The Pseudo Integration of former British Cameroons and its Impact on Recurrence of Conflicts (1961-2018).

This study focuses on the nature of integration in the former British Cameroons after the United Nations Plebiscite of 1961. This work analyses the nature of the integration by closely examining the socio-economic and political developments during the post plebiscite period. The paper argues that it was the source for the recurrence of conflicts in the former British Cameroons, particularly Sardauna and Kurmi Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Taraba State, and the Northwest Region of Cameroon. The effect included the destruction of lives and property and colossal humanitarian crises involving Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees. The study uses the qualitative-cum-historical method of research involving the descriptive collation and analysis of historical data to come out with its findings. The data sources consulted comprised of primary, secondary and tertiary or internet materials. However, the findings of the study revealed that the socio-economic and political development during the post plebiscite period planted the seed of disenchantment due to the outright violation of promises and treaties by the governments of Nigeria, Cameroon. Britain and the United Nations (UN). Similarly, the study indicates that this resulted in lack of meaningful development, political apathy, disunity, and violence. This created impact such as protest, violence, intellectual and legal approaches. The implications this has included the comprehension gap, wrong placement of trust and the search for solutions are some of the implications for Nigeria, Cameroon Britain, and the UN. In conclusion, the study theoretically was able to shade more light and awareness on how the socio-economic and political development during the post plebiscite period culminated in pseudo integration and its impact and implications for the former British Cameroons. For practitioners it entails that researchers interested in the study area should adequately explore existing and new sources of data in order to exhume and reconstruct the real history causing recurrence of conflict in the study area. While policy makers are enjoined to pursue a genuine and sincere policy formulation and implementation in tandem with regulated motivations regarding integration policies in the study area as the pathway way to effectively mitigate the prevalence of conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]