By George Esunge Fominyen (Originally published on the website of the British High Commission in Cameroon)
The crew of the HMS Enterprise, one of the UK's most modern hydrographic and oceanographic vessels is used to stopping over at ports on the West African coastline and visiting places around. During a visit (in 2007) of the HMS Enterprise to Cameroon, some of the ship’s company took time off to discover the beautiful natural landscape of the country. While some attempted to reach the top of the 2400 m high mount Kupe, others toured villages around Mount Cameroon in Buea. George Esunge Fominyen accompanied the seven of them who went up Mount Kupe, in the South West Province of Cameroon. It was a breath-taking experience that also demonstrated the lack touristic infrastructure in Cameroon.
Almost three and half-hours after departing Douala on a partly jerky ride, a seven strong party arrived Nyassosso to begin the ascent of Mount Kupe. Traditional beliefs hold that misfortune could befall anyone who dares to go up the mountain without traditional rites. The main tour guide Jean Elone Nkalle met the chief for traditional blessings. With the mountain gods on their side, the amateur mountaineers took off accompanied by six other tour guides and the British High Commission’s George Esunge Fominyen.
Past the studious buildings of the Government Secondary School, Nyassoso, it is a thick bush that welcomes the visitor. Clothe in forest from bottom to top, the Kupe massif is steep, with deep gorges and sharp turns. A delicate climb up the local water reservoir is the first challenge on this trail. A few farms with thorny crops are the next trial for those who dare to climb in shorts and sleeveless shirts. The locals believe that the steep mountain slopes were designed to act as a natural defence to dissuade man from challenging supernatural powers.
Who knows? Maybe the hum of the leaves that pan across the horizon like a roof is voice of the Kupe Mountain Deity. Apart from this hum, the chirping of birds is a real delight to the ears. According to the World Wide fund for nature 329 bird species have been recorded on Mount Kupe, amongst them, the elusive Mount Kupe Bush Shrike, the White-throated Mountain Babbler, and the Green-breasted Bush-shrike. The mountains also harbour the Grey-necked Picathartes or Rock fowl, as it is locally known.
However, the gradient did not allow these soldiers to become birdwatchers. They had to use the roots of big trees that looked centuries old to move on.
Litres of sweat poured out the members of this expedition. At some point the thought giving floated in some conversations. But after being re-invigorated and re-hydrated with water they trudged on hoping to catch a glimpse of the several primate species, antelopes and even elephants that inhabit this dense forest mountain.
Their determination notwithstanding, the HMS Enterprise Company could not make it to the summit. Twilight was drawing near and no one wanted to imagine what nightfall could be like on these slopes given the greyness the placed exuded at daytime. Just one stop at a tourist cave and it was a speedy return to Nyassoso, where the tired men and woman of this expedition took a last pose with the HMS Enterprise flag.
Then it was time to hop into the four-wheel drive SUVs for a rough ride back to Douala. Mount Kupe is extra- ordinary but neither Nyassosso or even nearby Tombel has a decent hotel to host tourists. There is a reputable Presbyterian hospital in the town but is that sufficient safeguard for tourists from afar wary of tropical diseases? Within a brief moment I could see why tourism, even the much vaunted eco-tourism, would hardly succeed in Cameroon amidst the natural potential of the country. These thoughts continued to bounce up and down my head as the drivers rode on the stone track (road) from Nyassosso to Loum. I wonder what explanations the local ruling class gave for this road to be in the same state.
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