Independence and reunification

1955–1972

The UPC, banned in 1955, waged an armed insurrection that was harshly put down in the Bassa and Bamileke regions. French Cameroun became independent on 1 January 1960 under President Ahmadou Ahidjo. In February 1961, a UN-supervised plebiscite divided the British Cameroons between Nigeria and Cameroon; the southern part joined the latter on 1 October 1961, forming the Federal Republic of Cameroon that emerged from the Foumban conference. The federation ended with the referendum of 20 May 1972.

Official sourceUNESCO – General History of AfricaPublished 1 Jan 1993Verified 4 Sept 2026

Events of this era

Events of this era
Date	Event	Source
May 1955 – January 1971	UPC insurrection and the war in the Bassa and Bamileke regions · Contested	Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa
18 February 1958	Ahmadou Ahidjo becomes Prime Minister as Cameroon gains internal autonomy	Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa
13 September 1958	Death of Ruben Um Nyobè, secretary-general of the UPC	Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa
1 January 1960	Independence of Cameroon	Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa
11 February 1961 – 12 February 1961	1961 plebiscite in the British-administered Cameroons · Contested	Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa
17 July 1961 – 1 October 1961	Foumban conference and the reunification of Cameroon	Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa
1 September 1966	Formation of the single party, the Cameroon National Union (CNU)	Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa
20 May 1972	1972 referendum and the creation of the unitary state · Contested	Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa