Samuel Ikome Sako

Dr. Samuel Ikome Sako is the interim president of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia. He was elected acting interim president in March 2018, a month after Julius Ayuk Tabe, the first president, was abducted in Nigeria and transferred to Cameroon[1] absent the requisite extradition process compliant with statutes of the Federal Republic of Nigeria[2] and international conventions on refugees. Dr Sako is most credited for restructuring the interim government, configuring and implementing a networking of grassroots resistance in what has become known as the Amba peace plan, and for clearer advocacy for a mediated resolution of the conflict based on truth, justice per international law. Disagreements over policy with his predecessor AyukTabe Julius, held in detention, triggered the Ambazonian leadership crisis. In November 2019, Dr Sako was re-elected to a further 2 year term of office by the cabinet and representative tiers of the interim government.

Samuel Ikome Sako
2nd President of Ambazonia
Assumed office
4 February 2018 (Acting)
Preceded bySisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe

In terms of background, he has studied theology, is an ordained minister, a Christian counselor and author. He has spent several years in the United States, where he has been a trade consultant and a CEO. He was also President Emeritus of the Community Humanitarian Emergency Board International (COHEB).[1]

Presidency

After being elected acting interim president in 2018, one of Dr Sako's first priorities was to unite the separatist militias on the ground under one banner. In March 2018, the Interim Government created the Ambazonia Self-Defence Council, an umbrella organization intended to include all separatist militias. While the Ambazonia Defence Forces declined to join, many other militias did.[3]

In his speech on December 31, 2018, Dr Sako stated that the separatists would change from a defensive to an offensive strategy. He announced that a Mobile Wing Police would be created, with the intention of capturing and holding territory, as well as defeating pro-government militias. He also promised to take action against anyone involved in kidnappings of civilians, including separatist elements.[4]

In late-March 2019, he attended a conference in Washington, D.C. where over a dozen Ambazonian movements (including federalists) were represented. The conference resulted in an agreement to unite under a common front, and the subsequent creation of the Southern Cameroon Liberation Council.[5]

On May 2, 2019, a document signed by Ayuk Tabe, under detention by Cameroun, auto-proclaimed that the Dr Sako-led interim cabinet had been dissolved, and that his own pre-arrest cabinet had been restored. The document expressed recognition for the job the Dr Sako-led cabinet had done, but claimed albeit rhetorically that infighting had rendered it unfit to continue; the caretaker cabinet has lost the ability to reconcile our people and, in doing so, has imperiled the identity and mission of the interim government to complete the decolonization of Southern Cameroons through advancing our collective national interests..[6] This unprecedented coup d'etat against an elected leader was neither recognized by the Dr Sako-led cabinet nor supported by any local government of the thirteen counties of Ambazonia. In June 2019, the Ambazonia Restoration Council (legislative arm of the Ambazonian revolution) impeached Ayuk Tabe on three counts of "treasonous misconduct" including unwarranted interference on the Aria's Meeting of the United Nations Security Council[7] on Southern Cameroons. The same declaration stated that Dr Sako would continue as acting interim president for the time being pending new elections in three months[8] This move was condemned by Ayaba Cho Lucas of the Ambazonia Governing Council, who opposed Ayuk Tabe as interim president before supporting him in detention, in a seeming reversal of strategy to weaken the interim government of Dr Sako. [9]

In June 2019, Sako confirmed that the Interim Government was seeking an internationally mediated solution to the conflict with Cameroon[10].

In November 2019, tiers of the Ambazonian interim government comprising the cabinet, the restoration council, county and local government leaders re-elected Dr Sako into a 2 year term as interim president[11].

References
  1. Just In-Dr Samuel Ikome Sako Is New Acting Interim President of The ‘Federal Republic of Ambazonia’, Cameroon News Agency, Feb 4, 2018. Accessed Apr 19, 2018.
  2. Nigeria court says extradition Cameroon separatists illegal. France 24, 03/03/2019. Accessed 17 March 2020.
  3. "Opinion: Ambazonia 'Acting President' Says General Ivo Died A Hero". Cameroon News Agency. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  4. No Retreat, No Surrender, From Defensive To Offensive Strategy, The way Forward In 2019-Dr Samuel Sako, Cameroon News Agency, Dec 31, 2018. Accessed Dec 31, 2018.
  5. Federalists Meet Restorationists, Which Group Will Perform The Osmosis?, Cameroon News Agency, Mar 29, 2019. Accessed Apr 10, 2019.
  6. Cameroon: Detained Ambazonia leader dissolves ‘Interim Government’, Journal du Cameroun, May 2, 2019. Accessed Jul 8, 2019.
  7. Journal du Cameroun 15 May 2019. Access date March 18 2020
  8. Cameroon: Confusion as detained Ambazonia leader impeached by peers, Journal du Cameroun, Jun 12, 2019. Accessed Jun 12, 2019.
  9. Cameroon: Separatist hardliners react after impeachment of detained Ambazonia leader, Journal du Cameroun, Jun 12, 2019. Accessed Jun 12, 2019.
  10. Cameroon: Ambazonia leaders endorse Swiss-led dialogue to solve Anglophone crisis, Journal du Cameroun, Jun 28, 2019. Accessed Jun 28, 2019.
  11. Dr. Sako sworn in as President of Ambazonia, Mimi Mefo Infos, Nov 30, 2019. Accessed Nov 30, 2019.
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