked to choose between joining the Federal Republic of Nigeria or merging with French Cameroun. Endeley favored a union with Nigeria, believing it offered a more compatible legal and administrative system. His opponents, notably John Ngu Foncha, argued for unification with French Cameroun—an alliance that has since proven disastrous for the Anglophone community.
While Endeley’s position lost at the polls, time has been kinder to his warnings than to the promises of reunification. The post-1961 trajectory—from federalism to centralization, from marginalization to militarization—validates Endeley’s caution and underscores his role as a misunderstood prophet.
President Sako and the Revival of the Endeley Doctrine
Fast forward to the present: President Dr. Samuel Ikome Sako, a pastor, academic, and leader of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, now carries the mantle that Endeley once bore. Though from different generations and backgrounds, the two men are connected by their shared commitment to the right of self-governance for the people of former British Southern Cameroons.
Like Endeley, Sako champions justice, rule of law, and the inviolability of identity. But where Endeley sought constitutional safeguards, Sako now seeks outright independence, shaped by decades of broken promises and state violence. His administration operates in exile, yet commands the loyalty of Ambazonians across the globe, representing the evolution—not the abandonment—of Endeley’s foundational vision.
The ideological thread that began with Endeley’s plea for autonomy has matured into Sako’s demand for liberation. His speeches, like Endeley’s writings, are framed by law, conscience, and moral clarity.
Embracing Continuity Without Erasing Complexity
It would be simplistic to cast Endeley as flawless or to claim that all Anglophone leaders of his time agreed with him. He faced resistance, just as President Sako does now. But in hindsight, Endeley’s strategic foresight is undeniable, and Sako’s boldness in this generation affirms the legitimacy of that early warning.
While the term “reincarnation” may be poetic, it is more accurate to say that Dr. Sako embodies the political and moral continuity of Endeley’s vision—updated for a time when only full sovereignty appears to offer survival and dignity.
The Path Forward
Today, the legacy of Dr. E.M.L. Endeley is no longer buried under the rubble of failed unionism. It has been lifted by a new generation—led by President Sako—that sees in him the seeds of a nation denied, but not defeated.
Let it be remembered:
Two statesmen stood in different times, but with the same truth on their lips—that the people of Southern Cameroons are not mere appendages to another republic, but a people deserving of their own.
Published by The Independentist — documenting the struggle, honoring the truth, and celebrating the heroes of Ambazonia.
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