By Neba-Fuh
The recent interview accorded to The Post Newspaper [www.thepostwebedition.com] by the out-going top British diplomat in Cameroon . Mr David Sydney Madicott echoed the often muted language our Western cronies understand most -armed conflict.
Without downplaying his diplomatic imperatives vis-a-vis his choice of language, it was not asking much of him to be more diplomatic in his answer concerning the SCNC.
For the Ambassador to insinuate that the 'Anglophone problem' and the SCNC struggle lack support both locally and internationally, is a simplistic outlook of a complex problem manipulated by Her Majesty's government during the upbeat to the 1961 Plebiscite.
Whether out of guilt or intentional malicious provocation, reminiscent of the blunders of the colonial days and its aftermath, the British diplomat undiplomatically drew comparison between the Southern Cameroons issue and the issue of the diversity of more that 250 tribes in The Cameroons, tactlessly downplaying the use of English and French languages as yardsticks in determining an identity.
It is worth reminding Mr Maddicott that viewing the present situation of Southern Cameroons without putting in context British cunningness, French manipulation and United Nations naivety, is myopic. Africa had a developed civilization before colonisation and we did not need any Western influence or adulteration. If Africa had not been under Western intoxication from, during the Scramble for Africa, to colonisation and now neo-colonialism, our legacy could have been written in the 'fine pages' of history. We would have been enjoying the total benefits of interdependence with other continents ,politically, economically and culturally.
Our unholy communion with the West determines our standpoint on today's world where political, economic and cultural life are determined by their standards -be it legal tenders, democracy, etc. If by some stroke of bad fate, destiny entangled our institutions and lifestyle to some 'aliens' who came from across the ocean, then any 'fallouts' like languages and adopted cultures based on the running of our institutions should not be a bone of contempt. Generations of Africa no nothing but this alienated languages and culture, and even when visionaries of the Post-colonial Africa wanted to re-ignite total Africanism, like Patrice Lumumba, they were crushed by the West.
Today, neo-colonial songbirds like Sarkozy of France and his 'cousin' diplomat, Maddicott of Britain can mount African podiums to deny the very essence of their Western survival- the constant exploitation of Africa during the time of slave trade, through colonisation, World War I and II, up till now.
Today the problems of Africa stem from a conglomeration of egoistic elitist rulership and Western exploitative policies.
Mr Maddicott should understand that the Southern Cameroons problem is a purely institutional territorial mishap as a result of historical fate. We didn't invite Britain to Southern Cameroons. And believe me, if Southern Cameroonians were treated by the French Cameroons regime as it was meant, then we'll not be talking of a 'problem' .
To simplify the Southern Cameroons problem to 'allegiance to the English language or even culture' is not sufficient. The constant exploitation of oil in Victoria has nothing to do with language and culture. It has all to do with a system where people live where they don't own anything! That's the Southern Cameroons problem!
It is a 'problem' Mr Maddicott will not tune in to CRTV radio or watch Cameroon TV to get news about it, so he thinks it lacks support locally.
It is a 'problem' that has not generated to an armed conflict,which could have prevented him from, travelling to the Northen zone of Southern Cameroons precisely in Weh-Wum to get his traditional title, while enjoying the picturesque view of a nation deprived. So he thinks Southern Cameroons is not on international agenda and lacks international support.
Every Southern Cameroonian statesman: Foncha, Muna , Egbe etc has decried the state of this union with French Cameroons, before their passing on.
Maddicott praised the handling of the Bakassi issue in an international legal framework. I would have expected him to diplomatically say so of the Southern Cameroons issue, but he preferred the low line of Western hypocrisy- acknowledging a problem only when we have the dead bodies. Then the BBC, CNN etc will arrive!
That's how Rwanda, Darfur and many other conflicts worldwide sprout up- through the denial effect.
Most diplomats try to coin their language when responding to sensitive issues, but that doesnot mean that 'a carpenter should outrightly disown a piece of furniture as not being his hand work because it has been rejected by most'. I read that interview and I believe Mr Maddicott is not honest about the reality of anglophones in Cameroon just like his masters.
NebaFuh, good to have you back in one piece!
Posted by: Enongene | August 22, 2009 at 05:34 PM