For more than half a century, the West African country of Cameroon celebrates its main holiday — Independence Day ( Independence Day in Cameroon ). This is not only a holiday in the Republic, but also an extremely important day in the history of the country — a day of honor and pride for all Cameroonians.
On January 1, 1960, the French-speaking part of Cameroon gained independence from French rule, and the southern, English-speaking, part of Cameroon, independence from Britain was granted on October 1, 1961. In October 1961, both parts of the country united to form the Republic of Cameroon.
Interestingly, Cameroon gained independence a few months earlier than neighboring Nigeria. In this regard, residents of the British units were given the right to choose the territory in which they would like to be included in — dependent Nigeria or independent Cameroon. Residents of the Prichad region remained under the jurisdiction of Nigeria, and residents of the western territories decided to change citizenship in favor of a new independent state.
Every year, Independence Day in Cameroon is fun and pompous. On this day, parades are held everywhere with the participation of government officials and party leaders. The parades also involve schoolchildren, famous music and dance groups from literally all regions of the country. Various programs are being held, including religious, cultural, recreational, informational and sports events.