CAN THE SOUTHERN CAMEROONS STAND THE HEAT?

Can all the talk about solving the problem of Cameroon Anglophone marginalization on a separate platform amount to anything?

 A free slate on which to write

One indisputable characteristic of today`s Cameroon is the ability with which one can freely discuss and debate issues.

It is significant that with the rapid progress in information technology and the increasing role of social media in communication and globalization, different people can now speak on different platforms at the same time from different parts of the world.

The bone of contention

As far as the political debate on and about Cameroon are concerned, two Yahoo discussion groups are among the frontrunners. These are Camnetwork and cameroonpolitics. They have enabled many Cameroonians to air their views about ongoing politics in Cameroon, including the place of the Anglophone people in the nation. That is a good thing.

However, of recent, the moderators of the two social media appear to have adopted a measure that I consider as being “below the belt”.  They have been showing some reticence at spontaneously publishing contributions from some of us. I have realized that some contributions are held back. They are gagged. That is censure, press muzzling and censorship.

One of the moderators by name Pa Fru Ndeh Kenneth said it was because we were not toeing the line. Even so, he did not say what the line was. The only conclusion I can draw – at least as far as I am concerned - is that they find the contributions to be “too critical”. It must be because I, for example,  tend to ask too many “tough questions”.

But isn`t it better - especially when we consider that the debate is about the future and the destiny of a people - to face and deal with the tough questions now rather than do so later when it`s too late and impossible to turn back the clock? I strongly believe it is much better to face the inquisition, take the heat and the flak now and readjust instead of fumbling with them later. As far as this debate is concerned, there shouldn`t be any no-go areas.

Where I stand

My stance on the issue of Anglophone marginalization has been persistently consistent for decades. To the question: is there an Anglophone problem? I say, yes, there is. To the question, what is it? I say it is that while we were a Federal Republic, the Anglophone state of West Cameroon and the Francophone state of East Cameroon were equal and the leaders of West Cameroon ran state affairs with near clock-work accuracy. There was accountability and transparency and political opponents were not enemies but just adversaries. The Anglophones came into the union with an honesty that greatly impressed their Francophone brothers and sisters.

Things changed when the Republic was “united” and the Anglophone region now became only two of seven provinces in the new Republic, each of them having an equal status with the others. Today, the Anglophone region is two out of ten regions each of them again having an equal status with the others. From then on, the identity of the former state of West Cameroon could no longer be guaranteed. What is more, the two Anglophone provinces (and later regions) have been made to be “rivals” to each other. They can no longer stand together as one.

The solution?

I have always maintained that the solution is neither “the Southern Cameroons” nor what is called “Ambazonia”. Those are dreams which I do not see being realized. Firstly, whereas one can point to the State of West Cameroon that actually existed and we had some degree of autonomy and showed that we could run our own affairs, the Southern Cameroons only really existed on paper because when it was really anything was when it was governed from Eastern Nigeria, which means that at the time we were “under Nigeria”. Those who lived at that time have very bitter tales to tale about how were ill-treated by the Nigerians who swarmed us. This happened at the CDC; it happened at the Agric Farm in Bambui; it happened in the markets in Bamenda, Kumba and Mamfe. It happened in public services. It is easy for proponents of the Southern Cameroons to point to UN resolutions and the Court in Bajul. But unfortunately, it all ends there. Those instances will never came here to fight our battles for us.

The solution I see is unfortunately a hard one. That is not surprising because it is said that nothing good comes easy. The solution lies in staying and fighting from within. That is what the SDF`s John Fru Ndi and other presidential candidates have been doing by challenging the incumbent Paul Biya during presidential elections. What not to do is go on self exile as some of us have done and be shouting from borrowed roof tops in America. That does not help now and will not help in the future.

The example from Nigerian President Buhari

The recent visit to Cameroon of the Nigerian president ought to serve as an eye-opener. But will it? The Nigerian leader flew over the so-called Southern Cameroons territory on his way to no other place but Yaounde and flew back over it in like manner. He did not stop in the territory to identify with those crying foul. During his public pronouncements in Yaounde, he was full of praises for Paul Biya and did not utter a single word about Cameroon`s Anglophones. By so doing he confirmed the move that was taken by one of his predecessors, Olusegun Obasanjo, when he handed over Bakassi, not to some Southern Cameroonians or to some so-called Ambazonian but to Paul Biya of Yaounde. Who of us has contested that move? For the record, while proponents of the Southern Cameroons advocate secession (whether by violent or peaceful means) should remember that when Eastern Nigeria attempted to break away as the independent Republic of Biafra, this same President Muhammadu Buhari played a key role in quelling the rebellion. So, what makes anyone think that he will support Southern Cameroons secession this time around?

Why we too count

I am not a self-appointed campaign manager for the Anglophone people. I am myself and I am speaking for myself. We asked for a GCE Board and not only got it but a similar Board was set up for the Bac. The Francophones ditched the two-shift system of work that absurdly closed offices at midday for workers and learners to go home, eat and sleep before returning to complete the day at work or school. Today, they have completed bought our one-shift system. We asked for an Anglo-Saxon university in Buea and got it. We asked for a . . .

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