Higher Education Minister, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo, was trapped in a torrential downpour for over one hour, Wednesday, while addressing striking students on the campus of University of Yaounde I.About 20,000 students of the University of Yaounde I, joined by some of their mates in the University of Yaounde II at Soa, booed and jeered

Prof. Fame Ndongo, as he tried to persuade them to call of their strike, the most massive in the last decade.

Students gathered on the university campus early in the morning in continuation of their one-week strike action, in defiance of an announcement on CRTV that they had called off the strike.

Students of the Higher Teachers' Training College also took to the streets on Wednesday morning, in solidarity with the students of the faculties.

Excitement mounted on campus when it was announced that the Minister of Higher Education was going to address them.

As the students waited, they chanted the national anthem and popular tracks with lyrics like "Le pays va mal" as well as Anne Marie Nzie's Liberté. Thousands of students also carried placards expressing their grievances.

Most of the placards called for the scrapping of the FCFA 50,000 registration fees and the reinstitution of bursaries.The striking students were in a euphoric mood as they chanted and listened to intermittent addresses by their leader, Mouafo Djontu Robinson, who is President of the Cameroon Students' Rights Association, ADDEC.

Mouafo, who said he was in communication with Fame Ndongo, announced that the Minister was going to listen to the CRTV 1.00 pm with the students at "Jerusalem". (The striking students have christened the area of the campus where they usually gather Jerusalem). He said the Minister had told him that important decisions would be announced during the news.

At about 12.38 pm, Prof Fame Ndongo, arrived at the University campus accompanied by anti-riot police. Prof Fame Ndongo moved around reading the placards of students, who had decided to sit on the ground. Students wailed as a sign of mourning and distress as the Minister moved around reading the placards and talking to those closest to him.

At the same time, the students' leader addressed them from a raised platform, using a public address system.At 1:00 pm, anxiety gripped the crowd as the news jingle blared from loudspeakers.

After the main points, the newscaster announced that the Minister had gone to campus to negotiate with students. As an appeasement measure, the Minister had already handed the keys to toilets and water point to students' delegates. (Lack of toilets and drinking water on campus were some of the immediate causes of the strike).

Instead of the students jubilating, there were deafening shouts of "non... non... non!" Prof Fame Ndongo was visibly stunned.

As the Minister, accompanied by the Rector of the University of Yaounde I and other aides approached the rostrum, the students' leader called for calm. He then intoned the national anthem that thousands of students sang.

Immediately Prof. Fame Ndongo mounted the raised platform, the sky burst open and unleashed a torrential downpour that lasted for more than one hour.

The students' leader tried to shelter the Minister with an umbrella but students jeered. The Minister was then compelled to continue addressing the students under the weeping skies.

Prof Fame Ndongo started by drawing parallels between the name the students had given to their striking corner and the actual Jerusalem. But students were not impressed. "No to demagogy," some yelled. "Go straight to the point," others said.

Fame Ndongo used different tactics to get the students to appreciate any of his proposals. Eventually he received "an important phone call". Students waited with anxiety as Fame Ndongo spoke on his mobile phone. After the call, he said most of the problems of the students would be solved almost immediately.

"Ici, ici," students yelled, meaning that they wanted concrete decisions taken on the spot. With constant booing and catcalls, Fame Ndongo temporarily suspended his attempt to placate the students and ceded the rostrum to Prof Sammy Beban Chumbow.

Students were even more hostile to Prof Chumbow, who had said in an interview broadcast on CRTV that those striking on the university campus were not students. Prof Chumbow, who was in a suit, was equally drenched in the rain. He promised that the problems within the competence of the university administration would be solved immediately.

Fame Ndongo remounted the rostrum and announced that President Paul Biya had just granted a FCFA 2.4 billion subvention to universities. That announcement did not assuage students' anger. "No to 50,000," they chorused.

When Fame Ndongo tried to speak further, students started chorusing, "Echec, échec, échec", meaning the minister's intervention had failed. A visibly disappointed Fame Ndongo left the university campus clothes dripping with water and with a drawn face.

The students continued chanting liberation songs and listened to their leaders after the Minister departed.Speaking to reporters, ADDEC President, Mouafo Djontu, said they would continue with their strike action until their demands are met.

He said a delegation of 30 students would meet the Minister of Higher Education on Friday for discussions.

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