Jonathan Swift in his book Guliver's Travels invents creatures that he calls “flappers.” Their purpose is to insure that new ideas do not creep into the mind of the powerful. Swift was describing circular communication, which is essential to maintaining the bubble and or keep others away the truth. Speaking of life inside the bubble, if the SDF chieftain had any take home message from the Buea reunification celebrations it would certainly be how Biya cronies and the regime played the bubble. Expectations were high at that President Biya was to have the second tete-a-tete with Ni John Fru Ndi, SDF chieftain in Buea during reunification celebrations. Bookmakers had speculated that the second conclave would give room for the ruling CPDM to dialogue with the leading opposition. But commentators however hold that the anxiety which saluted their first encounter in December 2010 would not have been the same. Yet it came to past that the speculations came to null. This is so because Ni John Fru and his delegation left Buea unceremoniously. Perhaps very disappointed at what transpired. Before leaving Buea for Bamenda, SDF national chairman lambasted Biya and the CPDM for hijacking the reunification celebrations. SDF chairman told journalists that he was disappointed that heroes of Independence and Reunification were not recognized. Fru Ndi lavished sharp criticisms on the fact that no effigies, songs and slogans were produced to pay homage to the heroes of reunification. He said he was embarrassed that even in his speech President Biya could not even mention the names like President Ahmadou Ahidjo, Endeley, JN Foncha, ST Muna, Mbile etc
When the SDF delegation
stormed out of Buea; they did not even partake in item 11. This was a sign of
disappointment. One thing is clear that if there is any Anglophone politician
who is conscious of the Anglophone marginalization, it is Fru Ndi. This is so
because he has been a victim severally. When Fru Ndi won the Presidential
election with 39% above Biya with 36%, he was refused the privy of becoming
head of state. As compensation, he was placed under house arrest and a state of
emergency was slammed on the Bamenda population. A certain minister whose name I
have just forgotten described Anglophones as “enemies in the house”, and the
SDO for Mfoundi ordered that Kah Walah, Fru Ndi and others should to go back to
their own areas because Yaounde was not in the Southern Cameroons territory. In
fact, pundits have said it and continue to say that there are some positions in
this country that an Anglophone would never. Yet the SDF has all these years
not learnt any lesson. The question as to whether Fru Ndi cannot lead the
Southern Cameroon struggle for independence has surfaced again with the Buea
incident. When Biya himself confirmed that Southern Cameroons gained its
independence in 1961, it became clear why dictatorial regimes always obscure
history. This is so because they would never want citizens to know the basic
facts about their country. For example if the people know that they had a
glorious past as compared to the deplorable situation, they will question why
things are the way they are. The story goes that Louis who took power in France
fell because his trappings were below those of Napoleon. In Cameroon, the Biya
regime is reticent in allowing the people of Southern Cameroons know the truth
about their past. In fact, pundits say it is only Fru Ndi who can restore a
federal system in Cameroon or lead Southern Cameroons into self-rule. Will Fru
Ndi listen to the desperate voices of Southern Cameroonians or play the game of
the mastiff with Biya’s cronies.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa
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