The Cameroon Condition

Chapter One. National Integration

5 Chapter One National Integration Paul Biya in his Communal Liberalism describes a Nation as a human community vitally conscious of its unity and solidarity that transcends ethnic, religious or linguistic barriers. National will be defined as the values fought for the ideals and aspirations shared by members of a nation. Therefore the word ‘National’ refers to what belongs to the nation. Integration literally means the bringing or fitting together of parts to form a whole. Political integration specifically requires recognition of the uniqueness of the various parts involved in the process. It is only on the basis of this recognition that a nation can achieve its objective. Common sense therefore warns that for Cameroon to successfully integrate, the French and English speaking regions, must, as a prerequisite, take into consideration the uniqueness in terms of culture and otherwise of the two components. Genuinely therefore, fitting these two components requires decisions free from uncontrolled passion, decisions accruing from a consensus. This is the only way a whole can be regarded as a sum-total of all the parts. For National Integration to succeed it must take cognizance of the differences inherited by the two parts from their colonial masters. The sifting process should be one of taking the good aspects of both parts and blending them. Such a country is bound to suffer from cultural and political “metissage” – an aspect that the Black Americans have turned to their advantage. National Integration can succeed where cohesion exists without osmotic pressure. The two parts must 6 respect each other’s differences and embrace them as a sign of love. In our strive towards National Integration we must keep aside all the prejudices about language. Then seek for the best and let that best not be the preserve of a few but the monopoly of all. Cameroon is united and united she will always strive to be. It is only the predicament of today that can evoke memories of nostalgia. Although the hand of history can sometimes be rewound, our country policy should not be separated by a line of two foreign languages. In fact it is at times preferable to look at ourselves as ethnic entities than official linguistic cleavages. But though we should love and feel attracted to our areas of origin and province, we should owe our alliance and love to other provinces and even more so to our great fatherland – Cameroon. How often have we let our prejudices and sentiments blind us to the realities of our nation today? Does it still matter whether oil drips from the Limbe shores instead of Douala? Does it matter whether a soap factory is built in Ebolowa instead of Bafang? What difference does it make if a complex omnisport stadium is constructed in Bamenda instead of Garoua? Our true nationalist spirits should not allow sentiments to creep into the decision making process, particularly in the location of industries and infrastructures. For if the Limbe shores overflow with abundant oil what stops a refinery from being set up there especially if it is more expensive if not downright hopeless to connect pipelines to Douala? If all material for soap processing were littering the town of Ebolowa will it not be stupid to build a soap factory instead in the virgin town of Bafang? If all indications showed that gate-takings in football were high in Bamenda or this 7 town was full of sports fanatics will it not be illogical to instead construct a sports temple in Garoua? It is only logical parameters and geographical factors that can help to speed up our National Integration process. No amount of political platitude delivered on a high podium will make all men from Littoral feel secure when he knows that industries and government investments are concentrated in another part of the country just because those in the commission happened by geographical accident to come from that part. Our love of this country should be above such bigotry. The time has come when policy makers who subjugate the rights and benefits of any Cameroonian should be considered enemies of our National Aspirations. See how much we have lost after Reunification either out of negligence, ignorance, prejudice or all of them. Every developing nation must strive to keep her transport infrastructure intact. These factors are even the shortest means to achieving our goal of National Integration for by linking all our towns together we are...