No Trifling Matter: Contributions of an Uncompromising Critic to the Democratic Process in Cameroon

29 The Exorcist

87 There is something very instructive about the Kenyan situation and this concerns the erstwhile colonial master, Britain. Like the USA, Britain prides itself in being a champion of Liberalism and democratic values. But just like the USA, Britain does not hesitate to support autocratic dictatorship in other countries, if that is in its interest. Of all African ex-colonies, Britain has its best stakes in Kenya - a military base, economic investments etc. The climate in Kenya is extremely agreeable to white people and Nairobi is nothing if not an African London. Britain thus prefers to support dictatorship in Kenya, rather than risk its interests by supporting democracy. What all this means is that the English are in no way different from the French nor both from the Americans. For all of them, their interests and privileges are primordial and non-negotiable and, when they talk of democracy and liberal values, they mean them for their own people. What can be said for the English as against the French is only that their style of colonialism made it easier for the colonized to struggle for more meaningful independence. Every people must struggle for their own freedom. This is one thing that has never and will never be gotten as a free gift. 2 29 The Exorcist (Published November 6-13, 1991) A magician who conjures up ghosts from the nether world should also be able to send them back to the nether world - their proper abode. For several months now, seventy per cent of our country has been occupied by ghosts, originally conjured by the Coordination of Opposition Parties. It is becoming increasingly clear that these ghosts are unwilling unceremoniously to be ordered back to the nether world. The magician seems to have lost control. One indication: Mr Ni John Fru Ndi, who brought democracy to Cameroon and who, in spite of what some people like to believe, is a level-headed moderate, was recently unable, in spite of his charisma, 88 to convince the crowd at a rally in Bamenda, to partially bury the ghost, specifically as concerns the “rentree scolaire.” In fact, Ni John seems to have had to use one of his disappearing tricks to get away from the ill-tempered crowd which would not hear of any other exorcist except the “sovereign national conference.” Fru Ndi and Bi Mvondo seem to have at least one thing in common - the belief that school should be left to scholars and politics to politicians - a view yours truly, the son of Gobata, does not share. Why should politics be left to politicians? We left politics to politicians and see the mess we are in today. As for schooling, many of our politicians need it badly, beginning with our almighty head of state, Wanyetoh II, who must be credited for realising at least that much. He has openly declared himself a pupil in Mr Mitterand’s democratic nursery. The problem, however, is that Mr Biya has enrolled in the wrong school. The French, whose well-being depends on exploitation of third world countries, especially Cameroon, cannot be expected willingly to commit economic suicide by supporting real democracy in Cameroon. The art they have thought our Biya is that of democratic theory and rhetoric combined with the most ruthless autocratic practice. Those who think that our problems of schooling are different from political problems are very myopic in their thinking. The question every intelligent Cameroonian school child should be asking is: “Schooling for what?” The number of certificated idlers and street roamers, from first school leavers to PhD holders in our country today calls for a completely new rethinking of our situation, objectives and strategies. A national conference or whatever, whether sovereign or not, could conceivably have ensured this, among other things. Perceptive parents and even school children cannot be indifferent to this. A traveller who has lost his way and bearings would be wiser spending time to consult people, maps, etc. instead of rushing randomly in just any direction. In any case, it is very clear that our long sleeping monster has been roused from slumber. No opposition leader and no member of the present power-tenacious regime goes without three good square meals a day. Some of them even have enough in foreign and domestic banks to assure a comfortable life till death many times 89 over. This cannot be said of the majority of those clamouring...