THINGS WORTH NOTING FOR ALL THOSE TRAVELLING TO OR LIVING IN BAMENDA AND THE NORTHWEST REGION AT LARGE.

Cross section of Bamenda Town

1. For your own good, whenever law enforcement agents ( whether in uniform or not) stop a vehicle you boarded, stay calm, avoid hissing and grumbling. Whether you are a man or a woman, respect them and Allow them to peacefully do their work.

2. Please take the receipts of your electronic equipment, laptop or other bulk gadgets (original or photocopy), anywhere you go, if you must carry them along. 

3. If you don't have means of identification from your school or workplace, get at least a national ID card or driver's licence. It is crucial. your professional Badge may also help u at the military control. But be careful with it at the other type of control. It's very important.

4. Delete all your bank alerts, and transfer sensitive information or pictures into a flash drive or memory card.  Keep your financial transactions and sensitive documents away from your phone. 

5. Carrying  more than one ATM card may bring serious problem for you in our present-day Northwest  Region, especially with the 'other type' of control: be warned!!!

6. If you must move at night no matter how close to your house, take your ID card and let someone go with you. Never go alone.

7. Dress responsibly, be cummed; it will save you a whole lot of trouble, especially our youths keeping dreadlocks or funny hairstyles, tattoos and piercings etc. Looking rugged and wild may earn you serious trouble. Take care of your hairstyle and general grooming.

8. If you are given a vehicle to go for an errand, make sure all documents are complete and up- to- date. Also, your driver's licence must be complete before you hit the road.

9. When your car is being searched, don't just look away in anger ; they are doing their job. Just pay close attention to what's going on, to avoid "had I known".

10. If you are not sure of what someone is carrying in a bag, pack, or sack, please ask politely before accepting to give the person a ride. You may be arrested for what you know nothing about.

11. After any stranger you decide to give a lift comes down, move forward a little, park and  search your vehicle very well before you continue so as to avoid harbouring any incriminating objects left behind.

12. It is mandatorily necessary you dont keep this message to yourself  alone.

13) Be patient when travelling. Being in a haste may land you into serious problems. Where you find vehicles parked and are waiting, seek advise. You may not know the trap ahead

14) You will fine multiple controls from Matazem, Santa, welcome to Bamenda, Blue moon, mile one junction, Tradex etc before you enter town. Do not complain. They are working on instructions. You will be asked to drop down and identify yourself. Your car will be searched at these spots. They will take all your time. But do not complain.

15) Be aware that there is operation "Bamenda Clean" involving all men in uniform and the population. Don't be frigthened in the quarter when u see a group of millitary. 

16) Above all avoid certain talks because even those people you think you know them, you don't really know them in details. Be vigellant and Stay safe. 

Thanks and God bless our one and indivisible Cameroon

The States Lady

LESSONS THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC HAS TAUGHT ME

❤ We are connected as a world. Empathize when a problem happens on one part of the world, it might catch up to you

🖤 Your life can be flipped upside down and changed in an instant. Live life intentionally and with purpose

💙 Racism, Classism, Tribalism and all the "isms" are foolishness. Corona was a leveller. It affected black, white, rich, poor. Every human. From all walks of life. Quit these nonsense discriminations . Newsflash!!! When push comes to shove. You really ain't better than the next man. Believe that.

💜 Those who preached technology Is evil were forced to refute that message. I have never seen so many "live sermons" as in this season

🧡 We need each other. I need you to protect me, you need me to protect you

🤎 Appreciate ALL jobs. Where would we be without the truck drivers driving food supplies to and fro and cleaners who fumigate and sanitise our surroundings?

🖤 Some cultures and traditions we thought were a "must" do or some calamity would befall the family have been proved to be nothing but a fallacy

❤ Learnt that the dead can be buried within days. The culture of keeping bodies for weeks is unnecessary. Our Muslim brothers and sisters have had it on point all along

💚 Invest more time in family ~ we were forced to stay home and some families realised they are total strangers to their loved ones. Our busyness created a rift we were not even aware of. May we treasure and make time for family

🤎 Consuming too much negative information can be toxic to your mental and physical health.

💜 Those who refused to embrace technology have just had to Zoom, Whatssap, FaceTime, Skype became essential to keeping in touch. In most places medical consultations were online with a medic. Church and even funerals happened on Zoom. It is good to keep abreast of new technology

💛 Those who believe in massive weddings were forced to rethink. Weddings don't have to have 500 people nor cost much

💙 Have a saving culture. Unexpected things happen!

💜 Learn to navigate, cope and remain centred when things don't go as planned, otherwise your mental health will suffer

🤎 Health is wealth. We should never take our health for granted. Even to breathe free air is a blessing

🖤 Find opportunities within a crisis. Many genuine millionares were made during this pandemic

💛 Lock down made us realise there is beauty in physically interacting with people, we longed and yearned for it, don't take it for granted. Get off virtually and actually meet

❤ Be a blessing to people who are suffering, help whenever you can. You never know when the unexpected might come to your door. Hopefully those you helped will return the kindness you afforded them when they needed it

🧡 Things will happen in life to remind you how much you need God. Ain't that the truth?! We all cried out for mercy

💚 We worked from home. The traffic and long commutes are really unnecessary. Most jobs can actually be done from home

💜 We can run out of food and essential supplies. Less wastage is key

🤎 Job security? No such thing. So many people lost their jobs. It's worth having side hustles too and not just relying on "salary"

❤ Together as ONE we can fight, rise above and beat anything, even pandemics.

💙 Your attitude when you are going through a crisis determines how much you grow when you come out of it. This pandemic taught us many many lessons that can potentially make us better as human kind. May we never forget