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But as would be expected, some people either out of error or design will instead rush to interpret this as proof of his willingness to bring Anglophones into the fold of the government or leadership of the Republic of Cameroon as intended by the sprit of the October 14, 1960 Joint Declaration and Joint Communiqué by Foncha and Ahidjo which embodied the Union Agreements for a Federation of two States of Equal Status.
If this were the case, Anglophones would join Inoni in anticipating the prospect of him one day succeeding Biya as head of state of the Republic of Cameroon. Unfortunately this can just be hopeless wishful thinking. Why? Because the main objective of this appointment is nothing more than a scheme by Biya’s leadership to divert public attention from the Anglophone Problem especially at a time when the issue is beginning to get proper international recognition as shown by the recent attention paid to it at the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights (ACHPR). Even the opportunistic promises recently made by Ndam Njoya, Jean Jack Ekindi and Djeukam Tchameni, all Francophone presidential aspirants in the October 11 2004 Presidential Election to address the issue, is further testimony of this.
This appointment is reminiscent of the 1992 appointment of Achidi Achu, which was made to counter the inroads that Fru Ndi and the SDF to which most Anglophones sympathise with, were making on Biya and the CPDM. It was for the same reason that Musonge another Anglophone was appointed to replace him in 1996.
It is therefore not surprising that both of them either during or after their reign as PM, have never publicly identified themselves with the Angophone Problem or even acknowledged its existence.
This also explains why contrary to all expectations, in spite of the combined 12 years that the premiership was under their stewardship, very little consideration was given to priority projects based in Southern Cameroons such as the Limbe deep sea port, the ring road or even the concerns of the Bakweris about their ancestral land.
And now there still exist concrete cases of injustice against Anglophones such as the attribution to Francophones majority of Commonwealth scholarships awarded to Cameroon whereas all Francophonie scholarships go to Francophones. Or the case of recent recruitment of police where out of 8000 constables, less than 5% were Anglophones and out of 1535 inspectors only 135 were Anglophones.
Against this background there will be nothing for Anglophones to look forward to from Inoni’s premiership. On reason to believe that things will not improve is that Biya is showing no signs of bringing aspects of the Anglophone problem to mend. His recent actions instead tell a different story. His December 8 cabinet reshuffle for example is evidence of this.
Analysis of this reshuffle reveal that Anglophones did loss three of the few ministerial positions they occupied and now constitute just about 5.4% of the 65 cabinet positions. Also, in forwarding the text about this government to CRTV only in French just exemplifies his long-standing disrespect for Anglophones. Even his latest New Year address to the nation brings no hope.
If Achidi Achu and Musonge who prior their respective appointments presumably had firsthand experience of aspects of the Anglophone Problem (the former was living amongst his folks in Santa-Bamenda while the latter was living in Limbe as GM of CDC), were reluctant to address these problems, what should we expect from someone like Inoni who has spent the most part of his political career directly at the service of Biya and whose appointment comes as a reward for his loyalty to the Biya system.
Nothing! Many Southern Cameroonians see him simply as another blossom flower that will soon wither and fall to join the likes of Foncha, Muna, Fonca Shang (remember him?), Achidi Achu and Musonge, all of whom have had their day in the leadership of the Republic of Cameroon.
But before he gets to that point, one thing is certain. Like his predecessors, he will surely be going around enjoying the adulation of some well wishers and bootlickers and making vain promises to whoever cares to listen to him, while determined Southern Cameroonians will continue to sought more ways to accentuate the struggle. After all, this struggle for self-determination cannot be scaled down because of the passage of a few frontline anglophone politicians in the Republic of Cameroon.
By Roland Bup,
Great Britain
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