1961 British Cameroons referendum
 | ||
a) Do you wish to achieve independence by joining the independent Federation of Nigeria or, b) Do you wish to achieve independence by joining the independent Republic of Cameroon? | ||
| Northern Cameroons | ||
|---|---|---|
| Southern Cameroons | ||
A United Nations referendum was held in the
Andrew Cohen, the UK representative to the UN Trusteeship Council, as well as African and anti-colonial delegations, notably by E. M. L. Endeley, who favoured independence by joining Nigeria, and John Ngu Foncha, who favoured independence by joining Francophone Cameroon.[1]
The Muslim-majority Northern Cameroons saw a majority of 60% in favour of joining Nigeria, whilst the Christian-majority Southern Cameroons saw 70.5% in favour of joining Cameroon.[2] Northern Cameroon officially became Sardauna Province, a part of the Northern Region of Nigeria, on 1 June, whilst the Southern Cameroons became West Cameroon, one of the two federated states of the Federal Republic of Cameroon, on 1 October.
Results
| Choice | Northern Cameroons | Southern Cameroons | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Votes | % | |
| Independence by joining Cameroon | 97,659 | 40.0 | 233,571 | 70.5 |
| Independence by joining Nigeria | 146,296 | 60.0 | 97,741 | 29.5 |
| Invalid/blank votes | – | – | ||
| Total | 243,955 | 100 | 331,312 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 292,985 | 349,652 | ||
| Source: Nohlen et al., African Elections Database | ||||
References
- ISBN 9004132953.
- ISBN 0-19-829645-2
Further reading
- Nicodemus Fru Awasom. "The Reunification Question in Cameroon History: Was the Bride an Enthusiastic or a Reluctant One?” Africa Today 47, no. 2 (2000): 91–119. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4187333.
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