By Kenneth Ngu Foncha, Buea
There is an inherent problem with the Cameroon intelligentsia. Most of the government ministers and directors who have pushed this country to the brink of collapse are sophisticated, highly intelligent and well educated at elite universities in France, England and the US.
Some conspicuous features of these men are greed, lack of self-constraint, deference and intellectual rigour. Charles Ateba Yene's stopover at Sweet FM on Sunday, March 3 to give an appraisal of the recent upheavals in the country left much to be desired.
Like
Gregoire Owona, this young elite of the ruling tribe actually shares
the fears of his tribesmen that the unrest was a manipulated attempt to
destroy the "hegemony."
Ateba Yene's only proof of manipulation as cause of the unrest is the
fact that he saw a truck ferrying youths.
This teleological appraisal of the situation smacks of intellectual indiscretion. Ateba reversed the usual order of cause and effect. He was trying to explain things in terms of what happened afterward and not what happened before. He was actually trying to use the consequence to explain the cause. He refused to submit to the legitimate aspirations and ideals of the youths.
The power to make international calls with your mobile phone at discounted prices -Ateba's stance in the present crises has an undertone of xenophobia. The "l'enemi dans la maison" syndrome founded by their political godfather Emah Basile is still very much alive. The recent declarations by the Mfoundi elite correlate this fact. His understanding of peace as the absence of violence only promotes mediocrity and inferiority.
What constitutes peace is a very elastic concept. It must be defined in relative and absolute terms. While we all proscribe violence, we should be candid enough to accept the fact that violence is not necessarily deviance. It is the ultimate expression of the destitute. It has been repeatedly demonstrated that in places where there has always been mass poverty, people find liberation in violence. Physical aggression is part of being human.
Only when people attain a certain economic, educational and cultural standards is this trait tranquilized.In calling the youths to celebrate the status quo, he argues that Paul Biya is only 75 years compared to Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal who is 84 years old. This argument is out of context. The problem with Biya is his inability to provide a purposive leadership for more than a quarter of a century and not his age.
In supporting the closure of Magic FM, he argues that it was unlawful for a radio station to call upon a president who is democratically elected to step down. Ateba Yene should be honest enough to acknowledge that the programme was an interactive one and the journalists were just moderators. The voices were those of listeners.
His argument accepted, does the law stipulate that a radio station that calls for the resignation of the head of state be stormed and closed down by the army? Under the disguise of a CPDM progressist, Ateba is only playing the Ostrich. He is chasing with the dog and running with the animal.
Ateba is also a young kangaroo in the mothers pouch.
The blood of bad leadership and governance runs in his blood.
There is one thing to note. Time is running out for the present ruling class and group in Cameroon as most of us have turned to God for divine intervention.
Let us wait and see.
Posted by: kenedy Epie | Wednesday, 19 March 2008 at 12:53 PM