The Eseka Incident

Eight years. The number feels both immense and insignificant when weighed against the memory of a single day.

On October 21, 2016, the journey between Yaoundé and Douala ended in tragedy near the town of Eseka. What was meant to be a routine trip became a national wound, a moment frozen in time where lives were irrevocably shattered. The official numbers were staggering, but behind each number was a person—a story, a family, a future abruptly silenced.

The Eseka Incident was more than a train derailment; it was a profound rupture. It exposed the fragility of our systems and the devastating cost of neglect. But amidst the statistics and the headlines, what we must never forget are the people. The laughter that was cut short, the unspoken goodbyes, the dreams that were traveling on those tracks.

In the aftermath of that pain, like so many others, I was left with a storm of emotions—grief, anger, and a desperate need to speak into the silence. It was during that time that I, alongside the powerful voice of Angu Pride Bih, turned to poetry to find a language for the unspeakable. We sought to honor the lost, to give voice to the collective shock, and to ensure that what happened would not be just a forgotten news item.

The piece we created is titled "Last Words."

Today, as we remember and honor the souls lost in Eseka, I am sharing this spoken word piece once more. It is our offering, our act of remembrance, and our testament to the fact that art can be a vessel for collective memory and healing.

We remember you. We honor you. May your souls continue to rest in perfect peace.

Please listen, reflect, and remember with us. The spoken word piece, Listen to "Last Words,"
https://youtu.be/YV4iL7Lkf4k?si=QXDJavU6S8NpQ2Iq

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