Reaction of the natives to German rule in Cameroon starting from annexation through penetration to their eviction from the territory.

CAUSES OF NATIVES RESISTANCE TO GERMAN RULE

Political Causes

• Disrespect of traditional rulers.
• Disrespect of Germano-Douala treaty.
• Imposition of chiefs. Eg: Chief Atangana was imposed as Paramount chief of Ewondo.
• To maintain sovereignty or powers. Eg: Fon of Nso.

Economic Causes

• The people were forced to work roads and railways.
• The destruction of middleman monopoly of trade enjoyed by the coastal.
• Seizure of native land.
• The imposition of heavy taxes on the natives by the Germans for development projects.
• The Germans forced the natives to embarked on the cultivation of cash crop for export while abandoning the cultivation of food crops.

Social Causes

• Some Germans administrators were harsh and brutal to the natives. Eg: Flogging.
• Some Germans were accused of adultery.
• Disrespect for native customers any person who was married to more than one wives was imposed tax.

CASE STUDIES OF RESISTANCE TO GERMAN RULE IN CAMEROON

1. The Bakweri Resistence (1891-1894)

Causes

5. High taxes imposed on the people.
5. The seizure of native land for plantation.
5. The German policy of flogging.
5. Forced labour on the people.
5. The missionaries stood against the Bakweri tradition of administering sassword poison to those suspected of witch craft.

Course

When the Bakwerians learnt that a German commander Graven reath was about to attack to end the inhuman act of suspects, they also decided to mobilize.

On 5^th December 1891, Graven reath was killed by a Bakwerian called Mondinde mo’Ekeke.

5. Having learnt that the Germans were about to send another expedition, Chief Kuva Likenye advised his people to move to the near-by villages while he went to Wonya Mokunda to escape destructions from the Germans.
5. Led by Major Hans Dominick and Von Stettin, the German punitive expedition swept the entire village to ground level.
5. They were defeated in 1894, Chief Likenye was dead and his successor was his brother Endeley.

Consequence

• They lost 50 cattles.
• They were to supply 100 labourers yearly.
• It reduced native freedom and available land agriculture and pasture.
• Properties was destroyed and many people lost their lives.
• The king was replaced.
• The Bakweri were forced to take an oaths of loyalty to the Germans.

2. The Bangwa Resistance (1898-1915)

Causes

• They were forcefully recruited by the Germans to serve as porters.
• They were used as plantation workers.
• The traditional rulers refused to surrender their powers to Germans.
• Conrav converted the 100 men given to him by chief Asoganyi as carriers into plantation workers.
• The poor treatment in the plantation led to death of many people.
• He returned to  Bangwa for more men and could not explained the where about of the 100 men annoyed Bangwa people of they planned to kill.

Course

When conrav finally returned to Banglia, the natives accused him of having sold their mother into slavery hence plotted to kill. When the information leaked to him an attempt to escape, he died under mysterious circumstances.

• His heard was removed, right hand.
• The Germans sent 1900 troops under Von Besser to punish the Bangwa.
• By 1901, Asongayi appease the Germans by giving them elephant tusks, leopard skin, goats, pigs etc.
• By 1903 an expedition was sent by Von Pavel which defeated the Bangwa.

Effects

• Some Bangwas were captured and used as carriers.
• The Bangwas resistance led to the loss of livers and poverty.
• They were forced to work on roads.
• Their land was partition into 2.
• Chief Asongayi was excited to Garoua.