From the Secretary of State for Defense (SED), where he is serving a sentence of 20 years in prison, former Minister Marafa Hamidou Yaya has written another letter this time around in English in which he addressed the Anglophone problem.

The former minister of territorial administration noted in his letter that he was opposed to federalism, the main demand of demonstrators in the South West and North West regions of Cameroon. Biya’s ex-right-hand man said he was opposed to federalism and advised Anglophones to consider bilingualism an asset.

“To succeed, we should not resurrect the phantom of federalism, but rather choose the diversity, in unity, for the implementation finally of the process of decentralization,” wrote the disgraced Marafa.

Bilingualism recognized in the constitution of Cameroon is applied in a profoundly unequal manner in the administration. According to Marafa, bilingualism remains Cameroon’s historical heritage and an “asset” for the nation.

Marafa proposed the creation of a National Council of Unification. “I propose that a national unification council be set up at the highest level of the state. This council will meet every six months to assess the advent of a new Cameroon rich in its double culture.”

By Rita Akana