Can You Imagine How Long the Oroko Forests have been Exploited?
Before most of us of this generation were born, logs upon logs of timber and medicinal plants were harvested from the Oroko land, then known as Kumba division and exported to Europe. I remember vividly to have seen a saw mill along Three Corner Mabanda Road while still in primary school.
The forest exploitation is still going on today in a worse manner than it was years ago because there is no longer any saw mail in the whole of Oroko land, where some of our people can be employed. Timber from our forest leaves for Europe in logs every day. It may please to know that France is one of the largest world suppliers of timber.
What Do You Know About Korup Park?
The Germans discovered Korup in late 18th century. In 1937, The Korup Reserve was gazetted. In October 30, 1986, it was made a National Park by decree No. 86/1283.
Korup is more is than sixty (60) million years old with its biological diversity and ecosystem still intact.
It is the oldest remaining rainforest in Africa, with 1000 species, of which 60 are occurring nowhere else in the world. More that 90 medicinal plants have been discovered there, 36 of which are new to science, 400 tree species, 327 bird species, 174 species of reptiles and amphibians and140 species of fish. How rich is that?
A vine found in Korup National Park known as Ancistrocladus or korupensis, is shown to be active against HIV. Researchers are doing findings all over the world with some positive signals surfacing.
Oil palm is said to have originated from Korup as well as endemic co-evolved, an insect that pollinates oil palms. This insect was export to Southeast Asia and it is making a big impact in the performance of their oil palms.
(Source:www.wwfcameroon.org/cprojects/koruppark.htm)
Who exported the insect? What was the contract? Did exportation benefit the people of Ndian division.
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With these discoveries in Korup, what can we do to gain from the many blessings that the Almighty bestowed in our Land? Are we going let things go as we did with timber? We have to start thinking of ways to be part of each contract that is to be signed with any multi- national corporation. Our cry against this inhuman exploitation must begin.
How Can Our Voices be heard?
My fervent suggestion is that we set up a committee to study and gather more facts about Crude Oil exploration in Ndian division, timber exploitation in Oroko land, the operation of Korup and come up with a powerful document that will address the exploitation of the people of our divisions of their human rights.
This document should be sent to the Prime minister, President of national assembly, all Oroko Parliamentarians, Divisional/District officers, Chiefs, business persons, all companies drilling for oil in Ndian division, etc.
The new forestry law stipulates that any company that operates in the forest should establish programs to help the local people of their area of operation.
It is our human right to gain from the Almighty blessing of our land. We must fight for our right. And Article 21 of the Africa Human Rights charter favors us.
If we stay and work together as Orokos, believing that we are one, no matter the divide and rule boundary between us, with God on our side, we are going to win and create a legacy for future generation.
God bless you all, God bless Oroko.
Esimoyamboka. Esimo, Esimo.
“History teaches us that certain circumstances make it very easy for foreign people to impose their dominion. But history also teaches us that no matter what the material aspects of that domination, it can only be preserved by a permanent and organized control of the dominated people's cultural life; otherwise it cannot be definitively implanted without killing a significant part of the population.”
Amilcar Cabral
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