Incisive Journalism in Cameroon: The Best of ��Cameroon Report�� (1978 � 1986)

36. Cameroon Report 20/5/1986, May 20th: Our Dream of a New and Great Cameroon

127 36 Cameroon Report 20/5/1986, May 20th : Our Dream of a New and Great Cameroon Introduction: National Day celebration on May 20th this year was marked by exceptional enthusiasm and orderly organisation. Fai Henry Fonye examines the significance of the event and takes the opportunity to review our dream of a new and great Cameroon. He says our old hopes of reunification and bilingualism are being reached, while new horizons of real democracy and social justice beckon us: The historic nation-wide celebrations marking the 14th anniversary of the peaceful revolution of May 20, characterized by lengthy march pasts and cultural activities have come and gone for the year. In the nation’s capital, the Cameroon Head of State, His Excellency Paul Biya personally presided over a three-hourlong march past, part of which was an unprecedented military parade during which units of the air force and the army displayed Cameroon’s might of the barrel. Of course, the police band that orchestrated the march past was most colourful and at its best. A number of points are significant about this year’s May 20 celebrations. First, the organisation was better as it left traditional dances in their provinces, enabled the entire nation to feel the pulse and vibrations of the national feast and solved the problem of accommodation at the nation’s capital. Second, the numerous messages of congratulations from other countries demonstrated that Cameroon has many 128 friends in the world and can count on their generosity, charity, goodwill and cooperation. Last but not least, the representatives of the French government that is, the French Communication and Culture Minister, François Leotard and Special Adviser on African Affairs to the President, French Guy Penn could not help observing that the enthusiastic participation in the ceremonies by the youth and women was concrete proof of the popularity of President Paul Biya. There is no doubt that as an individual, President Paul Biya could be popular, especially when one looks at his policies and social action. But since good leadership cannot be a one man show, we should like this popularity to be true of the collective leadership of our country. There are still people who for selfish reasons continue to cast doubts on the credibility of our government either by their direct executive and confused action or by their toxic advice. Some of them are fired but still return in full force to positions of authority and influence as if they were indispensable or as if there were no other competent Cameroonians at hand. This confuses the masses who are entitled to information unless that kind of information was likely to jeopardize the security of the state. If liberty and equality are chiefly to be found in democracy, they will be best attained when all persons alike share in the government to the utmost. Since the New Deal, we prided ourselves with a government which derives its power from the consent of the governed that is from the people through their representatives which in this case, is our entire National Assembly. From those same people must come the dreams, the faith, the hopes and the works which fashion the great 129 purpose of our government. We must never let this ideal character of this country to perish. We are making progress, but we must aim at higher and higher standards of democracy and human rights. Nevertheless, we still hold fast on to our dream of a new and great Cameroon. We have the opportunity to move not only toward the prosperous and powerful society, but upward toward a really just and great society in Africa. Our old hopes of reunification and bilingualism are being reached while new horizons of real democracy and especially social justice beckon us. Indeed our country remains the land of the great experiment in Africa. Cameroon can be a place where each child can grow up knowing that success in life depends only on his ability and not on tribe, club, clique or the creed of his religion. It can be a place where we are growing not only richer and stronger, but happier and wiser. For whatever the strength of our arms, or whatever the size of our economy, we will not be that new and great nation unless we pursue excellence. The new society of our dreams should be a challenge constantly renewed, driving us toward a destiny where...