Open Access
American Research Journal of History and Culture
ISSN (Online): 2379-2914
DOI: 10.46568/arjhc
The 1961 United Nations Plebiscite in British Southern Cameroons: Conduct, Results, Post-Plebiscite Challenges and Conflicts
1The University of Bamenda, Cameroon.
2The University of Bertoua.
: Emmanuel Yenkong Sobseh, Charles Nda Agbor, Innocent Atehghang Afuhnghang, “The 1961 United Nations
Plebiscite in British Southern Cameroons: Conduct, Results, Post-Plebiscite Challenges and Conflicts”, American
Research Journal of History and Culture, Vol 10, no. 1, 2024, pp. 31-40.
Abstract
The British Southern Cameroons with plethora of post-plebiscite challenges, was a mandate of the League of Nations
(1922 - 1945) and later, a trusteeship territory of the United Nations (1945-1961) handed to Britain to administer after
Germany was defeated by the allied forces in the First and the Second World Wars. The paper argues that, the political
future of the British Southern Cameroons was not decided until the plebiscite of 1961 that was supervised and conducted
under the supervision of the United Nations. The October 1961 reunification with French Cameroun and the challenges
associated with United Nations post-plebiscite in British Southern Cameroons were responsible for some of the ethnic
tensions, conflicts and dilemmas faced by post-independence Cameroon. The study argues that, these challenges which
include the return to federation, the nature of the state, the desire to force Britain and United Nations to address the
challenges face by British Southern Cameroons, quest for independence by Southern Cameroonians, solve the Anglophone
Crisis, tackle the problem of secession, the mismanagement of West Cameroon’s patrimony and Constitutional issues must
be addressed for peace to return in Cameroon. Using primary and secondary sources and based on the recommendations
advanced, the paper concludes that except these problems are addressed, political conflicts and ethnic tensions will continue to characterize ethnic relations in Cameroon.
