RESPONSE TO CELES ACHU ON PAUL BIYA AS WINNER OF 2011 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Hi Celes, I don't agree with you that Biya has already won the 2011 presidential. Here are my reasons

1. Political elections are a high level competition, like any other competition. At the time the match begins it is usually clear in the mind of the public who is the favorite.But sometimes the favorite is beaten. That happened between David and Goliath, between Cameroon and Argentina, even with the powerful presence of Diego Maradona. Yet we did it with only ten players.

2. Ask yourself this question: if opposition parties were to team up seriously, could`t they do do it? I say they could, but they won`t because each of the wants to be the next president. And that is not Biya`s fault..Remember that in the course of history, small nations have willingly gone to war with bigger ones. Even if they did`t win, they made their point.Besides in ngamamabo we say that if you are going to war, don`t start counting the number of corpses on the field. Yet you have stared counting yours before the war has started.

You mentioned Ben Muna`s change of language between 1999 and now. That is normal in politics. That is why it is said politics is not religion. In religion, the ten commandments guide us.In politics there are no such commandments. Politicians can steal, lie, kill and make false promises just to be in power. It may not be right but politics is not about rightness, it is about ways and means and results. So, politics is also not the law.

When George Bush Senior was campaigning for president, he said to Americans " Watch my lips: No new taxes!" When he got to power he raised taxes. When the then Prime Minister of Britain, Neville Chamberlaine met with Adolf Hitler and got the German Furher to sign a non-agression pact, he did. When the PM arrived at the airport in Britain and descended from the plane, he triumphantly waved the document crying with joy: "Don`t you see? He has signed it! Here it is!" Shortly afterward, Britain, especially London received the worst bombing and shelling in its lifetime. That is the way things are.

By the way, if you have already prematurely declared Paul Biya the winner, there are two things you are forgetting. Just as in Ngammabo we say you can`t count money that is in someone else`s pocket, you cannot also tell what is in somebody else` mind. Biya has not declared his intention, so there is that slight chance that he may not run. Even if he runs, you have also forgotten that God in his infinite wisdom my intervene on the side of the people. So were you speaking for God and yourself?

Regards

TMA

---------------------------------------------------------------

BELOW IS THE BACKGROUND INFORMAMATION YOU MAY LIKE TO CONSULT

Re: [mbudca_global] Re: [cameroon_politics] Muna Calls for Equal Development for Unity to Prevail in Cameroon
Vendredi 23 avril 2010 13h05
De:
"sunny malex"
Ajouter l'expéditeur dans les contacts
À:
mbudca_global@yahoogroups.com


A nice one....That was a good political workout Celestine!

You'll Not See This Day Again, Make Every Occasion Happy & Memorable!
When You Hold An Enemy At Heart, You Are The Prisoner Not The Enemy!
Learn To Forgive Even When I Do Not Deserve It! The Almighty Knows Us All & Has The Final Word!


--- On Wed, 4/21/10, Celestin Atanga wrote:


From: Celestin Atanga
Subject: [mbudca_global] Re: [cameroon_politics] Muna Calls for Equal Development for Unity to Prevail in Cameroon
To: cameroon_politics@ yahoogroups. com
Cc: "Cameroon Network" , "Yes_We_Can" , "Moderator"
Date: Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 2:10 PM



Dr. Susungi:
I feel very sad when we keep wasting out time talking about presidential candidates when we know very well as things stand today, Mr. Paul Biya has already won the 2011 presidential elections. ELECAM before the recent amendment was a "doubtful" wing of the CPDM. Since Biya wasn't very sure of ELECAM's loyalty, he brought in MINAT/D who's track record in rigging is known by all and sundry. So, by talking about les présidentiables all the time in a context which we all know is more or less a joke.

The real problem we have in Cameroon is the electoral system that is of Biya for Biya and by Biya. I don't see anyone beating Mr. Biya under the present ELECAM/MINATD contraption. I've on several postings (on the internet and debates on radios and TVs) said that President Obama and Pope Benedict XVI under the banner of un candidat unique de l'opposition cannot beat Biya as things are now. I remember saying here a few weeks ago that elections are rigged even in areas where the CPDM is competing alone. Before any election, say parliamentary or municipal, the CPDM disqualifies her opponents in most parts of her "fiefs" before competing with other parties in the rest of the national territory. It is like the 4 by 4 (track and field) relay race where your opponent has his baton (already running) over midway the distance while you're still waiting for your partner who is very faraway, almost at the starting point. More so, your opponent (the CPDM) can decide and stop you wherever while he's on the run. Who'll win that race? That's why the CPDM has 156 out of 180 and is governing with a coalition of Bello Bouba and Issa Tchiroma Bakary. With this "popularity" and over 75% of ELECAM members belonging to CPDM, they're still afraid - they had to bring back their rigging wing - the SDOs and DOs into the electoral process.

That said, I agreed with Mr. Usumanu's comments about the Munas. I think the best Munas (Pa and Ni Dan) have long gone to the world beyond. Pa Muna during his dying days defended their actions (him and Dr. JN Foncha) at the United Nations. Paradoxically, those that the Biya oligarchy put in place to oppose Pa Muna were Messrs Ben Muna, Akere Muna and Pa Mbile. Messrs Ben and Akere Muna were all over CRTV saying that their father was suffering from dementia,etc. , so, he shouldn't be taken seriously. Pa Mbile, on his part, was saying that nothing can changed as per the Foumban Conference. He (Pa Mbile) kept denouncing Pa Muna and Pa Foncha for trying to put back grown up kids into their mothers' wombs. He didn't end there, he wrote a book (I have forgotten the title) in defense of the Ahidjo and Biya oligarchies.

As for Pa Muna's children, Cameroonians will have to know how Barrister Akere Muna became the Vice President of Transparency International (TI) just when the Biya oligarchy was fighting them for tarnishing their image. The oligarchy had to invite the then Peter Eigen, President of TI to Cameroon. The man was questioned on what they were doing to arrived at the conclusion that Cameroon was the most corrupt country. It should be recall that TI had indicted Cameroon twice as the most corrupt country in the world in 1998 and 1999.

Barrister Akere Muna is both the oligarchy's lobbyist and lawyer. In court proceedings leading to the sentencing of Ondo Ndong Emmanuel Gerald (former GM of FEICOM), Barrister Akere Muna him (Ondo Ndong) "helped" via Newsweek Magazine to "cleanse" Cameroon's image on the international media.

As for Ni Ben Muna, he has more questions to answers than his kid brother. Ni Ben said recently (in the Post Newspaper) that he's building a coaltion of oppoosition parties to oust Mr. Biya in 2011. This same Ni Ben has said in The Quail now called The Standard Tribune in April 2009 that he is no longer and "opposition" but a "proposition. " In that interview he said people no longer like the word opposition; that's why his was now a proposition. He went on to say that he would like Mr. Biya to give him some Ministries for him he run them according to the manifesto of his party. Not to long ago (between May 2006 and March 2007), Ni Ben Muna was running from one FM radio station to the other telling those who care to listen that he has been "given" the SDF by the Mfoundi courts. He paraded himself wherever he were as the National Chairman of what he called "SDF Authentique. " Ni Ben claimed to have held a convention in Yaounde that "elected" him Naional Chairman of "SDF Authentique. " That so-called convention that was banned according to the SDO of Mfoundi in Cameroon Tribune on May 28, 2006 .It also led to the dead of a Cameroon. Up till this moment, Ni Ben has never been charged for holding an illegal meeting that led to the death of a Cameroonian. If it were to be Dr. Susungi or Mr. Usumanu that convened an illegal gathering and someone passed away, they would have long been thrown into jail for masterminding the killing of a Cameroonian.

I think I have sufficiently spoken about these Munas - Messrs Ben and Akere. A large majority of Cameroonians know them. I've also heard people talking about dynasties. I have read much about some of these so-called dynasties: the Kennedys and the Bushes. The Kennedys were and are still Democrats while the Bushes are Republicans. These dynaties have had their time and have gone for good? Sen. McCain even suffered during the 2008 U.S. presidential election because he was seen a third term for President George W. Bush. All in all, have the American finally said bye bye to these dynasties?

Now the Muna: Pa Muna was KNDP, CNPC and later CNU/CPDM. Were his children in the CNU/CPDM or apolitical before 1990? I don't know. But after 1990, we saw Ni Ben in the SDF; sooner he resigned (1996) and later he came back in the SDF (2004). Ni Akere said he was non-partisan. It was however alledged that he romanced for sometimes with Garga Haman Adji's ADD party. I will have to cross-check this allegation. Ma Ama Tutu Muna is the present Minister of Culture. She is of course CPDM. Can we call this a dynasty? Do dynasty exist with members prostituting from right to left. I am asking if some of us should believe in people who are wrestling to use every means to be at the top? In other words, can we stick out our necks to Ms Ama Tutu Muna, CPDM (rightist), Ni Akere (neutral or centrist?) and Ni Ben of the leftist political philosophy?

As far as I am concern, we can move on without the Munas. Ms Ama Tutu Muna and Mr. Akere Muna have repeatedly said that there is no Southern Cameroonians problem. They like other opportunities must say that in order to be accepted by the oligarchy.

Have I drifted away from the conversation in question? Well, it's good to be ambitious politically. However, it's not only that; you need to build a political movement to actualise your dream. A movement cannot just be build on the eve of an election. Taking into consideration our realities, political movements should be build on the field, that is, the nooks and cannies of our triangle and not on the internet. The few youths who use the internet in Cameroon do so as a means of finding their way out of Cameroon. If you doubt this, enter 10 cybercafés in Yaounde, Douala or Bamenda and find out for yourself.

Using the internet to market one's political ambition should not be completely rule out in our context. Above all you need to be seen and known by the people. Being out there doesn't help matters and only coming here on the eve of a presidential election is even worse. You will be regarded as a opportunist.

A successful political movement of recent times is that of President Obama. He began building his moment even before he was elected Senator of Illinois. It continued till he entered the White House. He's still keeping it intact.

How Cameroonians outside Cameroon have a following, talk less of a political movement? I am still to see or hear of one.

To be honest with you, outside the CPDM that has confiscated the state apparatus to its favour, the ONLY political party that has genuine national representation is the SDF. If you go to Yagoua in the Far North, Yokadouma in the East Provinces, etc., you will see SDF functional structures there. Outside these two, the others are on paper. Furthermore, some political commentors have often said and I agree with them that the only credible and possible replacement of the CPDM is the SDF. That apart, I am in no way saying that change in Cameroon should only be effected by the SDF. What I am trying to say is that the SDF is there and no one can wish it away. The CPDM and its allies have tried it albeit unsuccessfully. As things are now, the future of political change in our country depends on all of us. It shouldn't just be change but the change we want.

At this defining moment, talking about a presidential candidate when the elections have been won in advance is a distraction.

And thus my take: we should focus on evicting the Biya oligarchy. When that is achieved, anything can then follow.

Thanks:

Celes



"My friend's friend can be my friend, but my friend's enemy should not necessarily be my enemy." ~Celestin Atanga~

"The smallest deed is better than the biggest intention." ~Achu Raymond~

"God draws a straight line in a crooked way." ~Professor Victor Anomah Ngu~


"There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul."
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox~




--- On Tue, 4/20/10, Nfor N Susungi wrote:


From: Nfor N Susungi
Subject: Re: [cameroon_politics] Muna Calls for Equal Development for Unity to Prevail in Cameroon
To: cameroon_politics@ yahoogroups. com
Date: Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 11:10 AM



Mr. Usumanu,
I can see why you have your reservations about Barrister Akere Muna. That is your right. But you do not make your case any stronger by questioning other peoples' motives for mentioning the names of people who can challenge Paul Biya. If you have people whom you think can do the job, please do mention their names and let us all take a clse look at them. Afterall someone must take over from Paul Biya in the near future.
Dr. Susungi



From: albert usumanu
To: cameroon_politics@ yahoogroups. com
Sent: Tue, April 20, 2010 12:47:57 PM
Subject: Re: [cameroon_politics] Muna Calls for Equal Development for Unity to Prevail in Cameroon



Dr. Susungi;

Akere does not have what it takes to be president of Cameroon. I hate to engage in personal attacks but I have noticed that you and Celestin Bedzigui are good at "name dropping", telling all who you have interacted with at any point in time. This is very common in Cameroon where we have replaced God with our idol of choice: Man. Man is now expected to provide to us all that only God can provide. Idolatry pure and simple. Name dropping may help convey what happened in the past but it also wimpishly conveys a sense of importance as it says, "look at who I know". In our Cameroon, man is Big and God is small.
So much for digression. A leader Jesus instructs is a servant and in our case someone who deeply cares about the yoke of oppression and poverty of the masses. In the bible, God consistently sides with the poor and oppressed. In Akere's case, I perceive at a distance a somewhat cognitive dissonance in fighting corruption and defending a Mounchipou, accused of massive corruption. When and where did Akere or Ni Ben, well to do people, using their self-made resources engage in projects in their native Ngyenbu for starters that benefitted the masses? Lest you think I am against the Munas, I think late Dr. Dan Muna had the heart, humility to have made a great politician. I know because he lived next to my uncle in Douala. If you look down on people, it is virtually impossible to look up to God. Though he was raised in a palace, Moses had a compassionate heart for his people and even before God called him to lead, he chose to forfeit his lavish lifestyle by killing an Egyptian soldier who oppressed an Isrealite in bondage.
I believe there are thousands of servant-leaders in Cameroon capable of governing Cameroon. Give me a man or woman who having known adversity and pain, walks humbly and circumspectly with the God who created and owns the beloved triangle we call Cameroon.
May God be Big and everyone be small.

Albert Usumanu
From: Nfor N Susungi
To: cameroon_politics@ yahoogroups. com; Eden Media
Cc: southerncameroon@ yahoogroups. com
Sent: Tue, April 20, 2010 5:34:44 AM
Subject: Re: [cameroon_politics] Muna Calls for Equal Development for Unity to Prevail in Cameroon



I must admit that I am surprised to hear my big brother Ni Ben Muna speaking about an Anglophone Problem at the age of 70. That reminds me of June 1995 when his late father (of blessed memory) and the Late Dr. John Ngu Foncha, finally admitted the same thing when they sat down with us to sign the London Communique after retuning from the United Nations where they had filed a petition against the annexation of the Southern Camroons by La Republique du Cameroun.

Witnesses to this event which took place at 3 am in the morning were: Sam Ekontang Elad, Henry Fossung, Simon Munzu, Mola Njoh Litumbe, Dr. Arnold Yongbang, Nfor N Susungi, Dr. Mercy Tembon and last but not least, Barrister Akere Muna. When Pan Foncha and Pa Muna signed the London Communique, they were treated as old men who had bitten the hand that fed them. If we had all rallied to their lead, Cameroon may yet be a different country from what it is today.

How I wish Ben was still young enough to challenge Paul Biya in the Presidential elections of 2011. Perhaps it is time for Akere Muna to speak up, as he is still a young man who has not yet reached the age of 60. Doesn't Akere Muna have what it takes to be President of Cameroon?

Dr. Susungi





From: Fon Christoper Achobang
To: Eden Media
Sent: Tue, April 20, 2010 8:56:22 AM
Subject: [cameroon_politics] Muna Calls for Equal Development for Unity to Prevail in Cameroon



Muna Calls for Equal Development for Unity to Prevail in Cameroon

By Christopher Fon Achobang

Alliance for Progressive Forces (APF) Chairman, Barrister Bernard Achu Muna has called on the Biya government to proceed with an equitable development of Cameroon for unity to prevail in the country.

He was speaking at the first stop of an information tour of the APF, which started in Muyuka, South-west Region on 17 April 2010.

Hundreds of militants who came in from Mpondo, Yoke, Oweh, Ekata and other villages and CDC camps filled the Muyuka court house for the first meeting with the APF Chairman since the 2007 elections.

Barrister Bernard Achu Muna said he expected government to use the resources of the land in a equitably so that all parts of the country should have a taste of the national cake. He said people in the North-west and South-west regions feel left behind in the development of Cameroon.

He picked holes in a government scheme to pay forestry taxes (redevance forestière) to the local councils with forests. He said the same attention be paid to the other councils with products like petroleum. In this light, he called on the Cameroon government to pay petroleum taxes (redevance pétrolière) to the local council areas with these products.

After a presentation by APF 1st Vice-chairman Souleymanou, which posited that Cameroon should be at the same level of development with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, if the country’s money was not embezzled, Barrister Bernard Achu Muna regretted that Ndian Division which supplies all the petrol in Cameroon has no roads.

On the bad state of roads in the South-west Region, Ni Ben Muna, as the APF chairman is fondly called, lamented that it is incredible that bridges which cost the State of Cameroon billions to build are standing without roads linking them for 20 years. He regretted that the road he took to Mamfe on Monday 19 April 2010 is worse than it was 50 years ago.

Ni Ben Muna says as Anglophone, he believed there was an Anglophone problem in Cameroon. He said other Anglophones should take the cue from him an articulate this problem clearly. He said at 70 the noises he was making was a rallying call for Cameroonians to stand up and take their destiny into their hands, using peaceful means.

He explained that he has always refused to preach violence because he witnessed, first hand, what violence did in Rwanda in 1994. He said while it is easy to begin violence, it was very difficult to bring it under control. Welcoming him to Muyuka, the APF political bureau member, Mr. Azzi Azzi Thomas thanked Muna for answering the call of the people from his constituency and coming to listen to them. He said the people have come out massively because the APF was putting people first.

The information tour took Ni Ben Muna from Limbe to Mamfe. The Chairman and his entourage will visit other parts of the country to preach the APF message of putting people first.


Fon Christopher Achobang
Department of Linguistics
Faculty of Arts
University of Buea
P.O. Box 63 Buea

(Senior Translator),
English-French- English
Expertise; International Business Translation; Literary Translation, Medical Translation; Editing; Proofreading.

(Senior Reporter)
P.O. Box 1095 Limbe
The Cameroons

Tel, 237 99365954

THE NATION AS AN ASSET

By Tikum Mbah Azonga

This article is an adaptation of an earlier one I broadcast on the Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) National Radio Station on the 30th of August 2002. The paper was broadcast as a spontaneous reaction to the political and economic state of play in the country at the time. It is one of many I broadcast on the same channel between 2002 and 200, on the early morning prime time national and world news broadcast.
==============================================

The Oxford Advanced learner’s Dictionary defines the word, "politics", as " matters concerned with acquiring and exercising power within a group of an organization’’. However, like with any other exercise or activity, political action can be evaluated and assessed. Such an action would serve either as a thermometer or a barometer. Stock can then be taken so that the necessary adjustments are made.

But as experience has shown, we do not always go that far. We do not go the extra mile. Only too often, our newspapers, political leaders and parties get so bogged down, they hang on too unscrupulously and stringently to preconceived ideas and ideological prejudices that when some changes comes, they either do not perceive them or they knowingly choose to ignore them and thus cling on to old glory. It’s like throwing the baby with the bath water, more or less.

Few newspapers and political leaders seemed to have realized that if so many foreign dignitaries such as the Chinese President and his wife visit our country as opposed to another country, then there is something in us that is attracting them. It would appear as though for our newspapers and political leaders, anything that is news must necessarily be negative and derogatory about the country or the regime in place. One may then beg the question: what is news? In response to that question we shall refer to one of the most quoted definitions of news in the world, which maintains that "man bites dog is news and dog bites man is not news". So, news has to do with the unusual, the new, the novel, the strange, the odd, and the curious. But it also has to do with the remarkable and the praiseworthy. That premise, again, presupposes flexibility and an open mind. The essential ingredient of objectivity must not be sacrificed; otherwise it would be tantamount to dropping the substance for the shadow.

We recall that last week, a top official of the International Monetary Fund,(IMF), indicated that Cameroon had made progress in its economic battle having registered a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 4.6% in 2001, with further progression expected next year. The country’s economic reforms of the last five or six years have largely born fruit with the economic growth rate standing at around 5%, which is quite impressive. The other side of the coin is that despite these signs of recovery, Cameroonians are still not quite reaping the fruits. The fall outs are not filtering down to the grassroots, thus leaving the country in a situation where the few rich get richer and the silent majority gets poorer. Nonetheless, the progress made is also undeniable. Yet, our newspapers either ignored the upbeat part of the story or attempted to shut up the IMF official while he was in the country. If the opposition did its homework well, it would have found enough loopholes to wrong foot both the government and the IMF. But it did not. One lesson the opposition must learn in order to grow up is to rise above petty politics and concentrate on issues rather than personalities. Unless it gets that far, it will end up by only groping in the dark and going round in circles.

Politics is a dynamic game. It changes, the stakes change, situations change and people change.

copyright 2009

GOOD GOVERNANCE AS A NATIONAL PRIORITY

By Tikum Mbah Azonga

This article is an adaptation of an earlier one I broadcast on the Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) National Radio Station on the 12th of June 2003. The paper was broadcast as a spontaneous reaction to the political and economic state of play in the country at the time. It is one of many I broadcast on the same channel between 2002 and 200, on the early morning prime time national and world news broadcast.
==============================================

If Cameroon had been one of the developed countries of the world, then the governance programme would be at the very core of the election campaign. In fact, it would be common to hear politicians underscore in their rhetoric, for instance, that the elections would be fought and won on three key issues: governance, governance and governance.

The focus on governance is by no means overstated for the programme as it was conceived, takes into account the much needed partnership between the states, and within each state, the private sector and the civil society. Seen from that angle, the state therefore relinquishes its outmoded and counter productive role of nanny, thus enabling a balanced development process to be put in place. In recent years, good governance has not only become a far cry but increasingly also a prerequisite for international borrowing and lending, notably with leading donors such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This is just as well because the precondition is likely to make long-lasting dictatorial Third World leaders to sit up, or at least get pricked.

The governance programme is intended to create an environment propitious for economic activity, which implies an intensification of the fight against poverty. Through it, capacity building of the civil society is expected to be reinforced. This is expected to come about via the prioritization of economic concertation by groups such as the inter-ministerial committee which in the case of Cameroon is extended to the private sector and is presided over by the Prime minister, Head of Government.

But as things stand, political parties do not appear to have made the programme much of an issue, although it must be said that it is within the general context of the election race. So for the time being, the programme looks very much like the sole concern of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM). Perhaps the opposition parties are standing aloof in the hope that the CPDM will swim in its own blood. However, if that is what the other parties think, then they may be unwittingly preparing a time bomb that will explode when they take power.

To all purposes and intents, good governance could have made an incredibly useful battle horse for any political tendency that was stronger at pulling the blanket to its own side of the bed, so to speak. In fact, if well implemented, the good governance programme could pervade all of Cameroonian society. In essence, positive changes would be noticed in areas such as the administrative machinery, a reformed judiciary mechanism, a culture of responsibility in the management of state institutions, victory over corruption and the irreversible putting of the state before one’s personal interests, as well as commendable moves in the direction of decentralization.

Copyright 2009

THE LEGACY OF DEATH

By Tikum Mbah Azonga

This article is an adaptation of an earlier one I broadcast on the Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) National Radio Station on the 26th of November 20024. The paper was motivated by the death of Archbishop Andre Wouking of Yaounde and Statesman Sadou Daoudou of Ngaoundere. It is one of many I broadcast on the same channel between 2002 and 2005, on the early morning prime time national and world news broadcast.
---------------------------------------------------

There is a saying that when an aged person passes away it is a library that has been consumed by what one might call voracious flames. That theory is lent credence by the many aphorisms that make elderly people, let alone elderly statesmen, temples of knowledge or wisdom, for is it not said that what an old man can see sitting down, a young person cannot see standing on the top of a tree? And so it is that today, in Cameroon, we are mourning the demise of two libraries, namely Archbishop André Wouking and the Politician Alhadji Sadou Daoudou. Yet, the two men are not the only ones who have departed from this world. We all remember others who preceded them such as the other archbishop Jean Zoa and the politicians Solomon Tandeng Muna, John Ngu Foncha and Dr E.M.L Endeley.

The question is, when these public figures die and are mourned, and time passes, to what extent are they still remembered, if not only occasionally and sporadically, more or less, as an after thought? Yet, they could have helped us to remember them on a longer term. How this can be done is through memoirs which the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, defines as “ an account written usually by somebody in public life of their life and experiences’’.

Famous world people who have had such records published include Margaret Thatcher, Nelson Mandela and General De Gaulle and Winston Churchill, to name those. Back here in Cameroon, memoirs have been written by people such as Garga Haman Adji, Ndeh Ntumazah, Nemerius N. Mbile, Christian Tobie Kuo and Samuel Eboua. Even so, the written legacy does not necessarily have to be in the form of memoirs. In fact any publication whatsoever is still useful. That is why today, we still avidly read the books ‘’To Every Son of Nso’’ and ‘’The Genuine Intellectual’’ by the late Dr. Bernard Nsokika Fonlon. It is in that same category that we would place, the books ‘’Communal Liberalism’’ by Paul Biya and ‘’Politics a Call to Serve” by Paul Enyi Atogho. Incidentally, an article published in a journal many years ago by the literary man and educationist Patrick Sam Kubam has made its mark so indelibly that today and in years to come, hardly can any scholar talk about the history of Anglophone literature in Cameroon without citing that article. So, as we can see, it is important to write and share experiences. That is why today, many centuries after Shakespeare died, we still read his books and act his plays as if they were written only yesterday.

Even so, one cannot help wondering why most of our public leaders still do not write. One possible reason could be that some people view writing as a daunting experience. But it does not have to be so. In fact many people think they need to be fully prepared before they write, but they could in fact start by just making random jottings. Besides, help could be sought from others in the writing process. People who have something to write but for some reason can not do so themselves, can always seek the services of the ghost writer or a writer who will publish the work as his or her own.

Whatever is the case, it must be remembered that the longest journey begins with the first step. Over and above everything, our leaders owe it to posterity to leave something behind. They must not create a vacuum as they leave us.

© 2009

CAMEROON POLITICAL SNAPSHOT

The parliamentary geo-political map of Cameroon as it stands is already so starkly pronounced that one may wonder whether there is any point in returning to the polls. The CPDM with its 133 members of parliament which is the lion’s share of the total number of parties in the National Assembly makes the People’s Parliament look like a sea of CPDM members with only a few opposition parliamentarians doted here and there.

But the point is that the repeat elections must still be held, for such is the paradox that democracy can present to the political analyst. Like the other parties involved in the election rerun, Paul Biya’s party is working tooth and nail to increase its number of seats. If it succeeds it will consolidate its standing in the house even further. On the other hand, if the opposition wins those seats, it will add more credibility and oomph to its parliamentary hold. And as any one can see, the main opposition parties, that is, the S.D.F and the U.N.D.P, but especially the U.N.D.P, are in dire need of more seats as the ground they have lost is breathtaking.

While the opposition ponders its losses, the C.P.D.M has been polishing its armory and skillfully placing the pawns on the squares of the chessboard. Meanwhile, the choosing of the National Bureau of the National Assembly has taken place as expected. Some of the highlights witnessed in the event are the replacement of Amougou Noma Nicolas as vice president and the choice of a woman, Hon. Rose Abunaw as 2nd vice president. Not only does Hon. Abunaw thus honour her Manyu constituency with her brilliant selection, but she has suddenly found herself flying the flag for all Cameroonian women, being the first female vice president of the National Assembly. This time around the S.D.F has emerged as the only opposition party with up to 15 seats. The party has had Hon. Mbah Ndam Joseph retained as its parliamentary leader. Hon. Yoyo Emmanuel, another SDF member of parliament of course, stays as questor.

Yet, some of the reactions of the opposition party have been tantamount to missing the point. For instance, some people expressed disappointment that Hon. Cavaye Yeguie Djibril was returned as president of the National Assembly, the idea being that he had served in the post for too long. But one wonders how long is too long? Is there any time limit for this? Besides, the choice of the speaker of the House rests with the party that wins the majority of seats at the elections. That is one of the margins of maneuver that the majority enjoys. It is a right, a privilege and a priority. However, the opposition must be made to face facts. Firstly, Cavaye enjoys a globally positive reputation in his years as both Member of Parliament and president of the National Assembly, his record as both M.P and president of the Assembly is globally positive. The opposition must realize that sake for the sake of change is not good enough. In fact, it is counter productive.

As we await the repeat elections, President Paul Biya is no doubt contemplating a cabinet reshuffle. It is everyone’s guess whether with such a big majority in the National Assembly and the lacklustre performance of opposition members such as Bello Bouba Maigari who have joined the government as cabinet ministers, Paul Biya will not spring a surprise on observers, whatever that surprise may be.

However, the S.D.F Chairman Ni John Fru Ndi had made it clear that if asked, his party would not join the government. Nonetheless, for the keen observer of the Cameroon political scene, this stance by the SDF is not surprising because ever since the party was born in 1990, its leadership has always opposed joining a coalition government with Paul Biya at the helm of affairs. Obviously, this tough stance has divided the SDF as some members have wished the policy was revised so that the SDF can show the world that “it can run things differently and better”.

The key question now is whether the hard line opposition parties will ever either now or later join the government. The answer is that since a week is a long time in politics, it is only the end that will justify the means.

© 2009

CAMEROON AND THE POLICE FORCE

According to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, the police force is an organization whose job is to keep public order, prevent and solve crime. As such, one can conclude that the police are, or ought to be a sacred, incorruptible and highly respected unit seeking to win the hearts and minds of the the public, while protecting it. That, of course, ties in with what Cameroon’s security bosses have called proximity policing.

When one monitors events in the country, one does fell concerned about one’s safety, for there are frequent cases of burglaries, hold-ups, murders and assassinations. Therefore one thing that Cameroonians needed most was assurance that the authorities are aware of the state of insecurity, and secondly that they are doing something about it. That has come from the new police boss, Edgar Alain Mebe Ngo who has visited various sectors of the nation’s police force, taken note of their needs and given them words of encouragement. The Rapid Intervention Squared he installed here in Yaounde is now operational, with some 3000 calls already said to have been received at the monitoring and processing center. It is worth pointing out that the hotline can be reached by dialing the number 17 for fixed telephone callers and 117 for cellular ones.

The Delegate General has warned those who do not have their official identification papers to get them or face penalties. For foreigners, it is the different residential documents, and for Cameroonians, the National Identity Card. This has no doubt heightened the security alert in the country. It will be commendable if it stays at that level.

Nonetheless, the Delegate General must equally clearly, spell out the role of vigilante groups, commonly known in Cameroon as anti-gangs and tackle police corruption which regrettably mars the good work of the force.

Cameroon has taught the world how to play football. It can also teach the world how to police its police.

© 2009

CAMEROON AT THE CROSSROADS

By Tikum Mbah Azonga

This paper is an adaptation of an earlier one I delivered on the Cameroon National Radio Station in 2002 on the occasion of the visit to Cameroon of a group of German parliamentarians.It was a spontaneous reflection on the political state of play prevailing in the country at the time. The paper was one of the daily political commentaries I delivered on the 6.30 a.m. prime time national and world news on Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), Yaoundé, between 2002 and 2005.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a crucial point in the political evolution of our country, Cameroon. In fact, we have reached a crossroads from which we must move forward, despite the odds.

It is important that whatever step we take, we make it the right one in order to avoid any pitfalls.

In the paper that follows, our political commentator, Tikum Mbah Azonga argues that to put things in perspective, it may be helpful to imagine that this is Cameroon a hundred years from now.

-------------------------------------------------------------------


A hundred years from now, we shall be in the year twenty hundred and two, or two thousand, one hundred and two. Looking ahead from here and now, some people will say they have no idea what Cameron will like at that time. That is understandable.

One thing that is certain though is that by that apocalyptic time, an overwhelming majority of us would have passed on to the world yonder. It is likely that the population of Cameroon would have grown by geometric progression, to about 60 million inhabitants. Everything being equal, the cure for the dreaded HIV AIDS may have been found, thanks perhaps to the ingenuity of our very own Cameroonian Professor Victor Anomah Ngu. By the D-Day of the 29th of July 2102, our national fight against poverty may have been won to a certain extent with the result being probably a significant rise in the number of Cameroonians living above the poverty.

Maybe English and French will cease to be our official languages with the role they play for now being handed to one of our national languages, a linguistic consensus having been found. It is possible that the now strong and divisive linguistic and ideological boundaries of anglophone, francophone, bamileke, bassa, beti, wimbum, bakossiphone, will have disappeared, with there being firmly established a sense of nationhood, everyone just feeling Cameroonian, no more no less. Maybe Cameroon will be waxing stronger in the new dispensation that is the decentralized administrative regions now currently taking root in conformity with the constitution which according to supporters of President Paul Biya, is intended to strengthen nationhood and foster development, but which according to his detractors, has been tinkered in order to give the president an unfair advantage. But then, again, there may be people casting nostalgic glances, moaning and claiming that in 2002, far from jumping on their own accord, they had been blind folded and then pushed into a wrong direction.

Another certainty is that 100 years from today, all the politicians ruling us will have left the political stage altogether with all the political wrangling, recrimination and internecine strife that have characterized them. That is because if one considers that today the said politicians are already adults, who a hundred years from today must have grown old enough to die and exit from the scene. But the 1000 dollar question is, who will have replaced them, and will it be for better or for worse?

The answer to that question brings us back to here and now, in the hope that it is not some force landing. The truth of the matter is that Cameroon in the year 2102 will be made, or is being made by us now. Whether we like it or not, we are building that foundation every single day. Whether with time that foundation turns out to be one made of sand or of solid rock depends on how seriously we take the task today.

By implication, we must view any discord or dissension we may be having now only as another tribulation as we move towards our destination. If we manage our crisis well, it will turn out to be only a storm in a tea cup, and not the deluge, let alone the earth quake we feared would sweep away our cherished institutions.

A crisis should not also be a reason for us to upset the apple cart or rock the boat, or to contemplate suicide. The year 2102 is still too far off any way. So, we must exercise patience, fortitude and forbearance while we get there.

When that time comes, history and posterity will be waiting at the door to judge us. They will do so with the available means and the records in front of them, and above all, without us, for we would have left the stage. But Cameroon will still be there, since people come and go but the national remains

© 2009

CAMEROON IN THE YEAR 2024

This paper is an adaptation of an earlier one I delivered on the Cameroon National Radio Station on the 12th of November 2003. The paper was broadcast when Paul Biya just celebrated 21 years in office as President of Cameroon. The author used that occasion to fast forward the clock of time and look at what Cameroon would look like in another 21 years. The paper was one of the daily political commentaries I delivered on the 6.30 a.m. prime time national and world news on Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), Yaounde, between 2002 and 2005.

________________________________________________________________________

Without any doubt, celebrations are an interesting aspect of everyday life. They give those who are being fêted an opportunity to be the centre of attraction and those joining in the feast, a pretext to wine and dine. Nonetheless, feasting can also be an excellent occasion for carrying out an inventory and assessing progress made so far. The next logical advantage is, of course, the fact that forward planning can also be done. In other words, the way forward can be charted, either as the icing on the cake or as a way of balancing the assessment equation.

Following on from the merriment of Paul Biya’s 21 years in power, let us now take a leap forward and get a snapshot of Cameroon, 21 years from today. That day will mark the twentieth anniversary of the presidential election billed for next year, 2004, if the election takes place as scheduled¹. It is to be noted that if Paul Biya still runs as a candidate for his own succession, then the election will mark the beginning of a second seven-year presidential mandate for him, since he had the constitution amended by the National Assembly, prolonging the presidential term from five to seven years. Although this move was generally widely approved by members of the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) of which Paul Biya is chairman, on the whole, the opposition cried foul, interpreting the measure as an attempt by Paul Biya to “hang on to power at all cost.”

The year 2024 will be just one year before the current millennium, clocks its first quarter century. However, the key question as to who will be the main actors on the stage in Cameroon or elsewhere in Africa remains a difficult one because at this point in time, it is hard to tell, unless one is of course, Madame Soleil, able to read and interpret the future from her famous crystal ball. One thing is clear though: some of us will have departed from this world, just as some more will also have been born, as if sent by the divine will to numerically replace the deceased ones. It would be interesting to know if by that time, Cameroonians will have stopped making death triumph over birth. The point is that for at least a decade now, Cameroonians have glorified death in the sense that daily, the media are awash with death announcements. It is always death announcements one hears over the radio or sees on television, or reads in the newspapers. There are hardly any birth announcements, as if Cameroonians were only dying and not being born.

Things have got to a point where when a man dies, for example, different announcements come from his wife, children, employer, social group leader, former school mates and friends. A closer look at this phenomenon indicates that deaths have actually been transformed into commercial activities. When a man dies, the family deliberately leaves him in the mortuary while paying a fee for keeping him there, until it is felt that enough announcements have reached enough people who will through their contributions in terms of money or food or drink, make the funeral a “good” one. A “good funeral” in the Cameroonian context has become one in which those who come to sympathize with the bereaved go away feeling happy that they have had enough to eat and drink. Otherwise, they go away disgruntled and wondering aloud why this has been such a bad “cry die” that one had only so little to eat and drink. Often, a musician is paid to entertain sympathizers during the night vigil. He plays music, usually in the large and open yard so that people can dance as a way of paying last respects to the dead person. One individual who has raised wake-keeping musical entertainment to an art is Loh Benson, a musician by career. In fact it is said that Loh’s love for music began when he was still in primary school. At the time he used to play to entertain peers, teachers and parents. Today not only does he have his own compositions, but he is being emulated by others who earn a living by entertaining at vigils. In one part of the town of Bamenda, that is the Nkwen Fondom of Bamenda III sub Division, night vigils have been banned by the Fon. The reason given is that when so many people come out at night and congregate, appalling acts are committed. These include promiscuity, theft, witchcraft, abduction and rape.

Opinions are divided over the origin of the commercialization of funerals. One school of thought holds that it all began in the mid nineteen eighties when the economic crunch hit Cameroon very hard and while in the quest for money, people realized they could capitalize on funerals by getting as many people as possible to come bearing “gifts of sympathy”, some of which like money, could then be converted into other needs. Another school of thought affirms that it was a deliberate attempt to highlight deaths in order to show Cameroonians and the world that President Paul Biya was ruling the country so badly that “everybody was dying”. Whatever is the case, there is a third school which posits that all that waste of money on a person who is no more is a mere misplacement of priorities. For that reason, those who hold that view state categorically that it is better to honour people when they are alive so that they can see and appreciate, not when they have turned their back and the corner and are out of view and out of sight.

One aspect of the year 2024 which will certainly interest Cameroonians is their President, Paul Biya. The question is whether or not he will still be on the political scene. The fact is that in 2024, if Biya is still alive, he will be 91 years old. So, can he still be in power? The technical answer is, ‘yes’, if he still has the strength and can hold himself together. But the most likely answer is, ‘no’, because at such an age, one is normally exhausted and deserves a rest. The point is important because there are Cameroonians who would ruthlessly push Biya out of power, if they had their way. He is being held responsible for overstaying his welcome, and thereby virtually turning the republic into a kingdom of his own. He has also been charged with allowing corruption to triumph in an unbridled manner and then attempting vainly and at the eleventh hour, to curb it.

Nonetheless, the problem of Paul Biya, if the truth be told, is not just he alone. It is also Cameroonians and the opposition, but perhaps the opposition more than just Cameroonians. Cameroonian’s opposition is greatly divided, first of all because with over two hundred political parties, they are bound to speak with different and deferring voices which are difficult for the electorate to understand. The best option would have been for the opposition to merge and form one or two strong parties which could then counter Biya more strongly and meaningfully. However, when it comes to that, especially on the point of choosing a single presidential candidate to represent the opposition against Biya, no opposition leader is willing to yield an inch to the other. This hide and seek game reminds me of the tale about the mice race that was decimated by the cat. When during a meeting of the mice it was unanimously agreed that a bell should be tied round the neck of the cat so that once it was approaching, the mice would be warned and take cover, nobody was willing to go and tie the bell around the cat’s neck. In other words, no one was wiling to be the one to “bell the cat”.

Whatever is the case, it is certain that the year 2024 will come. But then since time is a very tricky phenomenon, that year will be here so quickly that it will take many unawares. When that time comes, our Cameroon is likely to be still firmly in place, despite the changing roles of the people that make it up: age, retirement, death and birth. This occurrence of permanence on the one hand and change on the other confirms clearly the dictum that “people come and go, but the nation remains.” This nation, twenty one years on, will be dominated by today’s youths who will have attained leadership status and will be more or less in positions of power, pulling one or two strings in the governing of the country. In fact, according to the United Nations Population Fund, these ‘new adults’, so to speak, will constitute the largest such transitional segment, numbering some one billion two million souls. Nevertheless, the UN body warns that the way forward is littered with political, social and economic hurdles. To stem the tide, everyone is therefore urged to strive to attain the millennium goals which were outlined by world leaders to be attained by the year 2015.

The road to 2024 is both long and bumpy. But what does that mean specifically for Cameroon? Right now, despite what some Cameroonians may think, the country has made some progress. The country is increasingly being made to host international events, economic indicators are generally on the upward trend and social amenities are being improved. Nonetheless, the country is still sometimes perceived as being adrift, rudderless and unmanned. The civil service remains unduly bureaucratic and corruption is still endemic and blatant. Although President Paul Biya has had some senior officials, including cabinet ministers put in jail, general public opinion is that it is too little, too late, and by the way, how about the many other known hardened embezzlers who are still walking free? And in any case, why have those flung in jail not been made to restore to the State what they are said to have stolen?

The only way to make the year 2024 a resounding victory for Cameroon in particular and Africa in general is for each citizen to work ceaselessly and devotedly. That is what will make the difference between a positive balance sheet and a negative one.

_______________________________________________________________________________


¹ The presidential election eventually took place as scheduled and Paul Biya won.

CAMEROON AND THE ELECTED OFFICIAL

This paper is an adaptation of an earlier one I delivered on the Cameroon National Radio Station on the 10th of July 2002. The paper was broadcast following the publication of municipal elections that had just been held. Legislative elections which took place on the same day were still being awaited. The paper was one of the daily political commentaries I delivered on the 6.30 a.m. prime time national and world news on Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), Yaounde, between 2002 and 2005.

________________________________________________________________________

An English language dictionary of unquestionable international repute defines the word, ‘character’, as “all the mental or moral qualities that make a person, group, nation, etc, different from others”. Another description is given as, “the ability to handle dangerous or difficult situations; moral strength.” This paper attempts a look at the political character of the Cameroon elected official.

For the newly elected councilors who saw added responsibilities thrust upon their shoulders when they were designated by their various constituents recently, the real task has only just begun. As representatives of the local communities, they will have to muster all the momentum and astuteness with which strength of character can endow a leader. This will enable them to secure even more strongly, the confidence of the electorate who by giving them their votes, in a way swore and stood by them. Having such strength of character will also ensure that the newly elected officials not only keep at bay those losers who may be overtly or covertly plotting against them, but actually convert them into friends, even if they are only political friends with all the implications that go with that status. Perhaps over and above everything else, the new councilors must realize that the electorate expects a new lease of life from them. True, some of the voters’ expectations may be unrealistic and unrealizable. But then, that is all part of the political game.

When legislative election results are also formally announced – and that should be soon – the newly elected parliamentarians will find themselves faced with a similar task. Even so, there will be more for the deputy to chew than the councilor, for, the former has dominion over a larger constituency in surface area and demographic terms. This stance is lent credence by the fact that it is said and widely believed here in Cameroon where both French and English are official languages that the parliamentarian is a “député de la nation”, and not only that of his or her constituency. The parliamentarian will move around more and mix with more people. He or she is the one who will have direct access to ministers in order to plead for development projects in their constituencies. He or she is the one who will occasionally be placed on a trip abroad along the lines of parliamentary exigencies. As such the deputy will have the advantage of comparing notes not just with deputies from other parts of the country, but also from other parts of the world. From all of the above, it is clear that the task of leadership is a Herculean one. No wonder, one pundit once said: “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”

Nonetheless, the danger is that these men and women now being sworn in may soon commit the cardinal sin that most leaders, especially political ones, are guilty of, once they get to power. They soon forgot those voters who brought them to their newly found glory. By so doing, they show weakness, rather than strength, of character. As the late famous musician, Elvis Presley, once put it: “I don’t like people who go into politics for themselves. If you want that, you can go into show business.” Another commentator, Victor Cousin, said: “You can only govern men by serving them”.

In the exercise of their duties, some politicians behave as if they are God’ gift to the world. Yet the bible is clear on what should be the line of action to take:

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. “ (Psalm 24:1-2).

Yet when it’s time for the next elections, the same rulers will return to the same constituents with their political hats in their hands, on bended knees, armed with sour gifts and stale pledges, promising them heaven and earth. At that point, the electorate may very well reject them on the grounds that when they were hungry and thirsty, the politicians failed to give them food and drink.

As the Irish writer George Bernard Shaw once put it, “An election is a moral horror, as bad as battle, except that it doesn’t have the blood. It is a mud bath for every soul concerned.”

Surely, now is the time, on this dawn of a new era, for our leaders to start building bridges which will link them to the future. In so doing, they must remember that the people they meet on their way up are the same ones they will meet on their way down. That may be the utmost test for political strength of character.

CAMEROON AND THE ELECTED LOCAL LEADER

This paper is an adaptation of an earlier one I delivered on the Cameroon National Radio Station on the 10th of July 2002. The paper was broadcast following the publication of municipal elections that had just been held. Legislative elections which took place on the same day were still being awaited. The paper was one of the daily political commentaries I delivered on the 6.30 a.m. prime time national and world news on Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), Yaounde, between 2002 and 2005.

________________________________________________________________________

An English language dictionary of unquestionable international repute defines the word, ‘character’, as “all the mental or moral qualities that make a person, group, nation, etc, different from others”. Another description is given as, “the ability to handle dangerous or difficult situations; moral strength.” This paper attempts a look at the political character of the Cameroon elected official.

For the newly elected councilors who saw added responsibilities thrust upon their shoulders when they were designated by their various constituents recently, the real task has only just begun. As representatives of the local communities, they will have to muster all the momentum and astuteness with which strength of character can endow a leader. This will enable them to secure even more strongly, the confidence of the electorate who by giving them their votes, in a way swore and stood by them. Having such strength of character will also ensure that the newly elected officials not only keep at bay those losers who may be overtly or covertly plotting against them, but actually convert them into friends, even if they are only political friends with all the implications that go with that status. Perhaps over and above everything else, the new councilors must realize that the electorate expects a new lease of life from them. True, some of the voters’ expectations may be unrealistic and unrealizable. But then, that is all part of the political game.

When legislative election results are also formally announced – and that should be soon – the newly elected parliamentarians will find themselves faced with a similar task. Even so, there will be more for the deputy to chew than the councilor, for, the former has dominion over a larger constituency in surface area and demographic terms. This stance is lent credence by the fact that it is said and widely believed here in Cameroon where both French and English are official languages that the parliamentarian is a “député de la nation”, and not only that of his or her constituency. The parliamentarian will move around more and mix with more people. He or she is the one who will have direct access to ministers in order to plead for development projects in their constituencies. He or she is the one who will occasionally be placed on a trip abroad along the lines of parliamentary exigencies. As such the deputy will have the advantage of comparing notes not just with deputies from other parts of the country, but also from other parts of the world. From all of the above, it is clear that the task of leadership is a Herculean one. No wonder, one pundit once said: “Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.”

Nonetheless, the danger is that these men and women now being sworn in may soon commit the cardinal sin that most leaders, especially political ones, are guilty of, once they get to power. They soon forgot those voters who brought them to their newly found glory. By so doing, they show weakness, rather than strength, of character. As the late famous musician, Elvis Presley, once put it: “I don’t like people who go into politics for themselves. If you want that, you can go into show business.” Another commentator, Victor Cousin, said: “You can only govern men by serving them”.

In the exercise of their duties, some politicians behave as if they are God’ gift to the world. Yet the bible is clear on what should be the line of action to take:

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. “ (Psalm 24:1-2).

Yet when it’s time for the next elections, the same rulers will return to the same constituents with their political hats in their hands, on bended knees, armed with sour gifts and stale pledges, promising them heaven and earth. At that point, the electorate may very well reject them on the grounds that when they were hungry and thirsty, the politicians failed to give them food and drink.

As the Irish writer George Bernard Shaw once put it, “An election is a moral horror, as bad as battle, except that it doesn’t have the blood. It is a mud bath for every soul concerned.”

Surely, now is the time, on this dawn of a new era, for our leaders to start building bridges which will link them to the future. In so doing, they must remember that the people they meet on their way up are the same ones they will meet on their way down. That may be the utmost test for political strength of character.

THE MEANING OF CAMEROON`S NATIONAL DAY

CAMEROON`S NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATION

(This paper is an adaptation of an earlier one I delivered on the Cameroon National Radio Station on the 20th of May 2002, the day the Cameroonian nation celebrated the 30th edition of its national day. The paper was one of the daily political commentaries I delivered on the 6.30 a.m. prime time national and world news on Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), Yaounde, between 2002 and 2005).

____________________________________________________________________________________

Today is a birthday, that of someone born thirty years ago, on the 20th of May 1972. We call that 30-year old, person - let’s make it a man to make things easier - Unitary Boy. After all, why not? Have we not heard of men calling themselves names such as, `Fineboy`, `Kamerun` and even `Afrika`? As Unitary Boy celebrates his thirtieth birthday today, other people born on that same day will no doubt join him. We all know – don’t we? – that it’s not everyday that one comes across someone with whom one shares the same birthday.

Unitary Boy’s father came of age on the 1st of January 1960, and his mother, on the 11th of February 1961. On the 1st of October 1961, both got married in Foumban, what was and still is today, headquarters of Noun Administrative Division in the West Province of Cameroon. On the 20th of May 1972, Unitary Boy was born, much to the joy of his parents. He was born an only child and was consequently the apple of his parents` eyes.

Astrologically speaking, Unitary Boy is Taurus. As a Taurean, he is one of the three zodiac signs that belong to the natural element, Earth. For the record, it is worth stating that the twelve signs of the zodiac are divided into four groups, which correspond to the four natural elements, with each element having three signs in its triangle. In addition to Taurus (April 21 – May 21), therefore, the other two Earth signs are Virgo (August 24 – September 23) and Capricorn (December 22 – January 20). The Air element comprises Aquarius (January 21 – February 19), Gemini (May 22 – June 21) and Libra (September 24 – October October 23); while the element Fire contains Aries (March 21 – April 20), Leo (July 24 – August 23) and Sagittarius (November 23 – December 21). The Water signs are Cancer (June 22 – July 23), Scorpio (October 24 – November 22) and Pisces (February 20 – March 20).

While Unitary Boy is a Taurean, his father (January 1) is Capricorn and his mother, (February 11) is Aquarian. The sign under which the couple got wedded (October 1) was Libra. As Earth signs, father and son are characteristically solid, dependable, realistic and fertile. As Air signs, Unitary Boy’s mother on the one hand and the date on which the couple (as an entity) got together, on the other hand, are both intellectual, idealistic, politically correct, too text book oriented.

Looking back, the Aquarius woman and her Capricorn man may have some regrets about falling in love with each other. The woman may have the impression that the husband is too demanding while the man has the impression that the woman is having problems with adaptability. Nonetheless, the marriage will prevail because the Capricorn Man who is symbolized by the mountain goat, the symbolic and mythical goat which when faced with climbing to the top of the mountain, knows that it will slide and fall as many times but also knows that it must prevail and win in the final analysis. However, as the Aquarius woman is ruled by the element `Air`, she lacks the patience and foresight of the Capricorn man. As a result, she may begin to look for a quick fix, not patient enough to realize that quick fixes do not last long. In other words, she may not realize that not all that glitters is gold.

The Aquarian wife’s dilemma is considerable: Does she quit? If she does, where does she go? Will her parents accept her back? Are they still there, in any case? And will divorce really solve the problem? What about Unitary Boy, in case of divorce? Does he go with the mother or the father? Or does he gain his independence? If he does, will he be able to survive alone? Surely, he will be between a rock and a hard place, as the Americans say.

The problem is that Unitary Boy is not just a by-product, a hybrid, a crossbreed, a mixture, an amalgam or even a fusion of his parents; he is also a genius in his own right. So far, he has done well in practically every field. He has come top in most examinations; he has distinguished himself in sports, diplomacy, public administration and even politics. In fact, if his parents are honest to themselves, they will admit that their son is a blessing.

At the ripe age of thirty, Unitary Boy is today contemplating marriage and would like to have both parents by his side on the day of his wedding. He tells them, just like Former Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda told the then British Prime Minister, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher¹, that they have the right to be wrong by breaking up their relation. Nonetheless, he also points out to them that in the end it is he who will have to pick up the pieces; it is he who will suffer, just like the grass does, when two elephants fight. The parents, he says, were the ones who freely chose to give birth to him without him having any choice in the matter. So they are duty bound to stay together, for his sake, and sort out their problems.

As Unitary Boy celebrates his thirtieth birthday, he is fully aware of the problem his parents have. His most fervent prayer is for them to sit down at the table and talk things over. What matters to him is that in the end peace, harmony and national unity should prevail. After all, what god has put together, let no man put asunder.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Mrs. Margaret Thatcher¹:

At the end of a Commonwealth Heads of State and Government Meeting that took place in the 1980s, a journalists asked President Kenneth Kaunda what he thought of Mrs. Thatcher’s continuous opposition to sanctions being slammed on the Republic of South Africa in retaliation for its racist apartheid policy. Kaunda responded by saying that Mrs. Thatcher ²has the right to be wrong.²

Tikum Mbah Azonga

IS OUR CAMEROON FINISHED?

The present posting has been motivated by the one posted on the Camnet forum recently by Rexon Nting. In the piece, Nting affirms: "SDF Chairman declares his wealth on Cameroon Voice". He also quotes the Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi, wondering loudly what the Diaspora has done for the advancement of democracy in Cameroon . Now, that is exactly where I come in.

And I do so to point out that we of the Diaspora, far from being active participants, have become ardent critics. We spend our time criticizing and looking for more things to criticize. Hardly do we stop and ask ourselves: "What am I doing personally to improve the situation?” In a way, the situation is reminiscent of the famous American writer who once complained that everybody complains about the weather but, nobody does anything about it. However, I do not solely blame the Diaspora for this negative attitude, for even those at home have now made it a habit to always announce deaths as many times as possible, to the detriment of births about which one hears nothing at all, as if Cameroonians were only dying and not being born.
I agree that there is a lot wrong with our country: blatant and unbridled corruption, laissez faire, etc. But there are other areas for which we deserve the thumbs up. Better still, there are many areas in which we can make a positive contribution and thereby create jobs for some Cameroonians and put smiles on faces. Here is an example: some years ago, a Cameroonian who had lived in the States for years returned home and opened a microfinance institution. With time, the structure grew into a fully fledged high street bank on the same footing as any other major bank in the country. The man in question, Awanga Zachariah, has handed the day-to-day running of affairs to other professionals (while remaining CEO) and branched off to run an insurance company as which he has opened. I understand he is also constructing a top notch hotel.
But then it doesn’t have to be only Awanga. Surely, there are other success stories that abound. What is important is that there is room in the country for everyone, even those who are permanently overseas and seem to believe that Cameroon is finished. Lucrative areas in which those out there might want to get involved include, microfinance, hotel and catering, the opening of (bilingual) nursery and primary schools as well as colleges, and of course real estate. For the latter, bear in mind that houses are always in demand in Cameroon, whether for private residence or business. Think about it.