Discovering Bamenda on a Ghost Town Day

Hi, Steemit community. Greetings from the deserted streets of Bamenda. Bamenda, the capital of Cameroon's North West region, transforms into an eerie landscape on "ghost town" days. These days are imposed by separatist fighters in the English-speaking regions, forcing all commercial and outdoor activities to a halt. Bored by the nothingness and inactivity of this particular day, I decided to spend a day discovering Bamenda’s deserted streets, capturing the strange beauty through silhouette and shadow photography. Compelled to sit at home all day as if today is not Pentecost Sunday. If the wrath of God starts descending on some people they'll now be claiming innocence.

The morning began with an unusual stillness. The typically bustling streets were empty, shops closed, and the usual chatter of daily life replaced by an almost palpable silence. With my Oneplus Nord phone in hand, I set out to explore. The lack of activity creates a surreal atmosphere, as if time had paused, allowing the city to reveal a different side of itself.

Walking through the deserted streets, I was struck by the stark contrast between light and shadow. The sun cast long, dramatic shadows that seemed to tell the stories of those who would normally inhabit these spaces. I captured the silhouettes of buildings, vegetation, people standing against the backdrop of a dark grey sky.

In another part of town, I found an elongated shadow of me and my brother intriguing, the type cast by the 6:30 am to 7:00 am sunrise or the 5:30pm type. As the shadows stretching across the cracked asphalt hit the earth on the other side, I thought to myself, if ever there were a story titled "Shadow Men", this is what the poster would look like. The shadows told a story of a city caught in the grip of conflict yet standing strong in its silent defiance.

By evening, as I reviewed the day's photographs, I felt a profound connection to Bamenda and its people. The ghost town day, while a manifestation of the region's struggles, also revealed the hidden beauty and strength of a city and its inhabitants.