TEKOUH MAFOR NELISA, UB student on internship
The
rate of mad or mentally deranged people have of recent been on the rise in
Bamenda. Many of them who are either completely naked or half naked oscillate
from one end of the street to the other in search of either food from the dust
bin or a drink from an abandoned half empty bottle.
Most
restaurant or bar owners know them and at times treat them with scorn. Although
many of these bar or restaurant owners do not want to see them around their
places because some of them are violent and scare away clients, the mentally
sick persons force themselves due to hunger and thirst.
Some
of them have become very intelligent and they rather clean places, park crates
or beg from whomever in order to eat.
Looking
at them physically, one may not be able to tell the source of their madness.
Some of their conditions have been attributed to various reasons. The first
common causes of madness in this region have been attributed to the excessive
use of drugs like marijuana, witchcraft and scamming.
Mr.
Fru Emmanuel, a bar owner along the Bamenda Commercial Avenue says in as much
as he wants to send these mad people away from his bar, he can’t do so for pity
sake. According to him, “mad people are normal people who are just unfortunate
because of one thing or the other. Some of them are victims of circumstances
and I would like the government to build asylums for them. They should be
treated fairly.”
Another
local bar owner at travelers, Mr. Suh Eric says, “I am already tired of them. I
just allow them do what they want. What do you expect them to do when their
families have abandoned them. They need food, shelter and even clothing like
you and me. I just hope somebody somewhere is listening and can effectively do
something.
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