On the eve of a historic moment, the question Cameroonians and Anglophones in particular are asking is: What is the truth? As the entire nation gears up to witness the huge meeting convened by President Paul Biya, it is clear that there is really very little enthusiasm and faith that something good will come out of this debate, for the following reasons:
The convener has set all the rules. He picked the referee, the venue, the talking points, the participants and the duration of the meeting.
This is a recipe that spells failure in all its ramifications. This dialogue was said to principally look into and resolve the “Anglophone crisis”. In this light you will think that Anglophones will come out as one block with talking points and resolutions from that block. The Government has continually frustrated the voice of the Anglophones and divided the people of former West Cameroon.
When I think of the initiative of Cardinal Tumi that was brutally bashed and rubbbished by the sitting mayor of Buea, I ask myself what happened to us. Who is Mr Ekema? The man with dubious diplomas from the University of Buea? The one without an Advanced Level Certificate? Well, my heart bleeds because in Cameroon we have lost our attachment to integrity, our respect for elders and true statesmen and any sense of awe before God.
Talking about Cardinal Tumi, he is one among four Africans who are eligible to the office of the Pope. The likes of Tumi are few and even the revered Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa comes after him in the echelons of the Vatican.
Today, for reasons best known to him, and even after the bashing by Mr Ekema Patrick Esunge, he is ready to sit at the Major National Dialogue. I hope one day I understand.
When I look at the delegation of North West elites, led by a French speaking Governor, an appointee of the regime, the question I ask is: Who is fooling who here? When I think that the same Okalia Bilai, another CPDM stalwart and Government appointee, will mount the rostrum to ‘speak for and defend’ the people of the South West whom he called ‘dogs’ last year, I ask myself: ‘Who has bewitched the Anglophones?’
When I look at the participants at the Yaounde gathering, the financial scandals already decried by francophones and CPDM members, it is obvious that we are in for another mess. It is clear that the charade happening in Yaounde next week is not about resolving the “Anglophone crisis” and bringing a lasting solution and peace to the nation.
When I think of Tandeng Muna and John Ngu Foncha and the way the Foumban treaties were handled, I give little John a pass. They were just elementary school teachers and surely felt intimidated by the immensity of the task they had at hand.
As we weigh the stakes today, we can see they were surely innocent.
Jesus-Christ while dying on the cross looked at those who were crucifying Him and said: “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
In the internet age where the average person can resort to google and read Resolution 1608 of the United Nations or the Foumban Agreement, in a period where one in the average Cameroonian family West of the Mungo holds a Bachelors Degree or even a PhD, I wonder if we can say that these so called elites walking into this so called Major National Dialogue don’t know what they are doing. If you come out with a verdict to crucify your own, the very people of the North West and South West again, then yes, you definitely know what you are doing. You are neither ignorant nor innocent.
Remember the brunt borne by the Muna family today, know that after Yaounde 2019, generations to come will never forgive you and your descendants.
By a Washington-based Freethinker Helping Refugees and IDPs in Nigeria
(C)Mimi Mefo Info
