Can Cameroon repeat February 2008? Can a revolution succeed today?

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If you watch the news you must be excited, that is if you are on the side of the oppressed, by the trending fall of dictators around the world and especially in North Africa. By the way, I define dictators as anyone has been elected to be at the helm of a country for more than 3 consecutive terms. While Egypt has given hope to some Arab populations suffering from the grip of tyranny and dictatorship, it will be too risqué to make a syllogistic argument in favor of any kind of insurrection in Cameroon. What is different (from a layman's standpoint) between Cameroon and Egypt? In other words, can a revolution that was cooked in Egypt be consumed in Cameroon?

My answer is NO.

Lack of common language
Cameroon is split into two main big factions, anglophone and francophone. The language barrier stops most Cameroonians from communicating clearly their vision, objectives, etc. This has made Cameroon to seem like two countries in one. How to overcome this problem... maybe the use of pidgin, but again...

Lack of a unified purpose
It can easily be discerned that in Egypt, the people wanted Mubarak out, period. This sense of a unified purpose coupled with an equally unifying religion, Islam, brought the people together. Even the few Christians were very united with their Muslim brothers and sisters. They watched while their muslim brothers/sisters prayed. Cameroon lacks that sense of togetherness. Most people are a blend of varying hidden agendas. Some want to use the opportunity to loot, some are genuine in their quest for change and yet others still are in a self-serving quest, looking for something that will propel them into the limelight and influence.

Lack of a well-trained military
The disappearance of the police force in the Egyptian revolution brought the army into play. In Egypt as in Cameroon the army is a well fed monster whose every whim and caprice is respected by the dictators so that they (the dictators) can feel secure. Paul Biya never cut the salary of the armed forces in Cameroon, when the salaries of all public servants were cut in the early 90s. Contrary to the Egyptian military, the Cameroon military is overzealous, immature and sometimes outrightly scared. Examples of the military's incompetence (inability to protect the people of Cameroon) can be seen through the number of deaths that occurred through the use of live bullets. At least 500 people have lost their lives between 1990 and today, all through the debonair and ruffian Cameroon military. The Egyptian military shone by example. The solution here is a ridiculous one as it prescribes the government to restrain the armed forces from attacking the population when they have no motivation to do so. The military can also take the initiative that we have seen in many African countries (Liybya very recently) not to obey orders that require that they shoot the civilian population. Afterall, shooting into a crowd is like playing Russian roulette with your own life in such situations.

Lack of persistence
The Egyptian experience lasted over two weeks. In Libya, unconfirmed reports put the figure of civilians killed at over 300. The Cameroonian bloodshed will go on for a longer period. With the military out to shoot and kill, the population can easily be scared into submission even if they succeed in getting their project "Biya must go" off the ground.

Laziness:
Cameroonians are not used to working hard for things. A workday in Cameroon for the most part is about 5 hrs of work (and I am generous here) inter spaced with frequent trips to stores to drink a beer and eat pepper soup. Only a few can be counted on and these few cannot by themselves sustain the bulk of the revolution. The rest of us Cameroonians are a whining-dining-wining bunch who worship the bottle, any bottle that contains liquor in it. We are the population that will sell a vote for CFA 2,000 ($4), just to buy a bottle of beer. We are the population whose salary was cut, money devalued, and we still carried motions of support for the person who did it. Yes, we are the ones who have betrayed ourselves. Does this sound familiar "On va faire comment?"

Lack of leadership
In Egypt, there were no leaders apparently, but on close observation, there were two leaders: the strong desire to be free of a dictator and their religion. When it was time for prayer, Religion led the way and brought everyone together, and when it was time for action, the urgency to be free pushed everyone forward. Cameroon's leaders have compromised themselves one way or the other. The opposition has little credibility today. A lot of them showed impatience and revealed their real intentions as one by one, they accepted ministerial positions, shut their mouths and filled their pockets. These people lack the patience and ideals to lead as they allowed themselves to be led by their appetite for material.

Lastly, Cameroonians have an over-bloated preservation instinct. Not a bad thing, but not good for a revolution

I hope I am wrong.


Comments

Felix Anoma said…
You are so right...comparing Cameroon to Egypt is akin to comparing apples and oranges.
February 21, 2011 at 9:43 PM
Patrick Fohneng Seh said…
Ithink this is a fair image of what Cameroonians are. My greatest fear is that innocent people will be sent into the streets only to be massacred by security forces that are ultra loyal to Paul Biya. We lack courage and perseverance.
February 22, 2011 at 7:27 AM
Anonymous said…
you are neither right nor wrong, any body who thinks people should go on the street should come to "pays" alongside their children, they infront and their children behind them to start whatever they are cooking, the only way to govern a country is through the ballot, but if political party leaders are asking people not to vote then what do they want to change, they themselves should leave being leaders of their parties afterall they too have been leaders for almost twenty years or so, is that not also dictatorship among their ranks?
February 23, 2011 at 1:34 PM
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