The civil war in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon that spawned the spoken-word poetry movement began in November 2016 when lawyers from Cameroon's English-speaking regions protested the appointment of Francophone magistrates in Anglophone courts.

Government forces responded with disproportionate force, arresting Anglophone leaders. The situation escalated rapidly, with separatists emerging to demand independence for the "Ambazonia" English-speaking region

Ruddy Morfaw,  jurist, writer and Spoken-word poet spoke to us about how young people are  channeling their pain into powerful performances that advocate for peace.