this is pete every news african coming up in the next 15 minutes that cameroonians on the move people in the english speaking region are leaving their homes in the thousands often sicknesses rebels threaten the lockdown. and we introduce you to mindy i'm going to the south african taxi driver who's become an opera singing sensation. hello i'm kristie lu welcome to day to africa it's good to have you along tens of thousands of people have fled towns in english speaking parts of cameroon off to renewed fighting between the military and say persists and a lockdown in the region the separatists have called for

a lockdown after their leader julius was sentenced to life in prison for suspicion and hostility against the state in the northwestern town of but manda transport providers were overwhelmed with the number of travelers waiting at bus terminals people lawfully into french speaking towns despite ortiz urging them not to. say on bey's joins me from boyer that's the capital of the southwest region of cameroon . blaise tell us about this this separatist movement is planning why are people so fearful off it. the reason why people are afraid of this long down is because the separatists is going to last for 3 weeks 1st secondly the same any perceived to see on the streets in these derision disputer us a spy for me to be as a spy for the government you're going to be gone down so a lot of people are afraid and in

a lockdown on this it means that people are supposed to stay home you know supposed to go on this was to go to the market in the us was to go out to fish what it means everybody sees all many people are really scared us why a lot of people and even it's all right so there's since been renewed fighting what can you tell us about that. yes our image of the all it did after the announcement at 10 separate is that its interests were life imprisonment in places like home and we saw a group one of those severances militia called the. women i was selling in markets and and i'll tell you out of competitions also in the south was in some parts of the south was between separatists and government forces and unlike a mission area separate these forces are also in a form of protest. rounds in places like going into. base give us a sense of how much support the separatist movement have a mad cameroonians speak and the regions. i

think did notice a huge support but we won't close that not all and reforms and agree on the proof so some people believe that this does happen then we can cause but some people do not believe that they are true should be violence it should be. burning down is solutions attacking but missile yes but the reason of huge support in terms of i mean the sense been for for decision or whatever to say we are marginalized going to the other people who have been. right now the government has been betting the at your phone separatist since we saw the 1st signs of violence in 2016 plays give us a sense of what's that mean for people on the ground well house if it's a daily life. i mean on the ground it's really means if you go through the calm one month because these are 2 persons hold it these are 2 entities all the so you have

the government the state of on one side you have the separatists on the other side so when the separatists and the government have a competition there is no front line to this war this war is fought on the streets is for the markets what and where the government forces suspect that they are separate use their east of fighting and that's all she does to get sometimes of course in the crossfire or one of the. most effective or sectors in the spot of the country is education has really been here since the crisis begun to into 16 and into a conflict in 27 c do you know in use when to investigate and see how kids are coping and this time with schools are not opening in the infant regions and they speaking to me earlier from his report he's mentioned about children being forced to stay out of school food and chicagoans is the father of 3 children all of them including his 7 year old daughter brilliant have been out of school for

the past 3 years english speaking separatist bandage occasion in the area and 2016 as a way of exerting pressure on the francophone government many parents like collins are too afraid to defy the ban very very important for me to send my kid to score you know you cannot millenia in an environment like this you cannot be living with less is so does our own classy things like that. is something that comes with a pen and a pupa not bring with them or weapons things like that i don't. this school in the city of kumba was one of the few that kept teaching students despite the ban but now it's also closed its doors it was just too dangerous for staff and students to risk coming here more than 2000 pupils used to learn at the school the

vast majority of them currently have no alternative place of education menace cause across the regions half shut down just like this and some of this relocated to areas they consider 3 collins does as much as he can to teach his children. some families are hiring private tutors or sending their kids to underground schools in private homes but collins simply can't afford these options he also doesn't have enough money to move to a safer area where some schools are still operating under massive security patrol this means brilliant has to forgo the luxury of a school education and move. and . you like to go back to school.

last week a military tribunal handed down life sentences to 10 and the phone separatist leaders including darby the head of the movement. congo is a human rights lawyer and a vocal advocate for the under phones he believes students should return to class but he says the sentencing of the separatists will destroy efforts to get schools reopened is this issue on has taken us a little bit back because what's the already was security situation. is that. so what the cypriote is with on with this is a lot didn't know want kids to go to school but will be reasons now for those when the media do so without being without it would send the kids to school to use the security situation on as an excuse for kids not to go back to school. collins now works as an assistant trainer at a local football academy. it offers free training to children who are out of school

. all the kids here have been sent in a proper classroom for at least a year as the conflict drags on a generation of cameroonians are growing up without an education. an extra instance of africa where a taxi driver singing career got a video of him went viral a passenger recorded men's in goma belting out opera in a durban cab the video has since collected 3 quarter of a 1000000 years after his agent krrish took a ride with the serenading driver. i just landed at the airport here in durban the sun is still shining the weather's beautiful there's only one downside be airport here is pretty far away from the city center but even that is not a big deal for me today because i have a very special taxi driver waiting for me. almost just 27 years old

south africa already knows he shot to fame when a passenger films him singing opera in this taxi and the video went viral. grew. hoarse neves. oh. it's just get to my emotions so much because i didn't realize it will go the spot. it can't just go. to facebook maybe. 2 of the deal was one of them or just saying no can you bring that guy to come and perform in my wedding or something like that just just a small things that small ball would be like kids. menzies' phone is constantly ringing he gets requests for interviews from all over the world

invitations to perform for dishes and men's wear shop even offered him a free taxi to for his next event. like an opera singer the guy who's driving and he sings from a cookie this is very interesting you know still just through i was really excited to meet him and to see them better now that i see him in person. menzi is currently rehearsing for an upcoming performance the piano player is menzies former teacher. is known menzies since primary school and see him so. i've had no formal music training is mostly self-taught since he was young i can see that is something special and seem an only people prestigious you know he because the eve he does have a talent the next day when z. is off to cape town he's been invited to take part in a competition for professional opera singers and he's feeling optimistic.

it's time to sing the competition. and the money when the i'm so excited about this time. just 2 books can tell. us it's not going to impact. the mission that yet. come a final run through in the dressing room and really really cool. then that's the stuff i be. come the was coming from the. top of the. them. thank you trials of

applause for menzi but unfortunately it's not enough to secure a 1st prize. he's. living would be i back in durban it's back to taxi driving for the time. was absent father and i need to put bread on the table as well so i have to when i have to wear that kind i cannot stop because i haven't got that stable income. about this flame but it's cool dad can see it's going there. menzies determines to its boxes career he says luck is still on the side of every chance he has is as good as good. and leave it all back no it's that's it for now from africa you can catch all our stories on our website and facebook page. until next time it's back

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