Memory Lane (1960): Cameroon Delegate to the United Nations Arrested

A piece of historical trivia as President Paul Biya of Cameroon travels to New York for the 63rd United Nations General Assembly.

POLICE ASSAILED BY NEGRO AT U.N.; Cameroon Delegate Says He Was Stopped on Street Because of Color

UNITED NATIONS, N.Y., Oct. 13 1960 -- Ferdinand Oyono, permanent delegate of the Cameroon to the United Nations, maintained today that his detention yesterday by the city police for failing to show his United Nations pass had been caused solely because of his color.

The permanent delegate to the United Nations from Cameroon said he was "singled out of a crowd of white persons walking on the west side of First Avenue near the UN building.

I was blocked by a policeman who demanded my papers. No one else in the crowd was asked for papers. It so happened that I was the only Negro there at the time. ... I kept asking why I alone should show my pass and nobody else in the crowd. I had my pass but they seized me by the belt and about five policemen pushed me along to the police truck. I was taken to the police station."

Ferdinand Oyono was taken to the West Thirtyfifth Street police station from the United Nations area and later released.

Comments

[PATRICK M. MOMBO]

This is a wonderful site for consumption of intellectual and challenging materials which seem to be common to developing societies like ours in Africa.

PM

[petrache adria]

Mr President
my name is Adrian Petrache [email protected] mail and I was deluded by a phantom company in Cameroon language by the amount of $ 6720 and I am directed to someone who can take care of my case.
company that is called palm oil estate and is headed by Mr. Adam Christoph muna
having to account Amity Cameron bank account number-37340562901-89
If you want to help me Please Send E-MAIL ADDRESS to send all documents

[petrache adrian]

Mr President
my name is Adrian Petrache from Romania [email protected] mail and I was deluded by a phantom company in Cameroon language by the amount of $ 6720 and I am directed to someone who can take care of my case.
company that is called palm oil estate and is headed by Mr. Adam Christoph muna
having to account Amity Cameron bank account number-37340562901-89
If you want to help me Please Send E-MAIL ADDRESS to send all documents

[petrache adrian]

Mr President
my name is Adrian Petrache from Romania [email protected] mail and I was deluded by a phantom company in Cameroon LIMBE by the amount of $ 6720 and I am directed to someone who can take care of my case.
company that is named Palm oil Estate and is headed by Mr. Adam Christoph muna
having to account Amity Cameron bank account number-37340562901-89
If you want to help me Please Send E-MAIL ADDRESS to send all documents

[Ma Mary]

I feel sorry for you, Mr Adrian, falling into the clutches of scam artists. Little chance you will recover your money, but you may want to see the following, just to have an idea:

http://www.angelfire.com/dc2/glenn/index.html

[UnitedstatesofAmerica]

Scamming in Cameroon has become so rampant that it scares me. ALL my friends at UB are involved in it. The "puppies" trap is really working and Westerners keep sending huge chunks of money to buy these dogs. The rate is scamming is alarming. It feels like a scene right out of Abuja connection....those poorly made and badly-edited Nigerian movies.

[Ma Mary]

America is a funny place. Now, 40 years later, they elected a "negro" president. Mr Oyono is still part of the kleptocratic cabal of la Republique du Cameroun, a shameless apostate intellectual.

[Frank]

i doubt why the action of a white man should be an embarrassment to mr oyono because its in like manner you treat English people in Your country it serves you right.