NW and SW held hostage by extremists and greedy self interest protectors in Cameroon.

A look at the evolution of the Anglophone crises from its onset till date reveals a sequence of fruitless efforts by two parties each one deliberately refusing to give ground to the other and as the two protagonists occupy centre stage many have failed to see the drummers who are actually dictating the pace of the dance. The victims of this stalemate have been the populations of the Northwest and Southwest Regions.

On the one hand there was the Anglophone Lawyers with very plausible demands related to legal practice in Cameroon. Briefly, they wanted the practice to reflect the two legal systems of the country and they felt that this could be feasible in a two federal state system. Among other things they were protective towards an English Common Law System which they felt was being deliberately adulterated not only by the French Law but also by the French Language which was increasingly being used in the two English speaking Regions; the Northwest and the Southwest. To achieve their requests, they went on strike and have since then kept the courts in English speaking Cameroon empty.

The teachers of the English Educational Sub system eventually joined in with equally plausible demands similar to those of the lawyers and even more and subsequently paralysed the school year in English Schools in Cameroon.

The strikes of these two groups took things nowhere and dialogue void of good fate brought no results and in their frustrations coupled with the arrests of some within their ranks, the two twinned and formed the consortium together with other English speaking Cameroonians home and abroad. The Consortium then pressed on with its demands through the organisation of ghost towns.

Since then, in the absence of sincere dialogue, the banning of the Consortium and the arrests of its leaders and other activists has pushed the requests for secession to take center stage. This request is pushed by extremist secessionists who will stop at nothing short of secession banking their arguments on the fact that requests for a two state federation with equal status has failed.

The leverage that the outlawed Consortium has used is the permanent ghost towns on Mondays and Tuesdays (now reduced to Mondays) and operation dead school campus. While the average Cameroonian in the Northwest and Southwest Region is toiling under the weight of ghost towns and its consequences, instructions are continuously being given by faces behind the scenes dominantly from the Diaspora. The interest group being served here is that of diehard secessionists prepared to listen to nothing else. The questions begging for answers are as follows; -is secession the best choice for Anglophone Cameroonians? Is a two state federation on equal status acceptable in a country where the English speaking segment of the population constitute only two of the ten regions that make up the country? Can’t there be a two or a four state federation with defined conditions that are acceptable to all parties permitting the country to remain as one Cameroon?  

Another interest group that is being served by the suffering masses is the authorities of the Republic of Cameroon and to an extent its French Colonial Masters France who have never really relinquished its hold on its colonies in French Africa.

Just like the extreme secessionists, Cameroonian authorities have responded in ways that demonstrate either a complete misunderstanding of the situation or a deliberate attempt to misunderstand the problems being presented by a segment of the population. Clearly, the interests of this party completely contrast with those of extreme secessionists. Satisfying the needs of the Republic of Cameroon would mean not satisfying the needs of extreme secessionists.

While the two extremes continue to hold their grounds protecting their ultimate interests, myopic political misfits have been playing to the gallery in a bid to protect their own petit and egoistic self interests. Some have carried out peaceful demonstrations dubbed Peace March in Limbe and Kumba maybe with an intention of sending customized signals to certain quarters for personal reasons. Some have even resorted to utterances tailored on tribal lines to send equally customized signals. The Police et al have brutalized, raped and arrested to no avail.

On the other hand, some have master minded the burning of Markets in Bamenda (Nkwen and Food Market), Fundong and Limbe New Market maybe for disobeying the sit down strike action.

All this drama completely misses the point. If attention has to be shifted for one minute from the warring forces and their various interests to the plight of the populations at the receiving end then the desire to end the stalemate should be paramount in the minds of those who truly have Cameroonians at heart. Attention has not yet been shifted to the people and as such no immediate way forward has been prescribed because none of the parties (the secessionists on the one hand and authorities of the Republic of Cameroon on the other hand) truly have Cameroonians at heart for if that were the case then a middle ground should have already been found. For the way forward to be traced, the questions above and many more must be answered. For example; is a centralized system with attempts to decentralize competences like the one in Cameroon at the moment the ideal set up for Cameroon? Is it normal that just prior to the crises in Cameroon there was an attempt to harmonize higher education in Cameroon despite the existence of two sub education systems? Time to stop playing to the gallery is now if Cameroon has to move forward.

2018 SDF Presidential hopeful’s campaign banners vandalized by uniformed men.

Two campaign banners of the 2018 SDF Presidential hopeful, Felix Teche Nyamusa have been torn down from the poles to which they were affixed by uniformed men. The second banner was torn down on Saturday April 8, 2017 according to revelations made during a press briefing organised by the 2018 Presidential hopeful at 10 am on Palm Sunday. Felix Teche Nyamusa revealed that those who brought down the banner on Saturday were identified as Police men by eye witnesses.

Felix Teche Nyamusa

According to a Press release signed by Felix Teche Nyamusa “a truck filled with policemen descended on my campaign material in the North West Region and destroyed them!” According to the Presidential hopeful, such reactions from uniformed men are panic signals from the regime in place. Considering the fact that these campaign banners were paid for at the Bamenda City Council, he is of the opinion that the City Council Agents who mounted the banners were supposed to make sure the banners stayed in place. “We will certainly be calling on the city council or government delegate to account and pay for this criminal action!”

The press release further disclosed that the banner destroyed by the police was placed on Commercial Avenue in Bamenda II and that the material on it was written in both English and French as part of campaigns for internal elections within the Social Democratic Front SDF. The material on the banner ran thus: “Vote Felix Teche Nyamusa, SDF National Chairman. For two states Federal Cameroon! No to Anglophone marginalization! No to Francophone marginalization! May God guide an intergral Cameroon.” “Votez Felix Teche Nyamusa, President National du SDF pour un Cameroun à deux Etats Fédérés. Non à la marginalisation des Francophones. Non à la marginalisation des Anglophones. Vive le Cameroun integral.”

Prior to his becoming the SDF Presidential   Candidate for the 2018 Presidential Elections, Felix Teche Nyamusa is aware that he has the arduous task of winning the internal elections within the party and becoming Chairman of the leading opposition party the Social Democratic Front.

Commenting on the build up to the 2018 Presidential Elections within the Party, Teche Nyamusa said “My party, the SDF’s Elective Convention earlier scheduled for April 2017 has been postponed but campaigns are of course not called off! We SDF have little time for campaigns for the 2018 all important polls.” Complaining that the decision to postpone the elective convention wasn’t strategically very correct he said “campaigns have to be intensified considering the crooked nature of the ruling, ruining CPDM regime whose chairman President Paul Biya in addition to using State funds for campaigns and election bribing, can precipitate the polls! Commenting on the absence of a level playing field for everybody he said “like teachers, lawyers, doctors we will embark on the Cameroonian Constitution as last resort to stamp out CPDM manipulations,” adding that he was ready to lead this revolution cooperating with good willed Cameroonians and genuine political parties.

Cognizant of the fact that the SDF had not yet endorsed the two state federation as the official quest of the party, Felix Teche Nyamusa said his quest for a two state federation within the party could not necessarily be seen as an attempt to create diverse ranks within the party but rather as his own way of making the party and its militants to be aware of the fact that there exist alternative and better choices for the party. This awareness of the possibility of making alternative and better choices he said will certainly make it possible for him to be voted as the next National Chairman of the SDF; a prerequisite for him to stand as the SDF Presidential candidate for 2018.

    

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CPDM 32^nd Anniversary

 Wabane presents need for a special constituency.

The need for a special constituency to enhance development in Wabane in the Lebialem Division was one of the many issues that was addressed during the 32^nd Anniversary of the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement CPDM. This need was voiced by His Royal Highness Fon Lekunze N III of Bamumbu during the heavily attended CPDM 32^nd Anniversary at Wabane.

Speaking at the ceremony where most of the speeches concentrated on development, he said the day was a great one and that his impressions were positive. “The people have come out in thousands to give the day the importance it deserves” he said adding that the CPDM Lebialem III Section remains the engine of the party in Lebialem Division and the Southwest Region. “I think the gods of Mundani and the elites here present and the population are testimony to the Head of State and National President of our party President Paul Biya of our complete support.” He promised the Head of State a 100% vote in the upcoming elections.

Drawing attention to the royal setting he said much still needed to be done in the domain of human resources. He harped on the need for elites to be empowered so that they could in turn empower the people. If this were done development would be brought closer to the people he said.

Nembo Ketu Israel: Mayor of Wabane

Nembo Ketu Israel, the Mayor of Wabane Council and Section President for Lebialem III Wabane said he was very happy with the turn out which he said was among the best  in the Southwest and Northwest given the present political situation in the country. This he said proved that something was being done in Wabane. “If we were not meeting up with aspirations of the people and with implementation of the programme of the government, this crowd would not be here today.” He said anyone coming into Wabane today would not understand that the place had gone a long way to be where it was today. Formerly he said, the place had no motor-able roads and could not be reached by vehicle. Now he said the place could easily be reached by car. All that was needed was for the people to continue working with the Government for things to get better. He said electricity was now present thanks to what he referred to as Micro-hydro electricity. He however complained that with the meager finances, the meeting of road construction needs could not be met with. Wabane he conceded still needed much in terms of roads and electricity.

The popularity of the party in Wabane was demonstrated by thousands who thronged the event grounds to grace the occasion with their presence. Elites and youth came from all over the country in a show of solidarity to take part in the anniversary celebrations. The occasion was rendered colourful by traditional dances and multiple cultural displays. 

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Scores of Cameroons Cultural Icons raised to Knighthood.

Scores of Cameroons Cultural Icons have been raised to Knighthood by the Head of State. The decoration of these illustrious Cameroonians took place at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel on Tuesday April 5, 2017.

They were raised to the status of Knights of the National Order of Valour for their contribution towards the preservation and promotion of the Cameroonian Culture.

Ministers Narcisse Mwelle Kombi and Jaques Famme Ndongo with Professor Paul Kwi at the extreme right with red and black traditional wear.

These prestigious medals were placed by the hands of the Cameroonian Minister of Arts and Culture, Professor Narcisse Mwelle Kombi accompanied by the Minister of Higher Education Professor Jaques Famme Ndongo.

Fon Lekunze AN III with Minister of Arts and Culture 

Considering the cultural nature of the event, the minister, Professor Narcisse Mwelle Kombi congratulated the recipients and all cultural stakeholders present. With an intention of making the participants to better understand the cultural colour of Yaounde, the town which was hosting the event, the minister traced the origin of the metropolis to some Agricultural Villages around Nsam Efoulan, Mvolea among others. From these villages he said, Yaounde and the culture had grown and evolved to be what it was today. He further said the putting in place of a Commission for Bilingualism and Multi-culturalism was timely at this time when emphases was being put on the richness of Cameroons cultural heritage adding that there was a strong need to preserve what had been modeled by our imaginations and creativity over time. The Minister grouped Cameroon into four cultural zones namely the Beti-Fang, the Grass field, the Sawa, and the Sahelo-Sudan.

Among the many recipients was His Royal Highness Fon Lekunze Andreas N. III of the First Class Chiefdom of Bamumbu in Wabane Sub Division. He expressed his feelings in the following manner; “to me it was a very great honour. Just the fact that I was recognised by  the powers that be especially the Head of State for working well in the field of culture. It is a great motivation. I think the Head of States policy as far as culture is concerned is very clear and as a local stakeholder he has told me what to do and the road map is clear. I know what I have done already to merit this medal and I am going to triple it. Qualities that can push you to do what we are doing include love because you must love your country first since you can’t love your country without loving your locality. I love my people, Bamumbu, Wabane, Lebialem, I love southwest and I love Cameroon. That is why to realise some of my projects, I dig my hands into my pockets while waiting on elites to come in and while waiting on government to come in.”

Fon Lekunze AN III further talked of a master plan for the new palace that has already been drawn that will renovate the old palace. The palace he said is very large and an antiquity that equally needed to be preserved for the culture of Cameroon. “That is the next major project we have which is that of renovating the ancient and mythical palace of Bamumbu.”

Professor Lisa Aubrey of the Arizona State University in the United States of America and the University of Yaounde I was also another illustrious recipient of the award of the Knight of the National Order of Valour. A recognition from the Head of State and received in the form of a medal at the hands of Professor Narcise Mouelle Kombi, the Minister of Arts and Culture.

“It’s absolutely amazing and it just reoccurred to me that I cannot leave Cameroon. There are so many people doing such incredible work and the Minister is absolutely fantastic in the way that he has conceptualized and also implemented the valorization of not only one Cameroonian Culture but many cultures that make one beautiful whole.

Minister of Higher Education; Professor Jaques Famme Ndongo placing Medal on Professor Lisa Aubrey

Such an event constitutes a huge opening for matters that we did not  know… we did not know how much Cameroon was victimized by Trans-Atlantic Slavery and how people who were free were enslaved by Europeans and taken to over 30 countries that we know of now. They were taken out of Cameroon and Africa to be used by other countries to enrich themselves. Coming to Bimbia and seeing it all was painful but I think it is a blessing to be doing this work. I am so thankful to the Cameroonian government and so many people who have helped and supported me and I ask them to continue because right now we have just touched the tip of the iceberg and there is yet so much to be done. I am looking forward to staying here and working with so many good people.”

The third recipient this reporter caught up with was Professor Paul Kwi a learned personality heavily involved in the cultural issues of his country Cameroon. Commenting on a paper he presented on the cultural inventory of Cameroon he said “what I did in my 15 minutes presentation was the value given to those objects and the need to protect those objects.  And who should be protecting those objects. I think the first people are the owners, the people who created them. The second protector is the Government since they must design a policy that assists those who have them to preserve them and be able to create a market for those cultural objects. For example if you visit museums in…Leipzig, New York Metropolitan Museum where I happen to have visited I saw many artistic particles from Cameroon which were collected many years ago maybe at a time that we did not have the capacity, the skill and the resources to be able to keep them for posterity..I however think that these artifacts should not be brought back into the country if they cannot be taken care of. Take for example the Afoakom which returned to this country afterhuge sums of money had been paid to recover to recover but now the conditions of preservation are not appropriate. Only the Ministry has the capacity to help the owners preserve them.” In such a situation the professor explained, objects should be left where they are since they can be well preserved provided they are labeled to indicate that they are Cameroonian objects.

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CAMMA 2017 set to push Cameroon Cinema Industry to new heights.

Gelam Dickson, Project Initiator for Cameroon Movie Award has said CAMMA 2017 will not only push the Cameroon Movie Industry to higher heights but will also do a lot towards boosting the GDP of the country.

GELAM Dickson

Speaking to this reporter recently at HOTEL Des Deputes in Yaounde, the Project initiator said the GDP of countries like Nigeria, Ghana and even the United States of America had been affected by the Movie Industry. Gelam Dickson said after observing this trend in his many sojourns to many countries across the globe, he concluded that the corporate world could be brought into the Movie Industry in Cameroon.

This he said inspired him to create an Award to promote the sector especially from the perspective of promoting talent. As actors compete to outsmart each other in the hunt for awards, quality of Cameroon movies would improve and this he said will directly improve upon the quality of movies produced in Cameroon. The resultant effect he said would be the roping in of the Corporate World and pushing the Industry forward.

Commenting on the structure of the award Gelam Dickson said they had touch everyone involved in the film making process. . Awards he said will touch everyone involved such as the best female actor, lead role, sound , camera, original sound track, best costume designs and every other person involved in the process.

Concerning the build up to this event, GELAM Dickson said “initially the project was initiated by me. I brough the concept and took it to the minister S who assigned the Director of Cinema to follow up. I created a group of collaborators like Fred Tekum, Billy Bob Ndive who is a movie maker, some event planners in Yaounde, the Director of Cinema at the Ministry of Culture among others. Lately I discovered that many other people were determined to accompany us. Five ministries; Labour and SocialInsurance, Ministry ofCommunication, Ministry of Leisure and Tourism and the Ministry of External Relations. Most people are getting involved in CAMA 2017 because of the organizing Committee.”He said CAMA was going to be a success because of the team that he had around him.

He further said for now they were partnering with the American Embassy with an aim of exposing this event to the American movie world with an intention of creating a market for the Cameroonian movie in the western world.

With regards to the Nigerian connection Gelam Dickson said he had more than just links from that quarter. Hear him ‘Brazilians have just sent their endorsement that they are coming. The Novela TV, Nigerians,Richard Murphy Damijo, Yvonne Nelson, in Ghana Jacky Appiah among others. Nigerians are willing to accompany us as a baby industry because I wrote to them as a member of the African Film Consortium. I placed a pledge to them and said we don’t need gold and silver from you but just your blessings to grow. We plan to copy from Nigeria and grow like they have done. I equally went to Asky and they gave us sixteen free for anybody coming in from West Africa. It means that we are working towards achievement.”

He called on Film Makers to place their submissions since the door to submissions had not been closed since they could be opportune to win an award in any category. He therefore called on film makers not just to attend but to also collaborate.

The nomination party comes up this March in Ayaba Hotel in Bamenda while the event itself takes place at the Congress Hall in Yaounde on May 27. 

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At 32 CPDM Brokers Peace in Northwest Region of Cameroon.

-Billions to be spent in Bamenda in months ahead

Against a backdrop of the Anglophone crises rendered more poignant by ghost towns in the Northwest and Southwest Regions, celebrations of the 32nd Anniversary of the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement CPDM in the Northwest in general and Bamenda in particular were low keyed. While this came as no surprise, attention was however drawn to the fact that Atanga Nji Paul; Minister Delegate at the Presidency of the Republic for Special Duties came to Bamenda this time around with an olive branch and harping on the theme of this year’s celebration which was “All behind President Paul Biya to consolidate Unity, Integration, Social Peace and Sustainable Economic Performance.” In a series of unprecedented Biblical references Atanga Nji Paul referred to the Holy Scriptures as the constitution of the universe. Calling on CPDM militants not to be afraid he said the phrase “don’t be afraid” appears in the Bible 366 times. CPDM he said preaches peace, construction and consolidation of what has been achieved adding that militants had no reason to be afraid.

In the same vein, in a reconciliatory gesture showing the Northwest that atlast something was being done, it was disclosed that Billions were to be spent in Bamenda in the months ahead on road infrastructure. This revelation was made by Vincent Nji Ndumu, Government Delegate to the Bamenda City Council at the seat of the CPDM Mezam 1A Section at Mendankwe.

Vincent Nji Ndumu sent out a repeated message calling on CPDM Militants not to be afraid insisting that they had to forge despite the difficulties that may await them. “The past is the past and the future is ahead of us. Within the next two months you will see machines working on the Bamenda Babadjou road…” He said it was an initiative of Agence Française de development which he said would be visiting on Tuesday March 28, 2017 for survey of roads to be reconstructed. This he further revealed fell within the French Debt Relief Fund.

Condemning the recent influx of activists into the United States, the Government Delegate to the Bamenda City Council said America was not a place where you run to and think you will get better things after causing trouble home.

In a bid to criticize those passionately supporting the secession of English Speaking Cameroon from La Republique Du Cameroun he pointed the case of Southern Sudan presently being ravaged by war since its separation from the Sudan. He further said Cameroon was one of the best countries in Africa and that any dream in Cameroon was achievable if you worked hard. “Let’s not destroy ourselves because we are presently going towards an abyss” he said.

Cletus Anye Matoya, CPDM Section President for Mezam 1B took out time to explain the concessions so far made by the Government with regards to the demands initially put forth by the striking teachers.  among other things, he said lecturers not versed with the Anglo-Saxon system were being moved for redeployment.

He further called on people to be educated on what the government was doing to solve the problems presented by Anglophone teachers. Without specifying the category of children, he said the number of children going to school in the Northwest Region were on the rise.

Governor of the Northwest Region Adolf Lele L'Afrique, with Atanga Nji Paul and SDO for Mezam Division

The Northwest Region it should be noted had one of the heaviest presence of ministers the Region ever had in an anniversary celebration in the history of the party. The Prime Minister, Head of Government was out in Oku, Professor Ghogomu Paul Mingo, Chairperson of the Ad Hoc Committee was out in Ngoketunjia distributing tracks with 11 points titled “Actions already taken and being undertaken by the Government to resolve the concerns raised by the Anglophone Teachers Trade Unions.” Meantime Atanga Nji Paul took out time to tour three sections of Mezan 1 A,B and C. 

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Sustained Stalemate heightens fears for jailed Cameroon Anglophone activists.

A series of events in Cameroon the last of which was the stone wall reception of the Prime Minister recently in the Northwest Region have further polarized the Cameroon socio-political landscape and left the hitherto peaceful country in an unprecedented stalemate between the governing authorities on the one hand and the Anglophone minority on the other hand. Reactions from a cross section of some Anglophones who had the opportunity to speak during the Prime Minister’s visit revealed that they were very worried about the non release of a host of Anglophone Minority activists presently detained in some cells in Yaounde and the absence of internet in the two English Speaking Regions of the country. This worry was made more justified by the fact that the PM had nothing to say to their request that all detainees in the cells in Yaounde be released and that internet services be reinserted.

More dangerous is the fact that while all attention is being focused on leaders of the disbanded Anglophone Consortium as well as some other outspoken Anglophones like Chief Justice Ayah Paul, Barrister Agbor Ballah, Dr. Fontem Neba, Mancho Bibixy among others, there are many other detainees unknown to the public whose cases remain unaccounted for.

This worry was highlighted recently in a publication titled Desperate Communiqué from disbanded Consortium Published in The Horizon Newspaper No. 315 of February, 06, 2017. This communiqué came in the aftermath of a declaration by some four Teachers Trade Unions calling off the teachers strike. The Communiqué among other things branded these trade unions as detractors and published a list of at least 32 detained Anglophones in cells in Yaounde.

In a related development, there has also been an increase in the movement of Anglophone activists to the Diaspora. It is no more news that Barrister Bobga Mbuton Harmony leader of the Lawyers strike is in the USA and more recently Honourable Wirba, Member of Parliament from Bui Division has left Nigeria and is reportedly in the United States of America. Among these escapees to the Diaspora are some with a long history of activism dating back to university Campus activities like Ndobegang Nkengafac Clarence.

  Clarence joined the University of Buea Student Union (UBSU) in 2013. Its main activity was to advocate for the rights of the students and also ensure that the English system of education was respected in the University. Having joined the Southern Cameroons National council SCNC in August 2011 in Tiko, Clarence continued his activism in this structure following the banishing of UBSU by the Vice Chancellor. After a series of arrests, the most recent wind blowing across the nation took him along. With the increased clamping down on Anglophone activists from late 2016 Ndobegang escaped from one of the most brutal arrests of his life and has become one of those victims for whom Cameroon is too risky to stay in especially with the upsurge of the demand for                                 Cameroon to return to a two state federation by the disbanded consortium.

With the lack of action towards solving the problems presented by Anglophones and the stone wall resistance met by their demand for a two state federation as well as the subsequent disbanding of the consortium, almost all die heart activists believe that the only hope lies in a complete independence of English speaking Cameroon or Southern Cameroons. This has gradually brought together all pro-secessionist movements like SCNC among others. While the Cameroonian governments approach has been that of clamping down on activists, the normal reaction has been for the activists to escape to other countries or stay home and get caught.