By Neba-Fuh
It should be recalled that the flag of 'Federal Republic of Cameroon'
after the 1961 Plebiscite fiasco was made up of three equal strips of
green, red,yellow and two gold-coloured stars embedded on the green
strip. The two stars signified the 'coming together'
of two separate
entities-Southern Cameroons and La Republique du Cameroun. History
tells us that this unholy union officially took place on the 1st of
October 1961.
One cannot over emphasize the treachery of the 11th February 1961 plebiscite that was orchestrated by the United Nations, engineered by the British. It was an abortion of justice to deny Southern Cameroonians the right to autonomy. It was a manipulative political paradox to force a people to attain independence by 'joining' either La Republique du Cameroun or the Federal Republic of Nigeria. How can one be 'independent' by 'joining' ?
Southern Cameroons' right to self determination was usurped. Today, the effects of such a decision have tremendously been aggravated by a regime that has sub-humanized Southern Cameroonians, with the aid of some greedy compatriots.
It will be crying over spilled milk if we vent our condemnation on J N Foncha and Co. for advocating an 'independence by joining' La Republique du Cameroun or EML Endeley and Co for opting an 'independence by joining' the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It shouldn't be forgotten that a third voice cried out in the wilderness then , but nobody seemed to have heard him.This was the voice of P N Kale . Kale had envisioned an autonomous Southern Cameroons, but his voice was that of the lone right minority in a hall of the many wrong majorities.
Even if the two state federation came into being by such an unorthodox way, the situation won't have been this worse if the two parties - La Republique and Southern Cameroons stuck to the contracting terms. Historical sources claim that the State of the Federation was to come under review ten years after it took effect,i.e 1971 and Southern Cameroons(later, West Cameroon) would be given the option to determine whether they were satisfied with the Federation with La Republique or not. This review was suppose to be under the supervision of The United Nations again. That would have been another opportunity for Southern Cameroonians to withdraw their allegiance to the Federation which was already a catastrophe right from the start. The then President of the Federal Republic of Cameroon -Amadou Ahidjo treated Southern Cameroon like a housemaid. His dictatorial tendencies frightened even the best of Southern Cameroonian Statesmen. The likes of Foncha, Muna,Endeley, Fonlon, Effiom,Jua, Egbe,Mbile etc could only murmur their discontent in the lowest voice one can imagine and even if they were to object on Ahidjo's handling of the Federation, that was done in the most diplomatic,compromising and pious nature. They dreaded Ahidjo's eliminatory strategies-unexplained murders. Worst still, some of them played the errand boys for the 'colonizers' -the real quislings! The federation was doomed.
Ahidjo' plans to kill the federation was a foregone conclusion. Even though he tried to stifle the success of West Cameroonian excellent managerial style by progressively making it difficult for the Federal government to promptly release federal funds from Yaounde to enable West Cameroonians run their affairs hitch free, the resolve of West Cameroonians was unshaken. The administrative system was enviable, the West Cameroonian parastatals were well managed- corruption was minimal;the justice system was exemplary; prison conditions were humane and reformation was the goal; etc. The inherited anglosaxon culture was striving.
This was the kind of
society, Ahidjo sought to extinct. On the 20th of May 1972, a
referendum was held to determine whether West
Cameroon(erstwhile,Southern Cameroons) would decide to partake in a
'United Republic of Cameroon' , thereby annulling its "Federal" status.
This referendum was held in the entire 'Federal Republic of Cameroon'.
What ponders many analysts and true Southern Cameroonian patriots is the raison d'etre for such a referendum:
Was it carried out in relation with the 'review clause' outlined in the 'Federation contract' of 1961, which provided for a review of the state of the 'Federation' after 10 years-allowing both parties to express their grievances or satisfaction on the federation ?
If that was the reason, won't it be justified to have allowed both states to hold separate referenda to determine whether their peoples accept or reject whatever proposals came out of their separate Houses of Representatives? How can a referendum to determine the fate of a 20% minority (West Cameroon) be conducted in such a way that the 80% Majority(La Republique) had equal voting rights on a case that was meant to approve or sanction the latter? Just imagine that a referendum to determine if a small nation like Norway would like to join the European Union(EU), is carried out in all member countries of the EU? Who will be deciding Norway's fate? Norway or EU?
Was it the phony nationalistic ambitions of the dictator Amadou Ahidjo, coupled with his manipulative and bullying tendencies that propagated this political sacrilege?
What was UN stance on a referendum which by all judgment of logic was incorrect?
Whatever
angle we look at the Southern Cameroons cause, we see an extreme case
of marginalization. From the 1961 fiasco to the 1972 forgery, we all
are witnesses.
Biya's last nail on the coffin was his 1984 release decreeing the fake 'United Republic of Cameroon' be changed to 'La
Republique du Cameroun' .
What
else do we want? We have been excluded from a 'fake union' we never, in the first place, advocated . Why don't we unite as Southern Cameroonians and start off again as an
independent nation and allow La Republique du Cameroun to determine
whether its national day is the 1st of January 1960 or 20th May 1972. That's their business!
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