Southern West Cameroon Revisited (1950-1972) Volume One: Unveiling Inescapable Traps

Chapter 7 - Foncha’s Waterloo: “Secret Deals and Hidden Constitution”

171 Chapter 7 Foncha’s Waterloo: “Secret Deals and Hidden Constitution” Nursing Smear Campaigns and Conspiracy Theories In the context of the pungent and persistent stigmatization that Foncha “hid” the draft highly centralized federal constitution because of a deal he had struck with President Ahidjo for positions (his cabinet) in the Government of the Republic of Cameroon, recourse is sought to the original verbatim records bearing on the facts. However, it should immediately be clarified that the real issue is not about Foncha knowing or possessing the copy of the highly centralized draft federal constitution from President Ahidjo because in any case it was a document available to members of Foncha’s cabinet but that he “hid” it because of secret deals he had struck with Ahidjo. For a better understanding, the accusation is placed in the plurality of British attitude toward Foncha. As a result, the approach in this Chapter is more analytical, comparative and emphatic than chronological. A significant positive outcome of the effort in seeking explanations to this accusation is the fact that some of the interlocking factors and hideous back drop issues of Southern Cameroons political life are brought to light, which otherwise might have lain dormant256 . On record some of these facts were elaborately dealt with at the famous but little known Buea Tripartite Conference of 15-17 May 1961 at which the contents of the highly centralized draft federal constitution from President Ahmadou Ahidjo were discussed. In fact, it was in the course of the general correspondence on issues surrounding the Foncha Cabinet building up to the Buea Tripartite Conference that 256This confusion of dates was rampant, to which were added apprehensions of security by the CPNC opposition, e.g. The Cameroon Times of 3/6/61 announced; “The United Kamerun Constitutional Conference opens July 2 in Yaoundé,” and continued: There is reference made to another meeting that held at Yaoundé between that women from 22-24 May1961 but the dates unfortunately are mismatched with others and thereby further complicated he problem. See Abwa in Eden Xtra. 172 mention was made of the alleged “deals” involving Muna, Ahidjo, Foncha and Okala1 Nevertheless, the Buea Tripartite Conference was significant even if only for the disagreements and confusions it registered.257 Therefore, it is not enough merely to paraphrase what transpired as in the Summit Magazine interview, which in all probability was drawn from Malcolm Milne’s allegations deliberately meant to discredit Foncha, Professor Ngoh proceeds to declare with absolute certainty that: Foncha decided to hide this draft constitution from Southern Cameroonian politicians because he had already made a deal with Ahidjo to the effect that should the federal constitution go through, he would be made Vice President.258 As will further unfold in the course of this Chapter, the Ahidjo document was officially received and discussed by the entire Foncha cabinet in the presence and with the advice of Mr.BG Smith, the Attorney General of Southern Cameroons. This stands to reason that each of these gentlemen possessed at least a copy of the said draft constitution. In simple logic it is puerile to imagine that Foncha would have been “hiding” a document which at the most minimum was common property to all the members of this team. Even more absurd is the fact that in content it was largely the existing constitution of the Republic of Cameroon! Therefore, it was a common document available to inquisitive and Knowledgeable Francophones. As can be imagined, no “oath” was taken to maintain sealed lips especially as finally there was total disagreement over its preposterous contents; likely the reason, as Willard Johnson and others suggest, why Foncha did not deem it fit to be presented at the Bamenda All Party Conference. Therefore, it is easy to conclude that all what has been taking place to which has been added the so-called “Bamenda Bag,” are aspects of the smear campaigns and propagation of “conspiracy theories” about 257The Cameroon Times of 3/6/61 258Epilogue, . 173 Foncha259 In perspective, the accusations fly in the face not only of Foncha’s character as an individual but against the essence in which the KNDP was founded; namely to fight “falsehood.” Here it should be recalled that the party was created in March1955 with the prime objective of bringing together the three Trust Territories of former German Kamerun: French Cameroon, Southern Cameroons and Northern Cameroons, three full years ahead of...