By Charly Ndi Chia
Twenty-three years ago,
precisely on November 6, 1982, Mr. Paul Biya Bi Mvondo, delivered his first ever speech as Head of State of Government of Cameroon. He had just been handed the mantle of leadership by the Late Ahmadou Ahmadou Ahidjo to whom he referred thus: "A dignified and prestigious son of the land, Father of the Cameroon nation, architect of its unity and development, President Ahamadou Ahidjo
revealed himself as a great figure of Cameroon history and African history as a whole.
…. "At a time when he is vacating his high office in dignity and honour, before you and the nation, I would like to convey to him, on behalf of the entire nation and on my behalf, our most hearty congratulations and assure him of our fidelity and love.
… "My predecessor never failed in his duty and neither shall I. From the political point of view, fidelity, for its part, will be paid to a man, namely His Excellency Ahmadou Ahdjo. To a people - the Cameroonian people - and, lastly to our policies…"
It is on record that Mr. Biya did not quite pay fidelity to Ahmadou Ahidjo, either because the man who appointed him Head of State died a few years later, or because both men disagreed bitterly, barely a few months from Biya's pledge of fidelity.
But after Ahidjo's demise, Biya was, at least, expected to pay what was left of his sworn fidelity to the Cameroonian people.
Twenty-three years after making the pledge,
Cameroonians are assessing him. They are, through The Post newspaper, examining the President's report card as it were, and scoring him on 23 years of socio-political engineering…
23 Years of suffering.What can Biya boast of in the field of sports in 23 years?No football stadium built by him etc.In the field of education, YES HE ENCOURAGES BRAIN DRAIN because he does not like intelectuals.Those even recruited are even maltreated and dismissed.Take the example of researchers and teachers who were recruited and stayed for years without salary and finally they are dismissed.
23 years cameroonians have not known justice and human rights or else such things will not happen.For 23 yrs cameroon has been corrupt nation number one .
For 23 years the salaries of civil servants have been reduced by over 200% and prices of commodities increased by over 1000%.For 23 years, scholarship for students at all level has been scraped off.For 23 years almost all our embassies abroad have been closed down e.g France embassy which is now operating in somebody`s apartment after the landlord chased them away.In Belgium and Spain the embassy is an eyesore.In Greece the embassy is operating in the sitting room of a greek man so called Honorary consul when we have so many cameroonians to hold such post.In Britain, the embassy can`t pay its bills and is currently having some legal suits against it.In the US the curruption in the embassy has attracted the attention of FBI.
Look at our roads before Biya and the situation now.Wasteful 23 years.Mr Biya, kindly take stock and resign as Ahidjo did.
Posted by: Lazarus | Friday, 04 November 2005 at 03:51 AM
The anniversary coincides with the publication of a political diary by an Anglophone intellectual Justice Mbuh in the United States titled "Inside Contemporary Cameroun Politics: Ingredients of International Conflict". http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=26923
To the extent that a modest oil producing country with fertile lands, plenty of fresh water and a modest population of 17m is now fighting to qualify as a most heavily indebted nation, cannot pay teachers, cannot maintain road infrastructure or adequately support foreign missions or have the COURAGE to make appropriate cuts in these foreign missions, the Paul Biya lack-luster, non-engaging and demagogic style of power politics has failed him and his country.
Even war torn countries like Vietnam have overtaken Cameroon in indices of both human and industrial development. While our leaders live European lifestyles in marble palaces and travel in style, the populations continue to drift into abject poverty. That is the legacy of post independence Africa in the hands of an arrogant crop of neocolonial politicians with questionable mental and philosophical capacity to chart the right way forward. The result is very disappointing.
James W.
Posted by: James Wenong | Friday, 04 November 2005 at 05:07 PM
I also think that it is time for Paul Biya to step down. However, looking at the sidelines the outlook is not promising.
The SDF party is in a mess and, in spite of all the opportunities available for some party to take advantage of by doing all the goods and sweeping everyone to its side, none of the other parties is making a showing. Apart from the CPDM and SDF I hardly know of the other parties.
With Cameroonian politics in such a mess and offering little hope to the people it may be time to start thinking of other alternatives.
One alternative may be introducing a Cameroonian monarchy, along the lines of some Western countries, based on some Cameroonian personality of high moral character who has the nation at heart.
I would support this notion only if it follows the model of the UK (and perhaps some other European countries), where an elected Prime Minister rules while the royal family exists mainly as a symbol of nobility for the people to look up to.
This would give the nation much needed focus and direction, while ensuring that misdemeanours by government officials of the ruling party cannot go unpunished.
All independent authorities such as national auditors, the judiciary, election monitors, professional associations, educational organisations, the army, etc. should belong to the royal body, and only persons of well-established objectivity should be associated with or employed in the royal organisations.
On the other hand, the activities of the monarch should be defined and constrained by constitution to only those things that are worthy of the position - they should exude high moral character, objectivity, and patriotism. All the activities should set a good example for the nation.
The royal family should be charged with supervising the democratic activities of the country to maintain a continuing state of political dynamism, in which bad politics is continuously replaced by good politics through the electoral process.
Posted by: Dr A A Agbormbai | Saturday, 05 November 2005 at 08:48 AM
I can recall back in 1978, when Ahidjo was still in power, I asked the question, "If Ahidjo steps down today, who can take over?". I remember a heated argument followed and I was told by several people that there were many capable persons who could rule Cameroon. Almost thirty years later I have been proven right. The problem is not that Cameroon lacks competent or capable leaders, Cameroon lacks leaders with the "WILL" and "SELFLESSNESS" to govern.
Another problem I see with the political groups that have emerged over the years is the quest to make peace, to dialogue, to reason with the other side. Ladies and gentlemen history has shown that such people are not "REASONABLE" peolple. They do not subscribe to conventional wisdom. The fear of "God" is a foreign concept, although they quote him all the time and expect you and I to live a moral life. The Ndongmo affair proved that. Just look around the world for evedence of tyrannical rulers actions.
So we continue the peaceful route while the infratructure deteriorates back to the stone age, school children are shot at while conducting peaceful demonstrations, people are arrested and jailed without due process.
Thirty years hence we will be having this same discussion, as if time stood still.
Posted by: Charles F. | Saturday, 05 November 2005 at 12:52 PM
Hi
Its even a more disgrace to think that he's been there for 23yrs rather than what he's done for 23yrs. Cameroonian have got to stand up and speak out. Are we peaceful or we don't have a war?.Is cameroon as a country poor or the people are poor?. Does the country's heads need our opinions or we don't give them?. finally Are the English speaking provinces in country united or they cannot be united?.By the time we are able to answer this questions i think we must have gone a long way to diagnose our simple problems that are made difficult by the either Cameroon as a country or the government
Posted by: C.N. tika | Wednesday, 09 November 2005 at 07:54 PM
When one ask about the achievements of Mr. Biya, some short-sighted Cameroonian will say he brought peace.Peace indeed!The question i ask myself is that did the president take over the country when it was at WAR? I really want an answer to this.Cameroon had always been peaceful before he came.So it is really for our President to reflect on what he thinks he has really done to Cameroon. One finds a youth who is so good in the sciences, and even has the aspirations to be become an engineer, but at the end of his studies,he only finds himself selling groundnuts. What a shame! Should we blame the government or ourselves.
Posted by: Emile.-The Netherlands | Thursday, 10 November 2005 at 05:51 AM