Biya’s tribal extremism: Pushing Cameroon to be another flash point in Africa
Many millions of Cameroonians have an outlook that is fundamentally incompatible with the CPDM leadership of the country. For them, President Biya has so far produced tribal extremism which has eventually destroyed the foundation of the state of Cameroon. The Cameroonian dictator for his part alludes to a single model of national integration which is quite simply false.
Furthermore, in pursuing an anti Anglophone policy by never appointing them as Minister of Finance, Minister of Territorial Administration, Minister for Defense or always keeping a powerful Francophone figure as Vice Prime Minister whenever an Anglophone is Prime Minister and Head of Government presents a simplified argument devoid of the national integration context in which the nation operated under the late President Ahidjo. Finally, Mr Biya conveniently works with anti-development forces in the country that have hindered progressive change not only in Cameroon but in the Sub Saharan region.
Contrary to popular CPDM belief, the new generation of Cameroonians Francophone-Anglophone alike is firmly a part of the modern world and are grappling with the challenges of modernity in myriad ways. Cameroonian thinkers, academics and activists are spearheading hermeneutic and revivalist projects all over the globe that are shaping human civilization.
For the Biya regime to keep holding on to power on lame and ridiculous reasons that they have experience is a dangerous fallacy that will put the country into chaos sooner than later. Throughout their more than two decades history, the Social Democratic Front of Chairman Ni John Fru Ndi has participated in national elections that has been consistently thwarted by a tribal network deep within the CPDM government enjoying steady support from western governments such as France, Germany and recently the USA.
The CPDM government has been condemned by Cameroonian groups both at home and in the Diaspora and it is now perceived as an enabler in helping to perpetuate European, US, Turkish and Chinese interests in the country. The emergence of Boko Haram terrorism, the tribal now turned religious conflict in the Central African Republic, the complete breakdown of law and order in Congo Brazzaville with rising tensions in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon are chiefly responsible for much of the gun crimes we see today in Cameroon.
For the first time in our country’s history, suicide bombing – a tactic relentlessly employed by Boko Haram extremists is now being carried out by homegrown terrorists from the Far North region in Cameroon. Day by day, the Federal Republic of Nigeria is becoming ungovernable with arm conflicts littered all over Africa most populous nation. 99 percent of all suicide terrorist attacks staged by Boko Haram Camerounaise in the Far North region have one thing in common and it is the specific political goal to compel President Biya to hand over power to a new generation leader who must not be from from his Beti-Ewondo tribal setup.
The failures of the Biya regime including moral outrage, emancipation, anti-French sentiments and disenfranchisement are now found to be developing even among the laissez faire French speaking Cameroonians who had all along enjoyed being fed stories by the French that they had a special kind of divinity being Francophones in Cameroon but are however, maltreated in France when they migrate to their so called mother country.
A majority of French speaking Cameroonians recently admitted that the French are behind the sophistication of Boko Haram wars in the region. Of course the French played a central role in pursuing the overthrow of the Libyan leader which killed millions and gave oxygen to operations of extremist groups such as Boko Haram. Today, French military companies are profiteering as countries such as Cameroon, Gabon, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea and Benin Republic have increased defense spending and buying only from France.
While President Biya condescendingly lectures Cameroonians about modernity and farming, the irony of his own favorable dealings is that the man cares only about himself, his family and the West. The idea that the French and the Americans maintain these lucrative and diplomatic relations with an 83 years old dictator who have a long history of oppressing his people and pretend to clamor for democratic change in Africa is laughable. Rather than Cameroonians requiring guidance on democracy and the rule of law, President Biya’s war on Boko Haram and his long standing relationship with the French and the Americans is what requires more scrutiny. All these and many more political blunders of the ancien regime will make Cameroon another flash point in Africa soonest.
Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai (Cameroon Intelligence Report)