While we sympathize with some of the views of the Chiefs or Kings of the southern section of Ambazonia, formerly Cameroons Province of the British Cameroons period (1916-1961), the fact remains that you do not mend fences with a people who perpetually view and treat you as second class citizens. They patronize and impose their views on you and you do not see eyeball to eyeball. (Gentle readers, please read the appendix before proceeding to read on). They have done that for the last fifty-five [55] years and there is no evidence that they will ever stop doing do it. You could be gamblers but you do not gamble with Cameroon Republic who are Trojans in this case. The United Nations Organisation (U.N.O.) and others have been supporting Ambazonia (the former UK Trust Territory of Cameroons) to right the wrongs of the British Colonial Government that for financial reasons did not want to shoulder responsibilities thereby insisted that the British Cameroons had its political independence by joining the Federation of Nigeria in 1961.
They, the British Colonial Government ended up mutilating the one and indivisible British Cameroons for what was now their inability to raise cash to help even Southern Cameroons to achieve its political independence. Their remote plan was to lumped the carved territory of British Cameroons to the Federation of Nigeria. Anything other than that did not interest them. That was contrary to the motive of the UN Trusteeship Committee that was to get the Trust to maturity and full political independence and not dependency on other already independent states, Cameroon Republic or Nigerian Federation. Prior to the British coming into Kamerun when the Allied Troops defeated the Germans in Kamerun during the First World War (1916), the area the British took over (after ruling Kamerun, as the German Colony of Cameroons was known) with France as a condominium (1915-1916), was singly run by German concessionaires. Even though the Germans started from scratch, they had no problems and the cost of running their possession was not the entire concern of the German colonial government as it was made to pay for its running. It did work well even though it started with extreme cultural shock of the local peoples who were subjugated and had never been used to orders.
The main problem with the British was the fact that they were running British Cameroons thousands of miles from Lagos, Nigeria as a colony of a colony and not focusing their attention on its investments and developments that they were unable to even raise cash locally to run it effectively. As said, they had conceived that by linking it with Nigeria it was to be cheaper and easier for them and that was error number one. It meant that they had to employ high handed Yorubas and particularly patronizing Igbos to run their show with their handful of supervisors. The handful of representatives from British Cameroons sent to Lagos were insignificant in Nigeria. Moreover British Southern Cameroons where the politically savvied representatives came from was not even considered as a Region as others regions of Nigeria, the Northern, Eastern, Midwest and Eastern Regions. With these difficulties, they crossed to Cameroon Republic after a contested and misleading plebiscite of October 11, 1961 prostituted by gerrymandering of leaders who were interested in their gains and not those of the people they represented. Citizens of Southern Cameroons above all were not given a choice and were equally overwhelmed by assimilated people of Cameroon Republic. Their lands even grasped by the Bamilekes and others. Today who own prime lands in Buea, Victoria, Tiko, Mutengene, and Bamenda? It is the Bamilekes. Who own most of the hotels and some that were the possessions of the Southern Cameroons Government? It is mostly elements from Cameroon Republic. How many Bakwerians or proper Southern Cameroonians are employed to work as chamber maids in those hotels? You do not even know but we know. I will tell you that they bring in even their chamber maids and the language spoken to all customers is French. What of your English?)
It took your first Premier Dr. E. M.N. Endeley shrewdness to get his men, that is Southern Cameroons' representatives out of Nigeria, a fact you are unable to do to get out of Cameroon Republic. Those representatives in Nigeria were overwhelmed and were soon to be absorbed in Nigeria where Northern Nigeria wanted to separate from the South because of the arrogance of the Southerners who had had European influence. The majority of the Northerners then were still illiterates and had no clue as what politics and European type of governance were all about. As such the Northerners of Nigeria were not interested in immediate political independence as they believed their people were not well educated and ready for that. They would have had independence in 1956 but the Northerners thwarted it thus that of British Cameroons. Dear Chiefs and Kings of the forested region of the former British Southern Cameroons aka Ambazonia, you are doing the same thing after 59 years of being under the subjugation, oppression and suppression of Cameroon Republic a former UN Trust Territory that had the same status like yours. Are you not tired of being ruled by others? What has Equatorial Guinea and Soa Tome and Principe Republic to the south got that you do not have? Their combined population is not up to 1/5th of yours yet they are politically and economically independent. You do not think that your son or daughter could have been the president or a leading minister in that country that you blindly support and want to keep on sitting on top of you? If they love you as can be insinuated why did they not allow Ni John Fru to be the president when all of them saw he won the presidential election? The Bamilekes who could have supported you chickened out as they said that the Boulus, Ewondos, Etons and Bassas were prepared to burn their shops if their fraudulent leader was not allowed to remain in power. You act now shows that you do support and abide corruption and do not look at the future but only concern with your success and comfort and not of others. Those are not good signs of leadership expected of you.
They, citizens of Cameroon Republic would not allow you as they believe that you of the former British Cameroons aka Ambazonia are inferior. Why? You were never ever assimilated by the French and you refused and still refuse to be assimilated by them today. Additionally, your French for the last 55 years is still poor and how do you expect to rule a people who have been assimilated and are closer to the white French who are superior to you? You know why they deny you posts in well-paid offices or even deny you lucrative contracts and centralize everything within their government. Is that democratic?
It took your first Premier Dr. E. M.N. Endeley shrewdness to get his men, that is Southern Cameroons' representatives out of Nigeria, a fact you are unable to do to get out of Cameroon Republic. Those representatives in Nigeria were overwhelmed and were soon to be absorbed in Nigeria where Northern Nigeria wanted to separate from the South because of the arrogance of the Southerners who had had European influence. The majority of the Northerners then were still illiterates and had no clue as what politics and European type of governance were all about. As such the Northerners of Nigeria were not interested in immediate political independence as they believed their people were not well educated and ready for that. They would have had independence in 1956 but the Northerners thwarted it thus that of British Cameroons. Dear Chiefs and Kings of the forested region of the former British Southern Cameroons aka Ambazonia, you are doing the same thing after 59 years of being under the subjugation, oppression and suppression of Cameroon Republic a former UN Trust Territory that had the same status like yours. Are you not tired of being ruled by others? What has Equatorial Guinea and Soa Tome and Principe Republic to the south got that you do not have? Their combined population is not up to 1/5th of yours yet they are politically and economically independent. You do not think that your son or daughter could have been the president or a leading minister in that country that you blindly support and want to keep on sitting on top of you? If they love you as can be insinuated why did they not allow Ni John Fru to be the president when all of them saw he won the presidential election? The Bamilekes who could have supported you chickened out as they said that the Boulus, Ewondos, Etons and Bassas were prepared to burn their shops if their fraudulent leader was not allowed to remain in power. You act now shows that you do support and abide corruption and do not look at the future but only concern with your success and comfort and not of others. Those are not good signs of leadership expected of you.
They, citizens of Cameroon Republic would not allow you as they believe that you of the former British Cameroons aka Ambazonia are inferior. Why? You were never ever assimilated by the French and you refused and still refuse to be assimilated by them today. Additionally, your French for the last 55 years is still poor and how do you expect to rule a people who have been assimilated and are closer to the white French who are superior to you? You know why they deny you posts in well-paid offices or even deny you lucrative contracts and centralize everything within their government. Is that democratic?
Chiefs and Kings, you will remember that when the Cameroons Development Corporations (CDC) was even offered for sale at the London Stock Exchange when the British officially took over British Cameroons (1922), the British traders were unable or unwilling to buy them. It was not that there were no gains to be made from rubber, tea, bananas, and cocoa production. Most British business persons were interested in the bigger countries as Nigeria, India, South Africa and Australia and even advertising unknown countries like Rhodesia for their citizens ad luring them with loans to go and settle and invest. Why was British Cameroons sidelined? You were neglected and still today your children have been copying the British Government to intervene to right the wrong of their former leaders. They remain silent and state that they have pressing local problems than interfering in what they believe was already outmoded. Is it? Can they close their eyes if today Argentina decide to invade the Falkland? No. As far away as it is, the were there in a matter of days to chase the Argentinians out in 1982.
Whatever the British Colonial Government did politically in British Cameroons was grudgingly done. Their governance and education are the binding forces that had kept the unity of Southern Cameroons. However they were poor when it came to investments. In the absent of buyers of the German concerns (1922) in the British Cameroons, the CDC and other plantations went to the previous German owners who bought back them back. Again after the Second World War (1946) the German owners were chased out of British Cameroons and the CDC became the property of the Nigerian Federation from where the British Cameroons was ruled by the British for administrative convenience. Lagos was a very long way from your later capital Buea and communication was difficult. No doubt they complained of financial difficulties in running your country you still want to sell after all those years of slavery under people who look down upon you. True that some Foresters are related to Duala communities but the 1916-1961 British culture that binds you all together is the pivotal point that cannot be altered. The Wolof of Gambia are the same as those of Senegal but they never made that mistake of joining the Gaulicized Senegal because of tribal affinity. The differences were there irrespective of the plea of President Sedar Sengor to live together. Gambia did not buy that and they have lived happily with their neighbor Senegal and they are all members of ECOWAS. Why can you learn from them after these years of Cameroon Republic's chicanery?
Whatever the British Colonial Government did politically in British Cameroons was grudgingly done. Their governance and education are the binding forces that had kept the unity of Southern Cameroons. However they were poor when it came to investments. In the absent of buyers of the German concerns (1922) in the British Cameroons, the CDC and other plantations went to the previous German owners who bought back them back. Again after the Second World War (1946) the German owners were chased out of British Cameroons and the CDC became the property of the Nigerian Federation from where the British Cameroons was ruled by the British for administrative convenience. Lagos was a very long way from your later capital Buea and communication was difficult. No doubt they complained of financial difficulties in running your country you still want to sell after all those years of slavery under people who look down upon you. True that some Foresters are related to Duala communities but the 1916-1961 British culture that binds you all together is the pivotal point that cannot be altered. The Wolof of Gambia are the same as those of Senegal but they never made that mistake of joining the Gaulicized Senegal because of tribal affinity. The differences were there irrespective of the plea of President Sedar Sengor to live together. Gambia did not buy that and they have lived happily with their neighbor Senegal and they are all members of ECOWAS. Why can you learn from them after these years of Cameroon Republic's chicanery?
There was a way the British could have been running British Cameroons so that it paid for itself. without necessarily pushing it to join Nigeria. Also by forcing it to join Nigeria did not mean that the financial problems were to be solved overnight. It was a way of dampening it. The British Cameroons had the means to stand on its feet financially and that had been proven before. How? Did the British consider turning it to concessions so as to concentrate only on its administration? They did that in India, and East Africa, Rhodesia and it worked wonders. Did they consider raising the poll tax so as to get the necessary cash to run the state? No!!! The Germans did that and the chiefs were the ones that collected the poll taxes through their indirect rule policy. Your grandfathers did all the collection at stipulated time and if you look into their files you will see what they did. That system worked so well. Moreover, the grants they got from the CDC to support the British Northern Cameroons that they cut off from the southern section in 1946 for their convenience (and that was not supposed to be so according to the UN British Cameroons Trusteeship Committee), helped in taking away money that could have been plowed back to raise more cash by investments to run the country. We suspect that some it ended up in Lagos or Enugu coffers. If these were done, awarding British Cameroons political independence would not have been the question of 'come we stay' with the extremely hawkish Cameroon Republic officials. The British created unnecessary headache instead of granting independence to the Trust Territory as they were supposed to do. The ramification of their insistence of adding British Cameroons to the Federation of Nigeria contrary to the wills of the Chiefs is what created this debacle which if not handled this time with extreme care could spiral out of all proportion.
Why can our Chiefs and the Kings of the former Cameroons Province (Foresters) not see? Why do they want war the U.N.O. had been trying to avoid by asking for an urgent evacuation of Cameroon Republic Rapid Intervention Brigade, (BIR/RIB), the Gendarmes, police and their proconsuls who for 55 years have never mastered a word of English from their country Ambazonia? When they speak pidgin English they believe it is English. No doubt you are complaining about in your grievances. They patronize you and some openly tell you that you were not invited into their country, yet you still want to insist to be their bedfellow.
Then, why did it take you 55 years to get up from your slumber? Where were you on the infamous May 20th 2010 when Hon. Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary General handed the maps of British Cameroons with it well surveyed boundaries to President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and Paul Biya of Cameroon? Did you think of the significance of that presentation? It was to tell the abutting countries, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea Republic and Cameroon Republic to be prepared to get a new member the former UK Trust Territory of Cameroons (UKTTC) also referred too now as U.N.O.-Cameroon. You have to bear in mind that the former British Cameroons is still a Trust Territory of the U.N.O. and what the U.N.O. says about it after a democratic consensus overrules. The U. N.O. is not just a vanity fair. If the rest of humankind does not adhere to its resolutions, principles that have brought us peace since it founding in 1945 we are praying for a third world war. Cameroon Republic and others are members and have to obey their resolutions. If not we will have more ISIS mushrooming up and that is not good for the world at large. You will understand that Boko Haram is using the vacuum in the former British Northern Cameroons to unleash hell on those they consider non-believers and recalcitrant persons. In other words, you have to address your grievances now to the UNO and their decisions got to be sacrosanct. Your petitions have to be democratic and not your views only but those of everyone in the former British Cameroons. Remember that in 1959 all the Chiefs and Kings of the British Cameroons were for the third box during the plebiscite that would allow them secede and be independent. Your fathers who represented all the indigenous peoples were unanimous in going in for political independence and if not of the selfishness and dillydallying of Premier Foncha and the former Premier Endeley whose presentation to the UNO in 1959 were not consensual, you of the Southern Cameroons would have had your political independence way back. The UN Visiting Missions to British Cameroons reacted on information the populace fed them. Chiefs, learn from the past examples and work in tandem with the chiefs and traditional rulers of the northern sections of country, including those from the former Northern British Cameroons who do not want to be left out of this development and independence in due course will be yours. It is high time you stop passing on your responsibilities to your belligerent neighboring state. They do not have a place anymore in your beloved country, Southern Cameroons aka Ambazonia. Their hanging on is to get your oil and other resources. They have never and will never be interested in your welfare. Period.
To emphasize, what was bothering them, the British Government was money to run what they were even reluctant to award it a regional status as other regions of Nigeria in 1953. Did they ever go into the old documents to see how the Germans were doing it before causing all this mayhem you want to endorse to continue? No. Dear Chiefs and Kings, are you sure that Ambazonia cannot be politically independent and still have some loose economic links of their free will with Cameroon Republic that had its independence from France on January 1st 1960? If you so loved Cameroon Republic why did it take you such a long time to write this your memorandum?
Do you really love to continue to live with Cameroon Republic that has thwarted your economic progress for this length of time, 55 years of unholy alliance? Where are the Victoria, and Tiko seaports? Why were they closed when you needed them badly to export and import your goods and create jobs for the people on whose behalf you purport to represent? Where is the Endeley International Air Port at Tiko? Why were all these closed by the occupying regime? You used to fly to the rest of the world from Tiko. Today you need to drive on one of the deadliest roads in the world, the Duala-Yaunde for a whole day before you can catch your plane. How many of your citizens have died doing that journey? Why don't you see and love your fellow citizens? Your occupying regime you claim are your brothers are on the verge of building another sea port at Kribi and soon one at Batanga to the south. What do you say is happening to yours at VICTORIA and TIKO that do not need dredging of sand before ocean liners are moored? The Germans and British used them for decades and there were no problems. Now you have nothing and your Tiko is reduced to nothing but for the training of their sea naval cadets only in French. You see how they deliberately exclude your children and those of others of the former British Cameroons. Is that fair? Are there cholera or Ebola diseases in those your once upon time vibrant ports?
Have you ever looked at what became of the Cameroons Development Corporation (CDC)? Why do you think Del Monte and others have come to take over from the Ambazonian Government's property for free? Do you know how much bribe they gave the government of occupation you now claim is your friend? Also, do you know that the so-called Reunification Road, the Tiko-Duala was built to cripple your economy and help in the evacuation of oil from the Victoria off shore oil ricks? Why are the revenues of the oil going to the Duala municipal council and not to Victoria, your far-fetched Limburgh and Tiko where it emanates from their shores? Tell me where the proceeds of the oil money go when the Kumba-Mamfe, the Mutengene-Ndian, the Bamenda-Ndop, the Bamenda-Santa among many other roads rank among the worst road in all of the occupied Ambazonia if not all of Africa? We are not going to talk of the Ring Road that is impassable during the rainy seasons? Tell me why your people consider the armed forces that occupy your country as thieves? Is that normal? Tell me why you are not comfortable reading these frank statements from my pen? They are true revelations any God-fearing Christian would not entertain. Your memorandum shows that you have been approached and promised that some money would be siphoned from your oil money and given back to you and that you should make a statement backing people who have no legitimate legal authority to be sitting over you. The statements below are not democratic and the advice for the chiefs who are not interested in seeing an independent Ambazonia is to leave and cross over the Mungo Bridge and stay in their beloved country. 
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| France that Ambazonians/ British Cameroons fought the Germans to liberate in 1939-1945 along side the British stand by La Republique du Cameroun to do this because of Ambazonian oil. Would you like to be stripped and forced to sit on dirt because you demonstrate peacefully for your rights in your country by invaders? Would France that is supporting La Republic du Cameroon accept this barbarism? Are they not citizens of the world and have feelings like you? Has France forgotten what their fathers offered their lives for during the Second World War? Do we allow slavery in the 21st century? The British Cameroons / Ambazonia wants its political independence now that the UNO denied. These folks from Wum British Southern Cameroons were being maltreated by the gendarmes of La Republique du Cameroun. They bestialized for demonstrating peacefully. |
Furthermore, your actions tell us why the African Union, (UA) cannot be strong and why small countries in Africa got to be afraid of teaming up with bigger nations to form an United States of Africa. If what Cameroon Republic has been doing to a small UKTTC aka Ambazonia is what is planned behind closed doors, who with his right frame of mind will ever buy the late Dr. Nkrumah dream of a United State of Africa? You remember that Nkrumah came to Buea when you were forced by the British to join Cameroon Republic or Nigeria. He was happy that you were setting precedent that might be emulated by other African states. Did you buy that with Ahidjo's chicanery when he wrecked all your infrastructure and industries to make you rely on Cameroon Republic for a common needle to mend your torn clothes? We now see why Equatorial Guinea Republic twenty miles south of you, in strongly worded terms warned the British Southern Cameroons from any association with Cameroon Republic before that infamous date of October 11, 1961. Where were you too when the glorious revolution of Ahidjo of 20 May 1972 when your country was wiped out from the face of the world map? Why are you so naive and still want to behave like the washer-man donkey in the East African fable? The old lion wanted to devour the donkey for the first time and it ran away and then was cajoled by sweet talk by the lion to return for the second time to renew their friendship and it was killed by the lion and devoured. I am disappointed.
For heaven's sake do not let Dr. Endeley, Hon. Foncha, Hon. Jua and others who marched to the Mungo Bridge to tell Cameroon Republic that the marriage had not worked to turn in their graves. If they do you all will not and will never be happy. The youths of Ambazonia are talking democratically, others are crying in exile and it is necessary, dear elders and rulers to lend them your ears. Remember, that the House of Chiefs had the chiefs too from the northern section, what was then called the Bamenda Province. They were for secession from Nigeria and immediate political independence of Southern Cameroon in 1958 and not joining with any neighboring countries. If all had listened to the Chiefs and Kings, you would not have been reading this missive but living in peace. Now you from what used to be called Cameroons Province want to issue statements of this magnitude without the chiefs from Bamenda Province as was the case in the past. It is no longer democratic and that is why we have the feeling that your are being bribed or doing things at the spur of the moment. We do not see any reasoning persons in Ambazonia still ready to shake hands with Paul Biya who had ignored their plights and pleas since he was instooled there by Ahmadou Ahidjo in 1982.
The Gambia as small as it is left Senegal instead of forming an alliance with Senegal, Senegambia where they were overwhelmed and could not do away with the French Assimilationism dissociated when it was still new. It is late for you? You mentioned Canada and Quebec as a model that could be emulated. .Do not even try to compare Cameroon Republic polity with that of the Federal Government of Canada, a truly democratic country. If the rest of the English speaking Canadians were to badly treat Quebec Province as Cameroon Republic had been doing to the former British Cameroons, that is Ambazonia just for one week, a new nation state would be born in North America that very week called Quebec Republic. The former prime minister of that province, Hon. Jacques Parizeau who died last week on 2nd June 2015 would have died as a former president of Republique du Quebec. Getting oil, gold and hardwood and bananas from you country and giving you no amenities and infrastructures and you still want to dance with them is satanically understandable but not Christian like and brotherly. You see that Quebec has got its police force, a ministerial government, and run their affairs. What have you got that Endeley worked hard to get for you and your children and citizens? You sold them to Cameroon Republic and you want people to celebrate and be happy? Please, let sound reasoning prevail. Do nor bring other UPCists to the former British Cameroons anymore. Sanctuary was given those communists and that was a grievous mistake and never ever again.
The fact remains Chiefs, that a leopard has never ever changed its spots. The issue is clear as advocated now by majority Ambazonians: Persons of Ambazonian extraction who are not interested in reviving their political independence and are interested in continual suppression and oppression, and happy with the millions of their kinds languishing in exile, others in prison as you are reading this, are advised to pack their belongings and cross over the River Mungo Bridge. That is their democratic choice. That bridge was built to help in siphoning their wealth and investment to Cameroon Republic. Victoria that was your only industrial city fell as all businesses were crippled or taken to Duala. Today and you see lines of oil tankers taking oil from Victoria everyday to Bafoussam and Duala. You watch and never ever asked what the god of Fako would drink or think. Remember in the House of Chiefs, chiefs were never to take side in politics? That is what I heard Dr. Endeley the First Premier of British Cameroons said to the chiefs when the first House of Chief was created. The kings and chiefs of that land never take side but support everyone. Now you are taking side and it wrangles for you are leaving the majority outside the house.
That option is still very open. The kings and Chiefs got to understand that the House of Chiefs was created to support the democratically elected representatives when Dr. E.M.L. Endeley became the first premier of the then British Southern Cameroons (1954). By kowtowing once more to a people who have been treating your peoples as slaves and prisoners in their country for 55 years is indicative of the fact that you the Kings and Chiefs are not sympathetic with the suffering of your people. You are still showing that given the reign of power you cannot rule your country. You will not even be able to count money from your resources. With this attitude, it is no doubt Southern Cameroons had never governed itself the proper way and when opportunities arise for them to do so, there are able men who are shying away before the time is ripe. Let me repeat, Chiefs and Kings of the region, you have to listen to the views of the people and not those who use your oil and gold money to bribe your to talk for and on their behalf. I am disappointed with the traditional Chiefs and Kings or the southern region who are still talking of one and indivisible Cameroon nation state. How was that ever made? It is your creation or that of the UNO? When Paul Biya, a demi-dieu who had been ruling for thirty-three (33) years and would not accept an Ambozonian who won him in an election to be the president but "divided" the country by declaring it Cameroon Republic instead of the erstwhile Federal Republic of Cameroon? Why didn't you write to him and his entourage this memorandum? Is that how long it took you to allow the dust to settle as Biya always does? This is no time to divide an already impoverished people yearning for peace and unity.
Finally, rumors are circulating that some of you have been approached to work our a Second Fumban Conference agenda. If it is to return to the former British Cameroons all the oil revenues since 1972, all the revenues from the West Cameroons Marketing Board that they took, build back the Mobile Wing Police unit, return all their guns from your armory they took to Yaounde and Douala, pay for the waste of time of Ambazonians and imprisonment in their land, the psychological hardship and human rights abuses, the forced imposition of their cultures on them at the expense of their English culture, those of you innocent citizens who are languishing in prisons simply for demonstrating or disagreeing with the occupying government, and summary separation of the illegal union that is there because of your oil and other natural resources, no one who reasons will reject their proposition. But never to be bedfellows again perhaps friendly neighbors. Once beaten twice shy.
VVN.
In a very carefully worded statement (a statement that ace writer cum firebrand internet activist Nfor Susungi terms a 'rebellion'), the South West Chiefs Conference on June 6, 2015 holding at Kumba, in a passive and somewhat shy tone supports SCNC.
See complete memorandum below:
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A STATEMENT BY THE SOUTH WEST CHIEFS CONFERENCE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1996 CONSTITUTION BEARING ON THE NATURE OF THE STATE AND THE CENTRALIZATION PROCESS DURING THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING IN KUMBA ON JUNE 6TH 2015.
A STATEMENT BY THE SOUTH WEST CHIEFS CONFERENCE ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1996 CONSTITUTION BEARING ON THE NATURE OF THE STATE AND THE CENTRALIZATION PROCESS DURING THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING IN KUMBA ON JUNE 6TH 2015.
PREAMBLE
During the Annual General Meeting of SWECC, holding in Kumba on June 6th, 2015, the SOUTH WEST CHIEFS reviewed the state of development and economy of the South West Region as well as several issues affecting the life of our Nation and populations. Among these issues was the Process of Decentralization now underway in Cameroon and as one of the cornerstones of Cameroon Unity following the failed expectations of1961 Reunification of Cameroon.
THE CONTEXT
Let us situate ourselves in the proper context. When the two political entities of Southern Cameroons, English-speaking, and the République du Cameroun, French speaking, re-unified in October 1961, the Southern Cameroons brought into the Union, among other traditions,
1. The Parliamentary System of democracy
2. The English Language
3. The Common Law judicial system
4. The Anglo-Saxon Educational system
5. The Traditional Chieftaincy Institution
2. The English Language
3. The Common Law judicial system
4. The Anglo-Saxon Educational system
5. The Traditional Chieftaincy Institution
The above traditions carried in them The Promise of Reunification, i.e. the building blocks of our cultural and political identity and personality with which we had to build our expectations of success and sociopolitical and economic development with the demise of colonial rule.
The 1972 Referendum resulted in a Unitary Decentralized State characterized however by a very Centralized governance system and little powers to the people as well as little regard to the above cited traditions of the English speaking Cameroonians, who rather perceive the ascendancy of the francophone system.
It was in light of the above context that several dissenting voices and groups such as the Anglophone Movement, All Anglophone Conference and the Southern Cameroons National Congress emerged in the 90s with very dangerous agendas. The South West Chiefs Conference and to some extent the South West Elite Association all imbued with a sense of moderation and Nationhood asked for and championed the calls for profound and meaningful constitutional and legal changes and reforms as the way forward for a new Cameroon inclusive of its daughters and sons in the effort of building National Unity, Integration and Development.
The South West Chiefs championed the course for a Political System of Provincial Autonomy with shared powers between the Central and Provincial governments. They sought audience and obtained it in September 1993 with President Paul Biya who gave a keen and favorable ear to their proposals. By January 18th, 1996, President Paul Biya promulgated the Constitution making the Republic of Cameroon a Unitary Decentralized State with Regional and Local Councils. It also provided for consideration of some degree of specificities in the setting up of Regions.
The South West Chiefs championed the course for a Political System of Provincial Autonomy with shared powers between the Central and Provincial governments. They sought audience and obtained it in September 1993 with President Paul Biya who gave a keen and favorable ear to their proposals. By January 18th, 1996, President Paul Biya promulgated the Constitution making the Republic of Cameroon a Unitary Decentralized State with Regional and Local Councils. It also provided for consideration of some degree of specificities in the setting up of Regions.
THE PROBLEM
There have recently been some pockets of social expression that 54 years on since Reunification, 19 years on since the promulgation of the 1996 Constitution the State and Government may not have done anything significant:
1. To stop the disappearance of the English Language in Cameroon
2. To promote the parliamentary system of democracy in English speaking Regions
3. To promote and consolidate the Common Law system in English speaking Regions
4. To promote the Anglo-Saxon Educational system built on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics as was the case in CCAST Bambili and Ombe in the 60s and 70s.
5. 19 years on, the Regions exist only on paper are yet to be fully set up. The Local councils are not run as decentralized collectivities with full devolution of powers, but are managed as deconcentrated services of the Central government in total spite of Chapter 10 of the Constitution
6. The Chieftaincy Institution is tossed around by Local Administrative officers who constantly encourage disputes and fan flames of disorder for their sole purpose of power and money and in total disregard of the high recognition of this Institution by the Head of State.
7. However, on a positive note, you all remember the Head of State’s personal decision to pay a monthly salary to all the chiefs in Cameroon since September 2013, following a unanimous nationwide proposal by the Chiefs.
2. To promote the parliamentary system of democracy in English speaking Regions
3. To promote and consolidate the Common Law system in English speaking Regions
4. To promote the Anglo-Saxon Educational system built on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics as was the case in CCAST Bambili and Ombe in the 60s and 70s.
5. 19 years on, the Regions exist only on paper are yet to be fully set up. The Local councils are not run as decentralized collectivities with full devolution of powers, but are managed as deconcentrated services of the Central government in total spite of Chapter 10 of the Constitution
6. The Chieftaincy Institution is tossed around by Local Administrative officers who constantly encourage disputes and fan flames of disorder for their sole purpose of power and money and in total disregard of the high recognition of this Institution by the Head of State.
7. However, on a positive note, you all remember the Head of State’s personal decision to pay a monthly salary to all the chiefs in Cameroon since September 2013, following a unanimous nationwide proposal by the Chiefs.
THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM
Evidently, these disquieting perceptions, rightly or wrongly, have somehow revealed the need to restate the political will in the system and complete the legal voids and processes in view of strengthening the operationality of the new system ushered in by the 1996 Constitution. This should be done so that it is not perceived as a betrayal of the REUNIFICATION spirit in all civil and political state institutions.
THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE PROBLEM
The consequences of this problem are the mounting disenchantment of the populations and groups in the English speaking Regions. Some political sociologists have called it THE ANGLOPHONE PROBLEM.
In the official public domain English speaking Cameroonians cannot communicate well because it is French that is largely used in the publication of Laws, Decrees, Policies, Ministerial Arretés and texts, rules and regulations and development programs, which are indispensable for information and education of all Cameroonians especially in the pursuit of National and community development.
A case in point is the current crisis in the ranks of the Common Law lawyers who see themselves being nabbed by the Civil Law system. The Chieftaincy Institution is one case too many that is gradually being turned into a village civil service headed by the Divisional Officers.
THE WAY FORWARD
• Considering that Cameroon has adopted its Human Development Road Map, Vision 2035 and its Growth and Employment Strategy Paper alongside the Millennium Development Goals, The African Human and Peoples Rights and several other International Conventions that consider the full participation of all citizens in the social, cultural, economic and political development efforts;
• Considering again that the President has promulgated 3 laws with regard to setting up and running Local and Regional Councils;
• Considering further that the Government has set up the Inter-Ministerial Committee and Steering Committee on Decentralization, respectively chaired by the Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization and the Prime Minister;
• Considering, furthermore, that the Government has decided to set up the Regional Councils by 2015 as provided in the 2004 Laws on Decentralization and the Growth and Employment Strategy Paper;
• And besides, in order to restore the spirit and expectations of belonging in one Nation, Cameroon, as enshrined in the Promise of Reunification as well in Decentralization in the 1996 Constitution
SWECC humbly urges His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon to urgently
SWECC humbly urges His Excellency Paul Biya, President of the Republic of Cameroon to urgently
1. Enact a law in the likes of the Canada official Languages Act to put at par the English and French languages and criminalize the neglect of one language in the conduct of official business;
2. Enact a law to put at par the Common Law and Civil Law systems with application of the Common Law system in the English speaking Regions and the Civil Law system in the French speaking Regions
3. Enact a new law regulating the Chieftaincy Institutions, totally regulated by the traditions and customs of each tribe or clan especially on matters of chieftaincy succession.
4. Enact a law to preserve the distinct characteristics of the Educational systems of Cameroon with particular attention to the Anglo-Saxon Educational system of the English speaking Regions.
5. Deliver on the decision to set up the Regional Councils in 2015 taking into account the specificities of each Region in its functioning with particular regard to the
2. Enact a law to put at par the Common Law and Civil Law systems with application of the Common Law system in the English speaking Regions and the Civil Law system in the French speaking Regions
3. Enact a new law regulating the Chieftaincy Institutions, totally regulated by the traditions and customs of each tribe or clan especially on matters of chieftaincy succession.
4. Enact a law to preserve the distinct characteristics of the Educational systems of Cameroon with particular attention to the Anglo-Saxon Educational system of the English speaking Regions.
5. Deliver on the decision to set up the Regional Councils in 2015 taking into account the specificities of each Region in its functioning with particular regard to the
a. The English Language
b. The Common Law judicial system
c. The Anglo-Saxon Educational system
d. The traditional Chieftaincy Institution
6. Strengthen by a law the Inter Ministerial and the Steering Committees on Decentralization by transforming them into a Decentralization Commission with full powers and autonomous budget to conduct the Decentralization process now underway in Cameroon.
b. The Common Law judicial system
c. The Anglo-Saxon Educational system
d. The traditional Chieftaincy Institution
6. Strengthen by a law the Inter Ministerial and the Steering Committees on Decentralization by transforming them into a Decentralization Commission with full powers and autonomous budget to conduct the Decentralization process now underway in Cameroon.
CONCLUSION
We the South West Chiefs have presented this statement as a duty we owe to our people and Nation in our leadership role to point out and to make our humble suggestions to our Head of State and the Government for the improvement in the conduct of National and State Affairs especially those that impact directly on the development and quality of life of the populations under our charge. We equally commend the President and his Government to continue in their tireless efforts to create and strengthen social, economic and political institutions capable of making Cameroon emerge collectively by 2035 as a modern state truly united, democratic and industrialized.
We firmly restate our unshakable stand for a One, United and Indivisible Cameroon Nation.
Once more we want to reassure the Head of State of our total support and unflinching commitment in the fight against Boko Haram.
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