THIS MY CRITICAL PEN:

Imagine a Cameroon without Biya!

By Sylvanus Ezieh Acha’ana 

I can’t recall the number of times I have perceived a Cameroon without President Biya. Each time I do, I perceive a democratic country, a free society where people move around and criticize anything worth criticising with no fear of any intimidation; a society void of Ping-Pongs who style themselves party stalwarts and who stray around creating rumpus in the name of praise-singing; I perceive a society where young people reject offers to fly abroad for studies or job opportunities because they find comfort at home with jobs of mouth watery salaries; I also perceive a society where university graduates freely access into public professional institutions corruption-free.

I as well visualise a country with true boulevards like those beaming in neighbouring Equatorial Guinea, the influx of globetrotters streaming into the country to invest as a result of a corruption-free environment and above all the roaring sounds of engines in heavy industries signalling the emergence of an emerging nation.

But behold, each time I find myself in this hallucinating state, I always end up in groans and moans, holding my head in my hands and lamenting why I even had to think towards that direction in the first place; probably because these amenities are farfetched in Paul Biya’s Cameroon.

In short, only a mad person should dream such dreams in a Cameroon with Paul Biya. Perhaps, that is why I could only dream of them in a Cameroon without Paul Biya. I hear one noisy people singing the potentate’s silly song of emergence in 2035; God forbid! I am not being pessimistic of farfetched expectations anyway. Rather I am indignant over pretentious political sloganeering.

Mr. Biya and his bandwagon no doubt have the right to think big, to propagate political catchphrases, but what they are not entitled to is to fool around with the consciences of compliant Cameroonians. In essence, Biya and his song-birds know very well that Cameroon as it stands can never emerge in 2035. But his bare-faced followers continue to create furore here and there of a booming economy in some 25 years or so to come.

Who are they fooling? Me? Of course I think not. May the heavens crinkle their plans for all they care; if deceit pertains part of their intentions! In 1982 when Mr. Biya took over the reigns of power on a platter of gold, the economic growth rate stood at 2%; 32 years later, the percentage continues to tiptoe almost at the same place. 32 years I mean.

Children who were born 32 years ago, ardent of some glamorous glory (needless reminding you that I’m one) are now married with children, some even threatening to have grand children. Yet our man’s only accomplishments have been twirling around grandiloquent slogans; from New Deal in 1985 to Greater Achievements in 2004 and now Emergence in 2035. Giggle, Hahaha!

For 32 years, we couldn’t build a single football stadium, for 32 years, we couldn’t construct a single dual carriage highway, for 32 years, we couldn’t build a single railway line, for 32 years regional airports have slumped, for 32 years, we have won corruption trophies several times; yet we hope for an emerging Cameroon in 2035. Can someone tell me, by what miracle?

 It’s true we need to sustain the peace that prevails now. But philosophers say “If you want peace, be prepared for war.” I am not a war monger, far from that. But get this right: it took the people of South Africa hard times and raw courage to trigger the resignation of the ruthless apartheid regime. Today, South Africa is a reference in Africa. Ghana could not have been what it is today without the famous rebellion which forced Nkruma out of power to pave the way for open democracy, Tanzania and a handful of other thriving African nations underwent similar huddles, what about Cameroon?