a écrit le 26 novembre 2016 à 7h06 To @TPO (contd)
Is it normal that I arrive Cameroon, present my passport to and immigration official and respond to his questions in English and the official tells me off that I am in Cameroon so I have to speak French?
Before you start comparing these experiences with those of people from various ethnic groups, I would like to remind you that the so-called 'Anglophone' is not an ethnic group. These are people who were administered as a separate state, with a separate structure and obtained a separate independence (1961) - through which they chose to re-unite with already independent French Cameroon. The basis of that reunion was that they would keep the structural and cultural heritage while seeking to further unite. Note that there is a part of former German Cameroon which was administered by Britain that chose to join Nigeria.
While all Cameroonians feel the wieight of the ineptitude of our leadership for over 50 years, kindly note that there is a difference for those of them who clearly feel they were a separate state. All the Goverment has to do is listen, dialogue and seek ways of working things out. When they ignore issues, things fester and we end up with rotten situations like what has been happening in the past week.
Most so-called Anglophones desire to be Cameroonian citizens. But if every time they seek to make a claim, they are ignored, hushed, quashed, or ridiculed - it becomes easier to plant the seed of separation in their minds.
We are one country, working towards nationhood; however just like we are all humans but differs in shape, size and melanin quantity; so too are we different as Cameroonians. We must learn to listen to each other and accept that others are different in order to make that nation-state work.
Is it normal that I arrive Cameroon, present my passport to and immigration official and respond to his questions in English and the official tells me off that I am in Cameroon so I have to speak French?
Before you start comparing these experiences with those of people from various ethnic groups, I would like to remind you that the so-called 'Anglophone' is not an ethnic group. These are people who were administered as a separate state, with a separate structure and obtained a separate independence (1961) - through which they chose to re-unite with already independent French Cameroon. The basis of that reunion was that they would keep the structural and cultural heritage while seeking to further unite. Note that there is a part of former German Cameroon which was administered by Britain that chose to join Nigeria.
While all Cameroonians feel the wieight of the ineptitude of our leadership for over 50 years, kindly note that there is a difference for those of them who clearly feel they were a separate state. All the Goverment has to do is listen, dialogue and seek ways of working things out. When they ignore issues, things fester and we end up with rotten situations like what has been happening in the past week.
Most so-called Anglophones desire to be Cameroonian citizens. But if every time they seek to make a claim, they are ignored, hushed, quashed, or ridiculed - it becomes easier to plant the seed of separation in their minds.
We are one country, working towards nationhood; however just like we are all humans but differs in shape, size and melanin quantity; so too are we different as Cameroonians. We must learn to listen to each other and accept that others are different in order to make that nation-state work.
