By Mofor Samuel
As one walks along the coastline, one is tempted to go swimming or even bathing in the ocean. The very beautiful sandy beaches and their closeness to main highway leading to town prevent many a visitor from imagining the risk and danger that are concealed behind the waves as they drift towards the shore. But then every cautious human being will prefer to merely sit or walk along the coastline to enjoy the fresh breeze that the waves in their never ending journey to the shore bring along with them. These waves which are often very violent hit the shore producing very powerful noise than can only be compared to several tons of water falling from above to the earth in one go.
Ever since this contributor got into town, he is caught between believing or not the notion of high and low tides, he learnt in his Geography classes. The force with which the waves come to the shore with, tells one that: “hey man look before you leap.” This warning often falls on deaf ears as many still dare to conquer these waves only for the lucky ones to be rescued and the unfortunate ones to be swallowed up by the waves and sent to the bosom of the ocean. They are often fished out several hours or days later by which time life must have be pluck out of them or being washed ashore by the very waves.
Such was the case of some students from the Bilingual High School Kribi. The college which is overlooking the ocean makes it possible for the students to always go swimming or bathing in it. That is how some three students and some visitors coming from Douala met their premature end on that fateful Friday afternoon.
Just coming into town, this contributor always strolls along the coastline in the evenings on his way to the centre of the town. As he approached the junction leading to the Framotel Hotel for those who know Kribi, he spotted the flashlight of a police van stationed by the roadside near one of the several bridges found along the road. As he was trying to imagine that even if the khaki boys were on their normal control of papers, why would they prefer a blind bend to park their vehicle? But as he came closer to the scene, he noticed that several vehicles and motor cycles were also parked, with people standing in small groups, whispering and all eyes looking at the ocean. Further into the coastline, he noticed the ambulance of the District Hospital Kribi waiting. That was about 7:15pm. He immediately knew that there must be an accident along the coastline, little did he even imagine of someone drowning. In reality the ambulance was waiting for the remaining two corpses to come ashore, while the police was there to confirm that the deaths were fished out of the ocean.
This contributor not having anyone to inquire from as to what had actually happened hesitantly strolled off. Some 50 metres away from the scene, both the police van and the ambulance overtook him with their flash lights on. They were followed by a convoy of vehicles.
It was not until the following morning that this contributor learnt from his colleague that some seven ladies and students were hit by violent waves as they were swimming. The ladies were rescued by fishermen while the students were declared missing. There was this frantic search that proved fruitless. Later on, two of them (girls) were found already dead. Then towards 7:30pm, one of the boys was seen; earlier on at about 5:30pm fishermen fished out one of the boys and finally the last one was washed ashore around 5 am the next day.
My colleague Ngala form Donga and Mantung division of the North West province reacting to the tragedy said, ever since he came to Kribi, he has never allowed the waters of the ocean to go beyond his ankles not to talk of bathing in the ocean. He went further to say that there are several points along the coastline that belong to “the inhabitants of the ocean” and if anyone or group violates this territory, the unlucky ones often pay with their lives.
Still another, this time a female colleague, said when the feast of the Batangas which usually comes around May 8th, is around the corner, human sacrifice is often made before the feast takes place.
To corroborate what they said, a Batanga lady in the bus that was taking us to Douala while reacting to the concern raised by a fellow passenger said, they of Kribi do not have anything to do with the ocean between April and September as far as swimming and bathing is concerned. That they have between October and February each year to go swimming and bathing in the ocean. She ended by saying that the ocean is often very violent between April and August and people die because of their foolhardiness.
Earlier on, CRTV Ebolowa cabled in a report over the national network news concerning the death of two fishermen when their canoe was hit by violent storm as they went fishing. They were five in number, three managed to swim to safety while the two others never made it alive.
Generally when mention of Kribi and the ocean are made, the first thing that comes to mind, is mermaid or “mami wata.” Some even believe that most of the young ladies found along the coastline looking for “customers” mostly whites or some well-to-do young men just coming into town, belong to the water world or are fairies coming the ocean. Some are harmless but most of them can be very dangerous; woe betides anyone who falls in the trap of a dangerous water spirit, you know the rest.
Coming back to the issue of the students, there is every reason for one to ask if the school authorities have put in place any mechanisms to keep off students from swimming or bathing in the ocean during school hours or have reported to their houses for their parents to see them first. By so doing they will wash their hands off some of these very painful and premature deaths of students.
On the other hand, the municipal and local authorities must come to an understanding so that rescue teams are implanted along the coastline. They will be the ones to warn people of the dangers involved as they go swimming or bathing in the ocean. No one goes to the ocean without passing through them.
When a beautiful beach like the one in Kribi is responsible for senseless and preventable deaths like the one just mentioned above, there is every reason to borrow from the famous Nigerian writer that: Beauty carries sorrow with it.”
The powers that be in Kribi should do everything in their powers to make the beach safe and enjoyable to all and sundry.
As one walks along the coastline, one is tempted to go swimming or even bathing in the ocean. The very beautiful sandy beaches and their closeness to main highway leading to town prevent many a visitor from imagining the risk and danger that are concealed behind the waves as they drift towards the shore. But then every cautious human being will prefer to merely sit or walk along the coastline to enjoy the fresh breeze that the waves in their never ending journey to the shore bring along with them. These waves which are often very violent hit the shore producing very powerful noise than can only be compared to several tons of water falling from above to the earth in one go.
Ever since this contributor got into town, he is caught between believing or not the notion of high and low tides, he learnt in his Geography classes. The force with which the waves come to the shore with, tells one that: “hey man look before you leap.” This warning often falls on deaf ears as many still dare to conquer these waves only for the lucky ones to be rescued and the unfortunate ones to be swallowed up by the waves and sent to the bosom of the ocean. They are often fished out several hours or days later by which time life must have be pluck out of them or being washed ashore by the very waves.
Such was the case of some students from the Bilingual High School Kribi. The college which is overlooking the ocean makes it possible for the students to always go swimming or bathing in it. That is how some three students and some visitors coming from Douala met their premature end on that fateful Friday afternoon.
Just coming into town, this contributor always strolls along the coastline in the evenings on his way to the centre of the town. As he approached the junction leading to the Framotel Hotel for those who know Kribi, he spotted the flashlight of a police van stationed by the roadside near one of the several bridges found along the road. As he was trying to imagine that even if the khaki boys were on their normal control of papers, why would they prefer a blind bend to park their vehicle? But as he came closer to the scene, he noticed that several vehicles and motor cycles were also parked, with people standing in small groups, whispering and all eyes looking at the ocean. Further into the coastline, he noticed the ambulance of the District Hospital Kribi waiting. That was about 7:15pm. He immediately knew that there must be an accident along the coastline, little did he even imagine of someone drowning. In reality the ambulance was waiting for the remaining two corpses to come ashore, while the police was there to confirm that the deaths were fished out of the ocean.
This contributor not having anyone to inquire from as to what had actually happened hesitantly strolled off. Some 50 metres away from the scene, both the police van and the ambulance overtook him with their flash lights on. They were followed by a convoy of vehicles.
It was not until the following morning that this contributor learnt from his colleague that some seven ladies and students were hit by violent waves as they were swimming. The ladies were rescued by fishermen while the students were declared missing. There was this frantic search that proved fruitless. Later on, two of them (girls) were found already dead. Then towards 7:30pm, one of the boys was seen; earlier on at about 5:30pm fishermen fished out one of the boys and finally the last one was washed ashore around 5 am the next day.
My colleague Ngala form Donga and Mantung division of the North West province reacting to the tragedy said, ever since he came to Kribi, he has never allowed the waters of the ocean to go beyond his ankles not to talk of bathing in the ocean. He went further to say that there are several points along the coastline that belong to “the inhabitants of the ocean” and if anyone or group violates this territory, the unlucky ones often pay with their lives.
Still another, this time a female colleague, said when the feast of the Batangas which usually comes around May 8th, is around the corner, human sacrifice is often made before the feast takes place.
To corroborate what they said, a Batanga lady in the bus that was taking us to Douala while reacting to the concern raised by a fellow passenger said, they of Kribi do not have anything to do with the ocean between April and September as far as swimming and bathing is concerned. That they have between October and February each year to go swimming and bathing in the ocean. She ended by saying that the ocean is often very violent between April and August and people die because of their foolhardiness.
Earlier on, CRTV Ebolowa cabled in a report over the national network news concerning the death of two fishermen when their canoe was hit by violent storm as they went fishing. They were five in number, three managed to swim to safety while the two others never made it alive.
Generally when mention of Kribi and the ocean are made, the first thing that comes to mind, is mermaid or “mami wata.” Some even believe that most of the young ladies found along the coastline looking for “customers” mostly whites or some well-to-do young men just coming into town, belong to the water world or are fairies coming the ocean. Some are harmless but most of them can be very dangerous; woe betides anyone who falls in the trap of a dangerous water spirit, you know the rest.
Coming back to the issue of the students, there is every reason for one to ask if the school authorities have put in place any mechanisms to keep off students from swimming or bathing in the ocean during school hours or have reported to their houses for their parents to see them first. By so doing they will wash their hands off some of these very painful and premature deaths of students.
On the other hand, the municipal and local authorities must come to an understanding so that rescue teams are implanted along the coastline. They will be the ones to warn people of the dangers involved as they go swimming or bathing in the ocean. No one goes to the ocean without passing through them.
When a beautiful beach like the one in Kribi is responsible for senseless and preventable deaths like the one just mentioned above, there is every reason to borrow from the famous Nigerian writer that: Beauty carries sorrow with it.”
The powers that be in Kribi should do everything in their powers to make the beach safe and enjoyable to all and sundry.
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