Lake Nyos disaster 40 years on.

But for the past weeks, survivors and descendants have been returning home from parts of the world to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the tragic incident.

The climax of the commemorative activities will be staged today in the village of Nyos. The Ruby Jubilee has brought together traditional authorities, survivors, residents and visitors for commemorative activities to be held in Nyos, a crater lake whose name became known around the world after the catastrophic release of carbon dioxide on that never- to-be forgotten August 21, 1986.

Beyond the remembrance ceremonies and the history of the disaster, the anniversary has exposed another crisis- the continuing absence of basic social amenities in a community trying to rebuild its life four decades later.

Tragic of disaster

According to His Royal Majesty, Fon Kimbi Richard Chuh, the 11th Traditional Ruler of Nyos, the disaster occurred after a normal market day in Nyos Valley. 

He recalled that at about 11:00pm, residents heard and witnessed an extraordinary event at the lake.

“Something came out from the lake like a ball and exploded in the sky,” the monarch recalls. The gas subsequently moved down the valley, killing people and animals in its path.

Fon Kimbi Richard said the geography of the area contributed to the scale of the tragedy, with communities downstream bearing the greatest impact.

“Those who were enjoying the Nyos Valley market were caught up by the smell of that gas,” he explained, adding that about 95 per cent of the people in the valley were killed, while those upstream survived.

What happened next?

Survivors of the lake disaster were initially evacuated, with about 90 per cent taken to Saint Gabriel’s Parish in Bafmeng. The family of the Fon also abandoned the palace.

“When the incident happened, there was information that places were not safe, and my late uncle had to abandon the palace with all other people. Nobody was living around the palace again. All of us went to Bafmeng,” Fon Kimbi recalled.

It was only after the area was considered safe, that the traditional ruler returned to the palace. 

Four decades later, life is still a struggle. The real challenge is rebuilding lives almost from nothing. 

Fon Kimbi Richard said the Nyos of today cannot be compared with the community that existed before the disaster.

“Things are not really fine, compared to how they were before the incident happened,” he said.

Before 1986, Nyos was a thriving trading community. The market attracted people from different parts of the North West Region and beyond, while tourists visited the lake.

The disaster destroyed much of that economic activity. Many survivors who returned to their ancestral compounds, began farming again, but without the economic base that existed before.

“When you live in your home, travel outside and stay for long, when you come back, you are starting everything afresh,” Fon Kimbi said.

That disruption, he believes, continues to shape the lives of Nyos residents today. 

The strongest concern emerging from the Lake Nyos disaster Ruby Jubilee is not simply the memory of the disaster but the lack of basic public infrastructure.

It is important to note that Nyos has no health centre, poor road access and inadequate potable water. The education situation is equally troubling.

At Pali-Nyos, residents point to a single Primary School, with only two classrooms serving six classes. The school reportedly has just one government teacher.

For Njang Priscilla, a Primary School teacher and survivor of the disaster, the situation is difficult to reconcile with the passage of 40 years.

“Forty years after, nothing has been done in Nyos. Nothing practically has been done in Nyos,” she said.

Njang lost her biological father, elder brother, stepmother and several other relatives in the disaster. She grew up without knowing her father.

What however troubles her most is the condition of the community itself. She compares the Nyos Valley of today with a developed urban neighbourhood that has been abandoned.

“There is nothing there. There is no life. There is nothing. No social facilities; nothing. Just nothing,” she said.

Education sector begging for help

The education crisis in Nyos has become one of the central demands emerging from the anniversary. Fon Kimbi Richard has appealed for scholarships and other forms of educational support for children from Nyos.

“If you can help our children go back to school, if you can help our children as far as scholarships are concerned, either in Secondary or Higher Education, we will be very grateful,” he said.

For the traditional ruler, investing in the children is one of the most direct ways of helping the community recover.

The request comes against a history in which many survivors received support immediately after the disaster, but much of that assistance eventually stopped.

Nkoin Blaise Etoh, president of the Pali-Nyos Quarter Union and a survivor, recalled that government initially assisted survivors with education.

“I expected government to help us. They tried for two years. They paid my school fees for two years, and it ended there till date,” he said.

He argues that the interruption of such support has contributed to the educational difficulties facing the community today. 

For most residents, the problem is not limited to education.

The road linking Nyos to other communities remains a major concern, while access to potable water and healthcare is also limited.

Despite the challenges, the Ruby Jubilee has also demonstrated the resilience of Nyos residents. 

The Pali-Nyos community, for instance, mobilised its own resources to construct a community hall.

It is a small but significant example of what residents have been doing in the absence of sufficient external support. 

For Nkoin Blaise, the anniversary is therefore an opportunity to remind the government and the wider world that the survivors are still here.

“Forty years have passed and we are dying. We are calling on the world to help us,” he said.

Colour of lake changed…

Njang Priscilla recalled that the colour of the water changed dramatically after the 1986 gas release and took years to return to its former appearance.

She also recalled the disappearance of 'jazin juiceh', a small indigenous fish that was once part of the local diet. Today, tilapia has replaced the indigenous fish in the lake, following the introduction of fish after the disaster.

The changes have become part of the evolving ecological and cultural story of Nyos. 

For residents, however, the lake remains deeply connected to their identity, history and loss.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3885 of Friday August 21, 2026