After waiting for weeks for the presidential visit under tight security and uncertainty, residents of Bamenda are once more going about their activities unperturbed.

Life is coming back to normal in Bamenda, the regional capital of the North West. After weeks of go-slow, activities have taken their usual pace.

According to inhabitants, the town went into an uneasy calm two weeks to commemorative activities marking 50 years of the country’s Defence Forces. City dwellers, especially those with the love for night-time outings, could no longer go about their routine activities. Links were cut between night activities as security became tighter in the city. Night clubs and cabarets witnessed a drop in business activities as customers became more and more scared. Banditry also reduced as men of the underworld went into shelves since security men gave no chances to maintaining a safe environment for inhabitants. Bars closed as early as 7 p.m. and clubs were almost inexistent.

However, as the D-Day approached, the situation started changing. An increasing military presence in the region took away the security and fright from the inhabitants who gradually became a bit relaxed. “Streets were practically deserted and bars almost closed while the men in uniform ensured that peace and security reigned in all neighbourhoods,” Aboubakar Alisou, waiter in a bar in a neighbourhood in Nkwen told CT. He said though security was tight in town, inhabitants developed much fear towards the military for no just reason as they exercised little or no harm on people. Many of them, who solicited outings to cabarets and nocturnal activities though very restricted, became once more en vogue.

As the D-Day drew closer, tension was still high but once the presidential couple touched down in the city, it was another phase. Inhabitants heaved a sigh of relief after waiting for months and years to see President Paul and wife Chantal Biya. Though streets went dry as early as 8 p.m. residents of the city acknowledged that tension had greatly reduced when the Head of State landed in town. Few courageous club girls could be spotted around while visitors in town enjoyed some comfort in cabarets, restaurants and drinking spots. At the Mobil Nkwen neighbourhood, noted for its nocturnal activities like the hustling and bustling of prostitutes, things had almost come back to normal. After the second day of the visit, this hub was busy again, as late as midnight. Harlots were still at work while drinking spots and cabarets around town were equally jammed packed.

Above all, the sigh of relief also came on the last day of the visit of the presidential couple to the region on Friday December 10 as businesses went full bloom. At the Commercial Avenue, the business hub of the city, businessmen and women, hawkers were in full activity. Almost all shops were opened and buyers present. George Nwumfor, owner of an electrical appliance shop told CT that though business began timidly the town had regained its steam with people going about their daily activities.