Wirba Joseph Mbiydzenyuy (born January 8, 1960), is a Cameroonian politician, humanitarian and social activist.

Early life and education

Wirba Joseph Mbiydzenyuy was born into the household of the warriors of Mbisha-Kwe'ebiri, Rohntong, in Jakiri, Bui Division of

West Cameroon West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...

. His parents Mama Theresia Biy and Papa WIRBA Dor did not have his birth officially recorded as he was born in a rural setting having neither a health facility nor birth records, at a time when women were assisted by traditional birth attendants (the ma'nkoiy). He was delivered at his family home, before, on, or about January 8, 1960. Joe began his primary education at the local primary school in Kinsenjam, he then continued his education in a secondary school in

Bamenda Bamenda, also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town, is a city in northwestern Cameroon and capital of the Northwest Region, Cameroon, Northwest Region. The city has a population of about 2 million people and is located north-west of the Cameroonian ca ...

and completed high school in Nkambe. After graduation, Joe got admitted into the

University of Yaounde A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...

, Where he majored in Comparative Literature, the Teaching of Literature in English and English as a Second Language.

Political career

On May 26, 1990, Wirba Joseph and an inner circle of leaders worked to bypass, frustrate and push back the army in order to successfully launch the Social Democratic Front (SDF), the main Cameroonian opposition party. Wirba was an active participant and advocate for the freedom of the people of West Cameroon in the All Anglophone Conference that was held in Buea, on April 2 and 3 1993, with follow-up meetings on April 29 to May 1, 1994 in

. Wirba remain a devoted member of the SDF and in September 2013, Joe Wirba won a landmark election in Jakiri in September 2013 to become a Member of Parliament for Jakiri Special Constituency since. Wirba Joseph was the first Cameroonian parliamentarian to raise the 2016–2017 Cameroonian protests, which would later escalate into the

Anglophone Crisis The Anglophone Crisis (), also known as the Ambazonia War or the Cameroonian Civil War, is an ongoing civil war in the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon, part of the long-standing Anglophone problem. Following the suppression of the 2 ...

. He eventually abandoned his party's policies and came to support the independence of

Ambazonia Ambazonia, officially the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, also referred to as Amba Land, is an unrecognised breakaway state in West Africa which claims the Northwest Region and Southwest Region of Cameroon, though it currently controls almost ...

.Cameroon: "We will have an independent state of Ambazonia"- Hon Joseph Wirba
Journal du Cameroun, Jul 12, 2019. Accessed Jul 12, 2019. Fearing for his safety, he fled to

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

in early 2017. He briefly returned and reappeared in parliament, but soon fled the country once again, this time to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

. In January 2019, he published a book called "Wirbaforce", which is his personal tribute to those who had lost their lives in the Anglophone Crisis. Wirba believes that the creation of the

Interim Government of Ambazonia The Interim Government of Ambazonia is the provisional government in exile of the internationally unrecognized Federal Republic of Ambazonia. History Ayuk Tabe cabinet (2017–18) The Interim Government of Ambazonia was formed from the Sou ...

in October 2017 was a mistake, calling it an "imaginary structure" that paved the way for the

2019 Ambazonian leadership crisis The Ambazonian leadership crisis is an ongoing internal conflict within the Interim Government of Ambazonia (IG). The crisis started on 2 May 2019, when a document signed by the first president of Ambazonia, Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe, acting from ...

. Wirba has also revealed that he had been contacted by Ambazonian president

Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe Sisiku Julius Ayuk Tabe is an Ambazonian separatist leader, and is the disputed first president of the unrecognized Federal Republic of Ambazonia.

and asked to assume leadership of the revolution, which he declined.Crise anglophone : Un ancien député du SDF appelle les séparatistes à dire la vérité aux masses souffrantes
Le Bled Parle, Jul 4, 2019. Accessed Jul 4, 2019. (French)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Joseph, Wirba 1960 births Living people Social Democratic Front (Cameroon) politicians