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Louis Egbe Mbua
When a man begins to have illusions as being constituted of a lion incarnate, there are great chances that his animal instincts and spirit may begin to transform from that of humanity into that of a deluded and encapsulated lion skin. That man or woman -- whoever he is and wherever they abode -- starts having bouts of behavioural traits profoundly similar to a man living in the wild untamed savannah of Africa where animals consume other animals for food in the wildest anticipation and the most ferocious hunts.
The trouble with man is that he consumes similar animals; and goes further to consume his own type with unpredictably disastrous consequences. The reason for this strange phenomenon in human beings may be attributed to intuitive survival on the one hand, and corruption of the mind in the immediate instance. In a system where this philosophy of animalism is entrenched – and practised without Ndolo l’Amour, people begin to copy the original lion, joining him to the feast; on the exultingly flowery pretext of dancing for survival in the ballet of greed. But in the real sense, it is a matter of the corruption of the flesh: for only through the flesh can a man be destroyed.
The oppressor having sensed victory, avoids the main complaint -- out of fear -- co-opts another perceived strong man who will do his bidding; and the cycle of oppression continues unabated for yet a very long time until a bold David arrives to attack the bullying and deluded lion as to snatch the sheep from the jaws of the cunning and ruthless beast. This and only this alone, will end the feast of “The slaughter of the lamb” and "The Silence of the Lamb" terrifying movie show.
Since President Paul Biya of the Republic of Cameroon took over from Ahdijo, the Bamenda region of Cameroon, and in fact a vast majority of Anglophone Cameroon has been deliberately underdeveloped despite its huge natural and human resource potential that may benefit the entire country. Roads in Bamenda and other parts of the territory have been neglected to rut. Promises, since 1984/1985 (25 years ago) of roads that would link the entire region have evaporated into thin air. The much heralded Bamenda airport has been converted into a military base. Paul Biya’s recently completed military visit has now fully confirmed the diabolical objectives of the Republic of Cameroon – namely to occupy Southern Cameroons by force – an illegal act with far reaching consequences in case the citizens decide to rise up to challenge this military jackboots who appear now to be in some kind of freebie to terrorise, brutalise and obstruct the peace of the region. It is now clear what the objectives of Paul Biya is: to cut off this region from its coastal counterpart by usurpation and deceit with some kind of economic bribe, and as such weaken the Anglophone ability to challenge his 30 year failed policy of misrule, mismanagement and gargantuan folly.
Paul Biya may believe that he will quell descent by terror, bribe and force. But he may be only sowing the seeds of instability, physical confrontation and his own downfall; for the place of nemesis is usually hidden; where one may believe there is a threat may not turn out to be the case. There are reports that there was a facelift undertaken in Bamenda to prepare for his visit; and that this counts as development in some quarters. This is extremely foolish. Bamenda is just one out of dozens of heavily populated cities and towns in the region: there is Wum, Nyos (remember the forgetten 2000), Nso, Nkambe, Jakiri and other towns and villages who have not been touched by the least development for almost thirty years. More poignantly, thousands of indigenous natives and Cameroonian activists – and innocent people -- have been shot and killed in various parts of this region by the Republic of Cameroon forces. Others have died in prison and other terrible circumstances due to inhuman treatment and poor prison conditions – denied health care, food and exposed to brutal treatments such as beatings. To be shedding crocodile tears by the Biya men is not only dishonest but a complete waste of life-giving water. In this light, Paul Biya’s visit had been a poignant reminder of the terrible sufferings of the people rather than a triumphant entry into Jerusalem as some quarters have misguidedly portrayed. Has the blood of all those killed been sacrificed for cheap promises? Blood is unforgiving to those who betray the cause for power and bribes; for it is blood that gives life. Thus, a betrayed soul is tantamount to selling a people to a slave trader.
The Southern Cameroons (Anglophone) Elite Hypocrisy
The Southern Cameroons decolonisation case is unique. It is one of those rare cases where elites who mattered at the time of independence actually aided the capture of their own territory and subject their own people to servitude. This writer does not want to belabour the reader with historical material that substantiates this bold statement; for that is effectively confined to the past. However, to visualise the future and to prevent such wanton waste of a peoples’ future, this writer will revisit this argument of immense importance. While the visit of a de facto President is not a bad idea, it is madness to aid a President in his pretentious visit aimed at cementing the dismal future of an already subjugated people. While it may be right for a politician to support their party Chairman, in this case, Paul Biya of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), it becomes a sham if the elite of that party offers to contribute funds, and appear to deceive the common man to part with his meagre income to support the illegal visit of a frightened President who lacked the legitimacy to rule in that particular territory.
The elite of this region of Cameroon continue to trumpet their support for such a visit and as a result abet the colonisation of their own people. The reasons for their actions are clear – to be seen as “patriotic Cameroonians”. In this conjecture, there is a problem because it is not possible to be patriotic when one is first not accountable to his people; and that decades of neglect have left the people desolate, desperate and desponding. The supposed opposition party, the Social Democratic Front (SDF), with its political base in Bamenda, could not garner enough muscle to point to the problematic scores of the visit – that the President of The Republic of Cameroon – has the obligation to first sort out the Southern Cameroons vs La Republique du Cameroun problem as recommended by the international community.
The SDF Chairman of the Northwest Region, Mr Henri Kum, captured the myopia succinctly as reported by the Post newspaper before the doomed visit:
"Funeral celebrations have been cancelled, meetings postponed, weddings postponed, the population harassed and even all other traditional and cultural calendars severely altered. We think that the North westerners need an apology and reasons for the postponement of this visit." He said Cameroon being a country of law, it is but normal for the citizens to know what the managers of the nation are doing.”
"This quite arrogance on the part of the powers that be is not manifest only in this failed visit, but also on the issues concerning elections.”
Good observation. While the visit took place with much pomp and circumstance; and hailed as a “resounding success”, Mr. Henri Kum’s statement above captures how Cameroon is run; a system where leaders retrench into policies and decisions on the hoof; and with enormous cost to the unsuspecting population.
“The SDF party has said the people of the Northwest who have not relented an inch, making frantic efforts and enormous sacrifices to receive President Paul Biya in Bamenda deserve an apology from him for the failed visit that was initially announced by the Minister of to take place from November 29-30."
Well, Paul Biya never apologised; and will not apologise again if he fails to meet any future promises he ushered in Bamenda because nobody has actually questioned him to give an account of any of his obdurate failures. Nobody apologises to those who easily forget the wrongs they have been subjected to; and nobody takes seriously those who are easily swayed by sweet talk and artificial honey. Only natural honey tastes sweet to the tongue. What usher long life is natural; but that which comes in superficiality only hastens death. Like a bee that carries an invisible sting, so too is the man who promises honey but brings in weapons of destruction in the darker recesses of the night. He who does not see the ruse is already dead.
Again, what made him [Mr. Henry Kum] believed that he is respected; and does he actually believe that Paul Biya’s coming there was proper and legal with the present system of things in Cameroon? And why did he not understand the problems associated with such a military visit? From the pronouncement above, he appeared to have been lost as to why Paul Biya wanted to visit Bamenda and the North-West Region. If leaders do not have a vision and foresight, are not far-sighted, is it a surprise that the people have been led from one dungeon to yet another worse one? Does or did he wish for a military occupation of Bamenda? Mr. Kum and his SDF opposition should look far into the future before committing the people to terror, servitude and poverty by men who have little interests in the development of their territory but the usurpation of ancient powers and institutions.
As usual with the Anglophone elite, they at first maintained a strange silence. And then they went into a kind of mild attack as regards the lack of electoral commission in the so-called forth coming elections. That is not the point. While it is reasonable to challenge an incumbent, they got lost on the significance of the visit. As the Anglophone elite are more pre-occupied with their position in the now discredited Union of the two states, they prefer to fight for sour left-overs than to fight for their own self-determination. The results are that Anglophone politicians struggling to maintain a discredited the status quo prefers to please the majority Francophone elite than their own constituencies, to ignore the pleas of their long-suffering masses and join the gravy train to loot and terrorise.
This has been the lot of the Southern Cameroons masses since 1961. Those who were put in position to represent the interests of their people turn around and fight against the interests of their own electoral college in favour of The Republic of Cameroon. Those who call for Life Presidency of a President who has largely ignored their concerns, spat at their faces time and time again, underdeveloped their territory for 30 – 50 years are mostly Anglophone elite in cahoots with the oppressor. They waver from one ridiculous political position to the other; they adamantly refuse to discuss the very serious Southern Cameroons problem but offer superficial solutions that have nothing to do with the original solutions by the UN in 1961 and which have been abused for almost fifty years – The Federation of two independent states. The psyche of Anglophone elite hypocrisy cannot be easily wished away or dismissed as that of a bunch of selfish individuals. This writer believes there are multi-faceted reasons for this alien and unreasonable approach to their own problems – cowardice and folly.
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