Opinion: Dialogue?

By Dr. Nick Ngwanyam, MD.

Dr. Nick Ngwanyam

Which dialogue? With whom, where, when, why, what and how? These are the many questions that are being asked now. Everyone says genuine, frank and inclusive dialogue without taboo subjects. Beyond the pain and agony, people are asking these questions and have genuine reasons for doing so. Dialogue in Africa means different things to different persons with expected different outcomes. The worst part is when resolutions are shelved and never implemented.

As I meditated on these questions and listened to many persons I realized they all have reasons to wonder and complain. If we do not try to first understand the path we want to travel, then we shall certainly be heading for the rocks for lack of the road map. And the road is complicated and thorny. Like anything else that we do, we must understand the principles, the Physic, Mathematics and the Chemistry. The salt and the light must be Truth and Love in the respect of Common Good.

Everything worth its while in life must work on principles. When you avoid principles you build on a faulty foundation that must crack with time for that also is the law of nature. No solid constitution and nation can thrive on half measures.

I remember my mother cooking ‘corn chaff’ when I was a kid. It is a mixture of beans and corn in which there are no standard ratios. I have observed my wife cooking it as well and no batch tastes like the other. The recipes are slightly different but some principles are constant.

For starters, she kicks off with the corn. She can decide to peel off the coating on the grains to improve on the cooking time and change the taste. She can pound that off like the Muslims do, or boil the maize with wood ash and wash after a while to get rid of the coating. There are some techniques used in machines to do the trick. Sometimes, she just cooks through the thick coat for hours on a fire of pounded sawdust until the maize is done.

It does not matter the nature of the corn nor its species, she can just cooking it for as long as it takes and it will be done. You can swear on that because that is Physics and Chemistry working together. My grandmother in unaware of Physics and Chemistry but makes use of the principles daily. She knows the importance of time and seasons, when to prepare, sow and harvest; how to tend to the crops for a good yield.

THE WHY AND HOW OF OUR DIALOGUES.

We need to have more than one dialogue in different settings because the problems are complex. We are building a new car and different parts and systems have to be built in different locations then brought together to make a functional whole. One dialogue cannot do it. We need three micro dialogues and two macro dialogues.

1)    H.E. Prime Minister Yang and Peter Mafany are on the field for the first micro dialogue. They are testing the waters with one foot and taking the psychological temperature of Anglophones while letting out the steam from the pressure cooker. They might be gathering some talking points for solving the Anglophone problems and gauging where the anger lies. Everyone knows that Anglophones have been marginalized and are angry about it. They cannot understand why they have been treated as second class citizens in a union that they embraced with a lot of hope and optimism many years ago. Lost hope can be a difficult issue to reconstruct.

2)    Anglophones need an AAC 111. This will bring together Anglophones of all shades and opinions to talk to themselves and get to a common plat form before setting out to the Macro Dialogue A. AAC 111 will crystallize issues into concrete form so that these will be presented as one coherent file and thus speak with one voice for the good of this nation. Attending ACC 111 would be Dr. Munzu’s camp, SCACUF and the GC, banned consortium members and individuals including Barrister Balla, Akere Muna, Nico Halle and leaders of teachers’ and lawyers’ associations. We are thinking of different church leaders and stand-alone figures like H.E. Christian Cardinal Tumi. The Chiefs and Fons, women’s representatives, youth representatives, transporters and okada representatives, university dons, the intelligentia, political party representatives and other positive and forward looking elites. Representatives of the Diaspora have a lot to offer.  ACC 111 will come out with a list of persons that will attend the Macro Dialogue A and speak for the people.

3)    The Macro Dialogue A would be between H.E. President Paul Biya and the government team on the one hand and AAC 111 Anglophone representatives on the other hand. A third party to such talks to ease communication and understanding would be the United Nations, America, Canada, German, Britain and France. This meeting is held in the country after general amnesty to all participants to allow for free access and frank talk.

4)    There should be a micro dialogue amongst Francophone communities and Regions. They should seek to discuss what it takes to grow our economy, fight corruption, respect others especially Anglophones; and what needs to be done for effective human development and transfer of technology into this nation for industrialization. They should learn the concepts of self-governance and what it takes to be proactive.

5)    A Macro Dialogue B will bring Anglophones and Francophones together to learn the concepts of ‘vivre ensemble’ in mutual respect and love.

For these dialogues to take place, we need to emphasize the point that the current government has lost her voice, credibility and authority over the people. This is so because of arrogance and the inability to address the basic needs of the communities. State authority cannot be decreed or dictated. It is a function of love and genuine respect for each other. Respect is not a one way traffic in which the common man must swallow as gospel truth what comes from above. It is earned by living and practicing the truth. Nothing damages relationships more than lies telling and the absence of the Fear of God.

It therefore, makes sense to say that the people expect a new and credible government to help this nation get unto new shores.  H. E. President Paul Biya in December 2013; said this current government suffers from inertia (inability to solve problems proactively), individualism and poor governance ( corruption). They should take the blame for the current crisis because they are not aware that a stitch in time saves nine. New wine cannot be put in old wine skins and you cannot repair a torn old dress by stitching to it a new piece of cloth which makes a bad situation worse.

To add insult to injury, some government ministers and high ranking officials along with self-seeking journalists refer to Anglophones as dogs, cats, rats and more that ought to be eradicated. This is not very nice for a people who seek to live and grow together. Anglophones need an apology for this kind of talk.

 I must say that violence has been witnessed on both sides. The lies telling and social media intoxication is just so amazing. I am so ashamed of Anglophones who called for children to be killed and yet when people eventually die one way or the other, we scream about genocide when we did contribute to it directly or indirectly by asking our children; some currently on mbanga and tramol; to face the military while indoctrinating them to believe these are toys.

We say we are showing up in Tiko to declare our independence and it never happens, and yet no one gives us an explanation for such an absence. We say the UN helicopter has landed in Tiko with pictures to buttress yet pictures of such a presence are those with General Tumenta who died over a year ago. Someone owes us an explanation.

If the military are toys, then we cannot be running away from them and seeking refuge in foreign lands. How could we arrest DOs, SDOs and governors and imprison in chief’s palaces? How many of such were arrested? What happened to them afterwards? How do you evaluate such a strategy? How many people died because they wanted to carry out the arrests while facing toy guns? Does it make sense now as we look back? I am not saying the killing was a right thing to do. People could have been arrested and held down while waiting for the tramol to wear out and right thoughts to settle in. Killing unarmed civilians is a subject of a different debate.

Two days ago, a military truck probably lost its brakes and ran into people causing injury and death in Buea. Some say it was deliberate with over 50 persons killed. Some say 1 or two were killed with many injured. What is happening here? Where is the truth? Where are the bodies of the 50 dead, and what are their identities?  How many people were shot from helicopters? This can easily be verified even after 60 years by studying the bones of the dead. It can never be hidden.

I read that someone from the UN is coming to Cameroon and the tone on social media goes up to reinforce ghost towns and encourage others to do what they must do to stop children from going to school. Then when schools are burnt and a girl’s arms are chopped, the leaders do not want to accept responsibility for the violence on the BBC. We say we are winning big in the face of violence and when questioned we deny it in the same breath. This confuses me to the core. If it is not right, do not do it. If you think it is right, do it and take responsibility for it. Which actions in your opinion qualify as terrorist acts?

What drove me made this morning was a message circulated to the effect that following the 1^st October upheavals, 400 persons were arrested and locked up in the premises of Amour Mezam and later on ferried in Amour Mezam buses to Yaounde. These are all lies and incite violence and destruction of others for no good cause. Hatred and negative manipulation are certainly not the ways of God. We say we are Christians and we do horrible things that we cannot be proud of.

Another embarrassment was the news about the burning of Prof. Sessekou Ayuk’s house and destruction of his plantations in his native village. Barrister Agbor Balla visited in person and took a picture in front of this property in the company of the regent of that village. Everyone was silent and said nothing after this truth was made public that his houses are intact.  It is not fair to incite and sow hatred and anger just to make political gains.

As we ask for justice and God’s favor, we should make sure that we are in good standing with God. The government also has some hands cleansing to do. For every lie and manipulation you do, you kill someone and the generations after him. Only the truth and God’s love can set us free.

Dr. Nick Ngwanyam, MD.  www.stlouisbamenda.com

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

North Korea: U.S. Places B-52 Bombers On High Alert

The tension in the Korean Peninsula is gradually taking a different dimension as the U.S. Air Force is preparing to place its fleet of nuclear-armed B-52 bombers on 24-hour alert for the first time since 1991.

Report quoted a U.S. Military Chief Gen. David Goldfein, as saying that the escalating tensions with North Korea had made the deployment of the bombers inevitable.

However, Defense officials denied to Fox News that bombers were ordered to go on 24-hour alert.

“This is yet one more step in ensuring that we’re prepared.

“I look at it more as not planning for any specific event, but more for the reality of the global situation we find ourselves in and how we ensure we’re prepared going forward,” Goldfein said.

Goldfein noted that in a world where “we’ve got folks that are talking openly about use of nuclear weapons,” it’s important to remain alert and think of new ways to be prepared.

“It’s no longer a bipolar world where it’s just us and the Soviet Union. We’ve got other players out there who have nuclear capability.

“It’s never been more important to make sure that we get this mission right,” Goldfein added.

Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, home of the 2d Bomb Wing and Air Force Global Strike Command, which manages the service’s nuclear services, is being renovated, Defense One reported, so that B-52s would be ready to “take off at a moment’s notice.”

The B-52, which can fly up to about 50,000 feet and at supersonic speeds, has the ability to release a variety of weapons, including cluster bombs, gravity bombs and precision guided missiles.

The long-range bomber can also unleash both nuclear and precision-guided conventional ordnance.

The 24-hour alert status for B-52s ended in 1991, in the waning days of the Cold War.

Source: Fox News

 



When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

FIFA to Modify Nationality Rules

FIFA is set to relax its nationality rules to help players who have represented another country easily switch loyalty.  FIFA is considering changing the rules that govern a player’s eligibility to represent a national team, BBC Sport reports.

At present, players who have played a competitive international for one team cannot switch to another national side.

Cape Verde’s football federation has proposed this rule be relaxed in cases where a player has played only once or twice for a national side.\

“There are so many issues that have popped up,” said FIFA’s Victor Montagliani. “The world is changing.” 

“Immigration is changing. There are nationality issues that pop up all over the world – in Africa, (and) there are issues in Asia and CONCACAF.

“So it’s a good time to have a look at this and see if there are solutions without hurting the integrity of the game.” 

The Canadian, who heads up FIFA’s stakeholders’ committee, is president of CONCACAF, which represents North and Central America as well as the Caribbean federation.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

This is the Reason Why More Women are Adopting Single Motherhood

A prominent marriage counsellor has enumerated the reason why many modern women do not find marriage as attractive as previously thought of, thereby choosing to raise their kids by themselves.

Dr Rose Chukwuma, a marriage counsellor and psychologist, on Saturday said more women were embracing the concept of having children outside wedlock to avoid marital disappointments.
Chukwuma, in an interview in Abuja, said that single parenting, which was once frowned upon due to cultural and religious ethics, was fast becoming the norm.

“More women have come to the conclusion that men no longer take marriage seriously.
“Women are scared of either finding out that their partners might be involved in infidelity or being hurt in other ways, thereby causing them to rule out the thought of getting married.
“More women are also becoming financially independent, with many of them having their own jobs and businesses, thanks to the gradual achievement in equal rights across the world and improved education

“However, most women naturally want to become mothers so they decide to have children without the attachment of a man,’’ the marriage counsellor said.

The psychologist added that some women would rather have children while single to prevent eventualities of being unable to have children with future partners.
“Women normally get pressured by society to get married but it seems the pressure is having less effect on women these days.

“Women don’t want to be pressured into getting married but they know that as they age, their ability to have children reduces, so they rather have a child when they can while searching for their potential life partner,’’ she said. Chukwuma said that there were favourable ways for women who were open to the concept to have children without depending on a life partner.
“Modern day women don’t want to stress themselves with the issue of a possible divorce after being dedicated wives.

“There are opportunities made available for women who wish to start a family unit without a man, these include adoption, artificial insemination and the old-fashioned mode of pregnancy.
“We should keep in mind that most of the women who choose to get pregnant the normal way usually don’t request for financial support from the man chosen to get them pregnant.’’
“Some people are opposed to the idea of women having children alone because they believe that single parenthood is not good for children; however, we have seen many people who were raised by single parents that became wonderful adults.

“We just hope that the concept of marriage becomes strengthened over time but I support any woman who chooses to go down this path,“ she said.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

Ahead of November 7, Presidential Elections: George Weah Visits TB Joshua

Africa's football legend and presidential candidate in Liberia, Senator George Weah, was in attendance at the Synagogue Church Of All Nations during the Sunday Service to seek God's face concerning his nation.

Leading presidential candidate in Liberia and football legend George Weah attended a service of The Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), led by Pastor T.B. Joshua on Sunday.

During his sermon, Joshua warmly welcomed Weah and spoke directly to him.

“My brother is here today because he loves his country and wants God’s choice for his country,” Joshua stated.

“He is not here to impose himself. What does God say about his country, Liberia? What is God’s opinion? That is why he is here.”

The cleric reiterated that he was not favoring any particular side of the political spectrum but his own role was to pray for “the will of God” to be done in the nation of Liberia.

“We are not herbalists or witch-doctors; we are people of God. God’s choice is our choice. We cannot pray against God’s will. 

“Without God’s corresponding power, we cannot pray to Him. For every step we take – every movement and action – intimation comes first.

“There must be suggestion from the Spirit to move before we move. If truly I am a man of God, I must hear from God – move or don’t move.”

Joshua disclosed that Liberia’s incumbent Vice President and Weah’s contender in the upcoming presidential run-off, Joseph Boakai had also contacted him to request a meeting.

“God’s opinion is what we should seek in our country – simple! God is the Answer, the Final,” the cleric added. In attendance were Senator Yormie Johnson, a former Liberian warlord.

The presidential run-off election between Weah and Boakai is scheduled to hold on November 7, 2017.

Other prominent visitors to The SCOAN in the past include Tanzania’s President, John Magufuli, the late President of Ghana, John Atta Mills, Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangarai and Julius Malema, South Africa’s fiery opposition leader.

 

 

 

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

10 Compliments Your Spouse Needs to Hear Often

Yes, relationships and marriages can be very complicated, but you wouldn't believe the simplest of words that could just spice up things.

 

Men and women in marriages should know the importance of words in their daily interactions. The things couples say to one another have a big impact on their marriages. Men sometimes get the reputation for being the less communicative sex, but that doesn’t mean they don’t thrive on affirming words from their wives.

Wives also need to hear compliments daily from their husbands. It goes a long way in promoting peaceful relations between them. A husband who keeps putting down his wife with his words shouldn’t be surprised when she becomes emotionally distant and resentful towards him.

If you don’t appreciate your spouse, who will? If you don’t treat your spouse with love, respect and positive words, no one will do it for you. Married couples should stop taking each other for granted no matter how long they have been married. Kind words melts hearts and it will go a long way in improving your marital relationship.

Whether your husband or wife is begging for verbal affection or not, take a little time today to be grateful for that man or woman in your life for all they do to make your relationship better. It doesn’t take much to make your spouse’s day, boost their confidence and make them want to lift you up in return.

Here are compliments that your spouse needs to hear that will improve your relationship.

I’m glad I married you

Your spouse needs to feel secure in your marriage, and the fastest way to let them know they are still the one is to tell them outright. This is a great compliment because it can come completely out of the blues, without him or her having to do anything to earn it. Spontaneous compliments are genuine and sincere.

I’m proud of you

When your spouse hears you tell them how proud you are of them, they are energized to achieve more. You will get far in marriage being your spouse’s greatest cheerleader. You don’t have to wait for them to do something grand to let them know how proud you are of their efforts. In a world that continuously knocks your spouse down, be the one to always lift him or her up.

I love you

You can never say this enough. Say these three words as often as possible no matter how long you have been with your partner. “I love you” will never lose its meaning. Don’t think that just because your spouse knows you love them that they get tired of hearing it. This is the easiest and most important thing you can tell your spouse.

I believe in you

This is an instant confidence booster and can turn any seeming defeat into a delayed victory. When your spouse is facing one of life’s many setbacks, this is a secret weapon to help them feel empowered to stay on course.

Thank you for taking care of the house

Men need to say this often to their wives. Don’t take their efforts in keeping the house clean for granted. Assist your wife when she’s overwhelmed by house chores. Don’t say it’s for women alone.

You are such a great parent

If you have kids, praise your spouse for their involvement with the family. Let your spouse know that they remain a valuable asset to your family. Compliment your spouse’s parenting skills.

I love how you provide for our family

Don’t take your spouse for granted for the financial needs they meet in your family. These days that husbands and wives pull resources together to keep the home running, the best thing you can do to encourage each other is to appreciate your individual efforts.

You look good

If you don’t compliment your spouse, how can you expect them to feel appreciated or wanted? Your spouse needs to know you love the way they look, even after a few years and a few extra pounds. It’s very important to let your spouse know that you are just as attracted to them today as you were in the beginning. This will make them feel confident and amazing as they go about their day.

You always make me laugh

Let your spouse know that they lighten up your day and bring positive energy into your household. Even if your spouse isn’t the very funny type, you can still compliment their smiles and hearty laughter.

I love spending time with you

We all get caught up in the business of everyday life, so let your spouse know that you still love to simply hangout with him or her. After all, you are your partner’s best friend and constant companion. Let them know how much the time they spend with you mean to you.

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)

US Travel Ban List: Chad Pleads on Trump Administration to Reverse Decision

 Chad has called on the US government to reverse its decision to include the country on its travel ban list.

Foreign Minister Madeleine Alingué said in a statement that the decision undermined the image of Chad and good relations between the two countries.

She added that Chad was a partner in the fight against terrorism and that the ban would ruin its bilateral relationship with the US.

Citizens of Chad are now banned from gaining business and tourist visas for the US.

Seven other countries are also affected by the ban - Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, North Korea and Venezuela - while Sudan was removed from the list.

US President Donald Trump's original ban in March was highly controversial, as it affected six majority-Muslim countries, and was widely labelled a "Muslim ban". It has been challenged in court.

What does the travel ban mean for Chad?

President Trump's proclamation will come as a surprise to many Lake Chad Basin watchers, but US intelligence suggests that Chadian authorities have not been sharing information relating to public safety and terrorism with their US counterparts.

The US also said that Chad, a mainly Muslim country, was a haven for jihadist groups but among the Lake Chad Basin nations (Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria) , it has suffered the fewest attacks from Boko Haram militants.

There is little to indicate that the activity of these groups in Chad is anywhere as significant as in, for example, Nigeria, which recently received US support in an arms and aircraft deal.

Chad has been, in Washington's words, "an important and valuable" partner in the fight against Islamist militancy and its capital Ndjamena is home to the headquarters of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) formed to tackle Boko Haram.

Lack of international support

Chad has also hosted the annual US-led Flintlock military exercise in West Africa three times.

France is another Western power that has seen value in keeping Chad close, basing its regional counter-terrorism force Operation Barkhane in Ndjamena.

It has not expressed any concerns - at least, not publicly - about its African partner not sharing intelligence.

President Idris Deby has long complained about the lack of international support in funding the fight against Boko Haram, even threatening to withdraw his troops from the MNJTF.

His forces have struggled to sufficiently police its vast northern regions and this could be part of what the US is concerned about.

However, over the years, Chadian troops have proven their effectiveness in battle during military interventions in the Central African Republic and Mali.

More recently, they made a significant contribution in suppressing Boko Haram fighters between 2014 and 2015 when the group controlled huge swathes of territory in neighbouring Nigeria.

Losing Chad's cooperation would be major blow to counter-terrorism efforts in the region.

This curious attempt to arm-twist the central African nation could be counter-productive.

Exxon Mobile factor?

Observers wonder whether Chad's troubles started when it attempted to slap a record $74bn fine on US oil giant Exxon Mobil.

At the time, the current US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson headed the company.

Exxon Mobil was accused of not making royalty payments but eventually avoided the fine, more than seven times Chad's gross domestic product, as both parties reached a settlement.

There is however little to suggest it was the cause of this ban.

Chad might feel hard done-by to suffer this punishment despite its counter-terrorism track record, while its eastern neighbour Sudan - labelled as a state sponsor of terrorism - is being removed from the US' bad books.

President Deby would not want to see his country experience similar diplomatic and economic isolation (from the West, at least).

Sudan out, Chad in

Sudan will see its omission from the travel ban list as a sign that the Trump administration will also remove wider economic sanctions on the country on 12 October.

The sanctions were first put in place in 1997 when Sudan was named a state sponsor of terrorism, while further penalties were imposed for alleged abuses carried out in the troubled Darfur region.

The State Department concluded that Sudan was cooperating better on counter-terrorism, and in improving humanitarian access to conflict areas, like Darfur.

In August, the Deputy Commander of the US Africa Command, General Alexander Laskaris, visited the capital Khartoum as both countries worked on resuming military cooperation.

Sudan will see the thawing of relations with the US and the outside world as a boost as it seeks to revive its bruised economy, one of the largest in the region.

It will welcome the renewed ability to trade freely with international partners and see this as a path to attracting investment in its agriculture, mining and petroleum sectors.

Source: BBC

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)