What's Wrong with the Embassy Staff in Washington, D.C.?

By Peter Wuteh Vakunta, Ph.D

After reading recent communication on the vexing subject of the shabby treatment being meted out to Cameroonians living in America by bigoted Embassy staff in Washington, D.C. , I can hardly resist the temptation to describe the staff at the Cameroonian embassy as a bunch of begnited hoodlums living ages behind the times. Honestly, isn't it true that you may take a man out of the bush but you'll never take the bush out of the man? How do you explain the fact that the Cameroonian Embassy in Washington, D.C. has a so-called "chargé de communication" in the name of a certain M. Etoundi. Yet, Cameroonians resident in all the nooks and crannies of USA are living in total informational blackout? What exactly is the job description of this son-of-a -bitch called Etoundi? If you visit the website of our Embassy in Washington, D.C. you'd be stunned by the scantiness of the information that's available there. Please visit the following link and prove me wrong if you will: http://www.cameroonembassyusa.org/contact.aspx.

Is this all we need to see on the website of a reputable(or should I say disreputable) country like Cameroon? What is Mr. Etoundi and his cohorts doing in Washington, D.C.? Chasing harlots at night, drinking imported 33 EXPORT from Cameroon, doing part-time jobs to make ends meet, and then spending business hours at the Embassy displaying the highest degree of incivility to their own campatriots? What will it take for these semi-illiterates to learn the rules of professional deontology in the Western world?

Last year, I sent a visa application with my American passport to the Cameroonian Ambassy in Washington, D.C. To my utter dismay, these freaking lousers made my friend who works in the Department of State come to the Embassy six times before a visa could be issued me to visit my own village in a country that I call my own. To add salt to injury, the staff at the embassy asked for my Cameroonian passport which they confiscated upon receipt. Whether or not I should sue those S.O.Bs is a case I am working on with my lawyers at this point in time. BUT BACK TO THE COMPORTMENT OF OUR EMBASSY STAFF.

Like most cameroonians, I am sick to the stomach of being treated by the embassy staff of my country of birth as dirt. There is no reason for this! Talk to Ghanaians, Nigerians, Liberians, Congolese, Chadians, and other Africans living in the USA about the treatment they receive when they arrive at their respective embassies to obtain documents. The answer you'd get is: WE ARE TREATED LIKE LORDS BECAUSE OUR COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN REALIZE THAT WE IN THE DIASPORA FURNISH THE HOME ECONOMY WITH MUCH NEEDED DOLLARS. Do Cameoonians working at the Cameoon Embassy in D.C. know this? Do they know that the amount of money taken back to Cameroon by nationals who travel back year in year out is astronomical and makes the economy thrive back home? OF COURSE THEY DON'T KNOW BECAUSE TEXT-BOOK ECONOMIC SAVVY ELUDES THEM!

It is a platitude to say that most Cameroonians feel very angry and frustrated by what's going on at our Embassy in Washington,D.C. In fact, the temper of most CAMEOONIANS living in America is flaring up and before long there's going be a conflagration. Take my word for it! I have learned of planned demonstrations in the precincts of the embassy in D.C. No one knows yet what is going to come of it but truth be told; smoke is a harbinger of fire. The last time there was a demonstration at the Embassy in D.C., the half-sober embassador, Mr. Mendouga, rolled up his sleeves and started to throw punches at demonstrators. That embassador is now languishing in the maximum security prison in Kondengui at the time of this writing for being part of the ASSOCIATION DES BANDITS that defrauded President Paul Biya of money he sent to AMERICA for the purchase of an aircraft. LET'S WAIT AND SEE WHAT Mr. Mendouga's heir will do this time around.

Professor Vakunta

Comments

[John Dinga]

When employment is based solely on bearing the right-sounding tribal name rather than education/training/qualification/merit, such things do happen.

[Zingaan'aa]

Prof. Vakunta,

While I completely agree with the thrust of your article, I take great exception to the language that you use which is unbecoming of a professor of your standard and of the readers of this site. To describe someone as a "son of a bitch" on such a public forum shows a complete lack of self control and a judgement clouded by animal emotions. Your readers are best served when you simply state the facts or present your opinion is a simple and straightforward manner without all these invectives. Please elevate your game for the sake of your message and your stature. Thanks!

[Shusi FC]

Why is it that only names like Ondoas, Etoundis, Mves, Esombas will always future in post of responsibilities? Is it that the Ngwas, Ambes, Frus, Wirnkas, Nfors have started adopted other names like ondoas just for the sake of a job?

Please don't tell me names have got a part to play on the managerial skills of individuals especially cameroonians

[Bandeko]

Shusi, you are what is wrong. You forgot to mention the Ashus, the Njies and the Muketes. Are you just as tribalistic?

[Jacob Eben]

I read the article with great interest. It is no surprise that we claim to be Cameroonians for the sake of finding fault with its administration.I should bring to the attention of this writer that he is no Cameroonian and I have no problem with the Cameroonian administration retrieving their Property (passport). If he thinks otherwise then I do not know his nationality (for no law abiding Cameroonian national should have two passports). I appreciate his concerns but take exception to to him throwing insults at my countrymen for retrieving their property. With such unruly behavior I should say he is just a disgruntled and confuse Human being complaining because nothing in that article state otherwise.

[John Dinga]

When in doubt, it is usually safer to ask questions than pontificate. Obvioulsy the laws of Cameroon cannot and should not be a selectively applied. Rather than pick quarrels with a citizen expressing frustration with the way he felt unjustifiably treated by the diplomatic representatation of his country, it seems more prudent to ask by which law such an embassy staff sought to retrieve his passport when it is known that many Cameroonians, from the Head of State, through many members of government and highly placed heavyweights down to soccer players featuring in many countries abroad are owners of dual nationality and therefore two passports.