Presidential candidate of the 2011 elections, Bernard Muna has outrightly declared that “the best form of decentralization in Cameroon is a federation”. He made this statement in a live televised interview, granted to the Douala-based Spectrum Television, where he discussed the recent positions in the persistent crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon. His position was unwavering as he reminded Cameroonians that ‘federation is the best form of decentralization which responds to the needs of the people’. Airing his thoughts on the current decentralization system being proposed, the erudite Barrister eloquently pointed out that “as long as administrative authorities are appointed by the government, their only concern will be to please their hierarchy, usually to the detriment of the population”.
His relentless efforts to drive home the message revealed that just before the March 2017 Presidential appointment of Senior Divisional Officers, “all administrative officials and their deputees in the English-Speaking Momo Division, were French speaking and communicated in French”. Momo being his home town, “the people and the administration appear to live in different worlds due to the wide communication gaps”, he lamented. These gaps are the breeding grounds for conflict.
The former president of the Cameroon Bar Council was equally firm that “such issues could be mitigated, only if the people choose their leaders under an organized federal structure, where the elected officials would be accountable to the governed, in a bottom-top approach to participatory governance”.
According to him, “since the government is fixed on its form of decentralization and the people are resolute in their quest for self-determination in whatever form, the only solution is a middle ground – a federation”
3 comments
An illusion is a physical or mental phenomena that is experiences even though it is not real.
I respect everybody opinion, and my opinion just as those of others are all nothing other that opinions and never the BIRTHRIGHTS of the people of Southern Cameroon.
At this point, we Southern Cameroonian must have already known what this struggle is about, and it is
– not about middle ground
– not for some one to give us the power to choose
– not about language
– not about liking or hating, feelings, emotions, wishes, hopes, faith, …
– not about separating, dividing a people as if they are not already
– …
Its is about the undisputable legal birthright, future, survival, of the Southern Cameroon peoples. nothing else. If one can not articulate this out of the mouth they should at least just talk about our hardship, not where we should be going.
Those who want a federation should explain to the people of Southern Cameroon how we Southern Cameroonians will be able to use federation to successfully stop LRC form
– switching off the internet,
– for raping our daughters,
– from taking over our economy, finances, …
– for occupying our motherland,
– controlling every thing of our lives,
Those in the front line of this struggle should be people of courage, people who reason on legal terms, well trained, determined, of no political affiliations, fearless, logically sound and complete.
It is impossible that by us Southern Cameroonians having our original statehood somehow automatically imposes us and LRC not to live and work together in peace.
As a matter a facts of which are what we are experiencing now, us Southern Cameroonians not having our original statehood is causing us to not live and work together peaceful with LRC and this is going to be exactly the case even with federation until we have our original statehood either with peace or by force.
Any other thing is just an illusion I’m not part of it.
We do not need any middle ground. All we are saying is ” we want to be free” . Secession is the answer.
No left, right or U-Turn and definitely, no freaking Middle ground.
I understand Ben has personal attachments and his family implication in LRC becasue his father was part of the problem and the people that put us in this mess in the first place. It even shocks me that this matter concerns him. IS he faking?
Ben Muna’s father was part of the people who allowed the appointment of foreigners from LRC like Mr. Patcha, into Southern Cameroon government when we separated from Enugu in the 60s. Mr. Patcha like Foncha is from Dschang in the foreign LRC, even though we ha qualified Southern Comeroonians who could fill the posts. The even had the audacity to name Patcha Sergeant at Arms, which is the equivalent of Minister of Defence. For foreigner from Dschang in LRC, this is just un-forgiven. We have been misled a lot and these fake people brandished themselves like Southern Cameroonians and when LRC want to show that they like us, who do they get to fill a post so they can say they employed a Southern Cameroonian, people like Patcha, Peter Esoka, Zachary Kwo, Njomo Kevin, (Eric Chinje?) etc.
The good thing is that, even a new born knows that Ben Muna IS NOT ONE OF OUR LEADERS.
Enough is Enough.
NO MORE. NO TURNING BACK. NO MIDDLE GROUND.