::: The life cycle of a Francophone´s argument and how my sister got “manipulated”:::

The evolution of the crisis in the English speaking provinces of Cameroon and the numb response and show of quasi – sympathy from our Francophone “brothers” has stunningly exposed the fallacy in the concept of national integration and the spirit of “vivre ensamble” in La Republique du Cameroun. While they claim to understand the “Anglophone problem” and sympathize with us, for the main stream French speaking Camerounian, it is business as usual even though they are aware of the systematic unfolding of genocide by their government against their “brothers” next door.  

In my quest to understand the reasons for their lukewarm approach towards our plight, I have talked with many of them in person, debated with many on online platforms and watched Francophones debate on the issues on TV. With that, I have come to the understanding that, while most of them seem to appreciate the legitimacy of our revendications, they are mostly turned off by the misconception (mostly propagated by their government and media) that our people are spurred by manipulation from mischievous stakeholders with ulterior motives.

That misconstrued understanding of the problem then informs their sparingly show of sympathy while defending their hands-off approach vis-à-vis our struggle. Like a goat tethered to a pole, that kind of argument usually takes them round a dishonest circle of acceptance and denial, which makes it futile in the eyes of the Anglophone, to engage them in any meaningful debate.

Just like the government of La Republique du Cameroun, the life cycle of the argument of a typical Francophone towards the “Anglophone problem” follows the same pattern:

-          First, they pretend to acknowledge that the Anglophones´ complaints are legitimate and that they sympathize with us. Hoping to give us a feel good factor that our "masters" are on our side and with that, try to cajole us into submission

-          If that doesn’t work and the Anglophones persists, they will then accuse us of being manipulated

-          When we press them to prove who is behind the manipulation, they throw around some random names of people and groups

-          When we counter them with solid and irrefutable facts and evidences, they go back full circle and admit that the problems are real ..... bla bla bla ......., but “these are problems that are common to all Cameroonians.”

You see, my dear Francophone “brothers”, we have read this story book handed down to you by your French masters and parroted by your colonial government and have watched this movie over and over on your CRTV. So, you cannot get away with it anymore. Whether you think your Anglophone “brothers” are manipulated or not, as the former U.S President George Bush puts it, “you are either with us or you are against us.”

Now, let’s talk about manipulation. For the sake of some of our Francophone brothers who genuinely wish to know how the Anglophones have been “manipulated”,  let me share with you the story of my younger sister, and how she got "manipulated" into supporting religiously, this current Anglophone struggle:

My sister is very intelligent and smart. Graduated with 11 O´levels and 4 A´Levels with top grades (those used to our system of education will tell you its top results) from one of the most reputable schools in Cameroon. She went to University of Buea to study economics in 2009 and graduated first class in 2012. While at university, she met her sweetheart, a Francophone from the South Province. Upon graduation, I tried to bring her over to continue her studies in Europe. She refused out rightly because she was very hopeful in Cameroon. She was convinced that with her qualifications, she could make a great career back home and help the country move forward. I was not convinced about her choices, but was proud of her for her conviction in her ability and her country. Immediately after graduation, her sweetheart got a good job with the taxation office in her home town, so that was a kind of motivation that she´ll make it too. 

She started making applications. First year gone and nothing happened! So her sweetheart and prospective employers advised her to learn the French language to improve her chances (can you imagine, you need to learn a FOREIGN LANGUAGE in your own country to stand a fair chance!). No problem. She moved to Yaoundé, enrolled in an advanced intensive French language course for one year, while making further job applications that led to nothing. With her improved french, she started trying her luck with the "concours" (whatever that derivation from colonialism means). She has written all the "concours" that she could over the years, ENAM, higher ENS, ENS, etc etc. What is worse is that, the system forced her to sit all those exams in a FOREIGN LANGUAGE – French and, not surprisingly, she failed every one of them, eventhough she came out of the exams very confident. She noticed also, that in the meantime, all her Francophone former University of Buea classmates were either in lucrative jobs or in professional schools. So, she started feeling frustrated and less worthy of herself. 

All the while though, I had still been trying to convince her to abandon the Cameroon "project" and join me in Europe but, she wouldn’t get none of that. In May of last year, she told me that she had decided to settle for far below her qualification and will try and get into the Teacher´s Training College in Kumba. She sat the exam in August. She said eventhough they were all shocked that the questions were all in French, she did very well, thanks to the intensive French course she had undertaken.

In early October, I came back from work one evening and my wife told me that my sister had called. That she sounded disturbed and had asked that I call her back. When I called her, she was crying. That the results were out and she didn’t make it. That indeed, no Anglophone made it! It was then she told me that she has given up all hopes in La Republique du Cameroun and that I should start processing her papers to come join me in Europe. She said she had wasted all her life since she graduated from the University, hoping that she´ll get a fair chance in Cameroon. That she has realized that the only "exam" that she ever failed in her life is that she was born an Anglophone and that ironically, that is the most important "exam" in Cameroon. 

As we speak, there is nothing that can make my sister believe in the Cameroon project again, not even her Francophone sweetheart of 7 years. There is nothing that anyone can do or say to make her not commit 100 % to the struggle going on now. She tells me it is very difficult going through the ghost towns and civil disobedience and resistance but that they are all doing it with hope and smiles on their faces.

That is how my sister got "manipulated" into believing religiously in this anglophone struggle. And, believe you me, my sister had never ever heard the names Nkongho Agbor Balla, Fontem Neba, Mark Bareta, Tapang Ivo, Njoh Litumbe, SCNC, Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium et cetera, all her life.

Some manipulation indeed! And, there is my sister in almost every Southern Cameroonian household or family.

No internet? No problem!

Happy Ghost Towns week 3 and Ghost 11 February to all proud citizens of the Southern Cameroons!!!

Aluta Continua!!

... The Last One Left ... 
--  Ojong Emile  --

Pic: Alamy.Com