Bamenda If a visitor decided on visiting only one location in Cameroon, Bamenda stands out as one of the most attractive and picturesque site to visit. It is the capital of the North West Province and over time the name of this town is erroneously used to refer to the Anglophone section of the country. It has a population of more than 500 000 people and is ever increasing due to an influx of people from rural areas. It is a town of hard working, dynamic and one of the most welcoming people in the republic. This explains why several foreigners and visitors end up living in this town. It has a rich cultural diversity marked by very attractive, colorful traditional costumes, fine arts and handicrafts from clay, raffia palm fiber and other local materials. Pottery is also highly developed and there is a dynamic pottery market in progress. There are equally a number of handicraft centers that are major attractions to tourists. Another aspect about this town is the fact it is one of the cleanest towns in the country. It is also one of the cheapest towns to live in; housing is cheap, food items are cheap and diversified and there are complex and reliable health facilities here. The most popular health facility here is the St. Louis Clinic, having a medical training centre attached to it.
The town has several secondary/high schools and colleges. It also has a polytechnic and University that attract students from all over the republic. Bamenda has a steep cliff face overlooking it, locally referred to as station hill. Standing on the station hill and observing into the town gives a panoramic view of a settlement within a basin bordered from side to site by massive mountain ranges. This characteristic is partly responsible for the very cool climate of the area. The mornings are extremely cold, at times reaching 0ºC and causing morning dews and fog.
Important events have marked the history of this town in Cameroon, such as the fact that in spite of the leader of the main opposition party in Cameroon, SDF being from Bamenda, it is paradoxically here that the ruling party (CPDM) was formed. The ideology and long stay of the latter in power is very much detested by the Bamenda People. It is also home to the formal Prime Minister of the Republic, Simon Achidi Achu.