The truth is difficult to assimilate, but it must be told for only the truth can set us free. There has been a lot of talks regarding the so-called divide between the peoples of North West and South West regions of Southern Cameroons. Political pundits say the Biya regime has used it to his advantage to drive home his agenda. We all know that the only legitimate opposition to Mr. Biya is the Unity between the Anglophones call it Southern Cameroonians. But what is the truth on the ground?

The truth is that we don’t want the so-called NW or SW divide, but it exists. It is not only a perception problem but it does exist. Most of us in many situations have experienced this seemingly divides between the two peoples of Southern Cameroons. When I was in UB, some people used to say I am northwest in theory and southwest in practice .I have suffered this NW/SW divide also but I made it a duty a long time ago that the issue of NW or SW should never ever guard my thinking. In UB though most lecturers are from the Northern zones, one could see clearly some stocks of tribalism between the two peoples. There is a very glaring issue of tribalism in UB in most ramifications. In many workplaces, a Northwest or Southwest man/woman would prefer to confide with somebody from another region against his fellow brother/sister because of tribalism and lack of trust. The two peoples seem to have mistrust on each other.

If Southern Cameroons must be united, the SCNC as the legal mouthpiece of restoring independence must create a foundation to deal away with this fright of Northwest dominance. A typical southwest guy fears the existence of an independent Southern Cameroons because of the fear of a Northwest dominance. I can boldly state that, this is one of Stanley Eyongetta’s, a former UBSU Chairman and Anglophone Cameroon activist argument of not supporting the independence drive, he wants the issue of tribalism to be tackled before talking of Southern Cameroons independence but to me these issues can be tackled based on the constitution that will be drafted. This should be a concrete foundation to deal with the fear.

I think what the SCNC should now be selling to Southern Cameroonians should be revolving around how the new state will look like, a structure .There should be a vigorous campaign like how Dr. Nfor N Susungi does with pictures. SCNC should have a proposed constitution, structure and put up for people to see and debates, this could lead to an honest opinion on how to moderate the structures. Most people don’t see this, they want to know how the future state will look like .This is where Southerners come in. They are afraid of a state where they will be treated the same way the Francophones treats the Anglophones now.

SCNC Cameroon, the mother chapter should have by now a Facebook account.I am not talking about any SCNC Facebook opened by militants.The SCNC government should have an official Facebook account with all updates on where the movement is currently doing, where the movement is going, recent arrest like that of its militants should first come on the wall.The Facebook account should be a major tool to sell its ideas to win more people.The communication departments of the SCNC need to be radical and vigorous in selling out information to the people. But most people don’t see a structure, they don’t see a proposed constitution, they don’t see a proposed manner in which resources would be shared between both peoples, they don’t see how the political system would look like.They want to know about currency, military. All these must have been written in a big book somewhere, bring these out from the big books from where it has been written, chop it in pieces to the public and let the public see how the rights of both Northwest and Southwest people would be guaranteed in the new state.

Aware that even the most organize political system in the world got issues with cracks, but as human, we are called upon to continuously fix these cracks. Southern Cameroons independence would take that steam once we have a united front of both Southerners and Northerners. Until Southern Cameroonians begin to see these issues, then the struggle shall remain a bite and blow syndrome.

God bless the Southern Cameroons.

God is still saying something.