The South West risks nothing backing Ayah
Perhaps I should refer South Westerners and Northwesterners to the website of the Presidency (all searches on Cameroon take you to the Presidency), the sections on "realisations" (French) which lists Paul Biya's accomplishments in 28 years:
What SWELA and SWECC think they want sorts of answers the first of two very important questions which a group of people aiming to accomplish something must always ask themselves and answer:
- What are we trying to accomplish?
- What is the most effective way to do it?
For a long time now, SW elites have preyed on the naivete and the blur (for instance no one knows how much a minister in Cameroon makes) created by the regime in place to create for themselves, family and close followers, wealth and significance. The children of these "old guards" benefiting from contacts, contracts, and a familiar name have used this edge to craft for themselves some kind of prominence.
For all their importance, opulence and significance, the South West elite has always been without any real significance when it comes to the power axis in Cameroon. My conclusion stems from the recent meeting in Buea, that farce through which a motion of support for Paul Barthelemy Bi Mvondo Biya, crafted by "some" elites was to emanate and jammed down the throats of the mendicant populace. It seemed not to have happened, but it will, either through a communique from SWELA or SWECC or both. Wait and see.
The main axis of power include the West province that detains the wealth and population; idem the big North in addition to considerable influence guaranteed by the first President, Ahidjo in his 23-yr presidency; the big South (East, South and Center) provinces that currently hold the power and can call to the table whoever they deem is a strategic partner. The North West province enjoys a unique position guaranteed by two things: population that could easily extend to the grassfields (with cultural and linguistic sympathies from the West and SW Provinces respectively) and a history/culture of agitation/opposition to the government. The Littoral and South West, together could enjoy and form a significant block, but the cosmopolitan Douala and to a certain extent, Edea have placed the Littoral in a very centric position in Cameroon. In fact, Douala is the near-perfect example of what Cameroon should be. This regrettably for the Littoral elites puts the Littoral in a position where it cannot count on its vast population to wield power.
The South West, alongside the East province of Cameroon have hitherto been the the least of Biya's worries. He has done very well in elections, loosing only the parliamentary elections in 1992. A closer look however at what the South West has to offer in terms of potential, reveals that it is an economic giant and all the other provinces pale in comparison. As a matter of fact, today, the South West province is the ONLY province that will fare very well if left to its own devices. The SW for a quick reminder has:
- the oil refinery that the current regime has failed to disclose proceeds from time and again.
- corporations that combined are second only to the government in employment: the CDC and PAMOL.
- a deep sea port, more natural and consequently less expensive to run that the Douala seaport.
- forests that have supplied the nation with considerable revenue.
- an agriculture that has supplied the nation with coffee, coacoa, banana, garri, and ....
- airports, which if opened and developed, can serve the needs of its population: Tiko and to a certain extent Besongabang.
- even more potential in the Bakassi peninsula.
- a border point at Eyumojock which has significant, potential to generate revenue from taxes and customs fees.
- hardworking people with excellent management experiences.
The technique pursued was positions rather than strongholds of influence. It is a proclivity for them to spell out the need for sons and daughters of a particular region to be promoted to positions of influence(see their demands above). The underlying connotation here is the empowerment of the grantor, the government, and the enslavement of the grantee, the SW people. King and subjects, you get it? Tell me, who should be the subject: Biya or the SW province. Who needs who (what)?
The question begs to be asked: do communities really benefit from having their sons and daughters in positions of influence? That is a debate that I'll likely lose in many quarters, but one I'll entertain nonetheless. The South West has had ministers (and prime minsters!) in charge of the affairs of the nation, but under the watch of these people, the SW has still lacked roads, and all the other things they mentioned themselves in the quote above, and this is after 50 yrs of independence and 28 years of a Biya dictatorship. Let's face it, besides a near stardom status in a country where avenues for excellence are rare, SW politicians are really meaningful only to their families.
Let's consider a hypothetical situation in which the SW boycotted the government, and all who hold positions of responsibility turned them down. They then hold a meeting and invite the President of the Republic to COME and hear what they want? What would happen? Well, in the first place it is silly to think such a thing could happen, right? Lets persist in this obstinacy: I presume there will be panic in the first place. Secondly they will be accused of treason even though they would have done nothing wrong. Curiously though, I think, they will be in control. The SW will be held in awe. Think about it, the SW will have NOBODY in a leadership position and yet it will be able to negotiate from a position of strength. The President could of course fill those positions with other deserving sons and daughters of other provinces, but can the nation function without the input of one of its provinces, especially one like the SW? By the way, the moment such venom (what else could it be?) spills out of a secessionist's (who else could be so insane?) mouth, the phones will start ringing treason and the callers will be none other than SWesterners in a scurry to curry favours from Etoudi.
What the SWP (and any other province) needs:
- Control and autonomy (decentralization).
- And or a strong candidate with proven moral values like Ayah Paul.
Through a federated system (that Ayah Paul endorses and seeks to implement once elected), where governors are elected and all services are decentralized, no one will need to leave Akwaya to go to Yaounde to "follow" documents. The State/Provincial/Regional government will be in charge of education, social services, traffic enforcement, transportation, recruiting needed manpower, etc. Example of a problem: teachers, upon graduating from school are posted on personal preferences through a complicated web of kickbacks/marriage/political leaning, etc. As a consequence, while enclaved areas have no teachers, Yaounde and all other big cities have gents and ladies who seem to be employed by the governemnt on a part time basis. Some of them have no classrooms, don't teach and are paid. A simple fix will be for the Provinces to advertise the positions they need so that anyone going into that field knows upfront where the job they seek is available. C'est pas sorcier! If you don't want to go to Djoum, for instance, don't apply for the job that is advertised for Djoum.
Sometimes I wonder how anglophones who have proven managerial competence have coped in a dungeon of waste like Cameroon. Do Cameroonians know that only at the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon, there are 17 minsters?! Seventeen: three at the Presidential Secretariat, 4 in charge of missions, and 10 minister delegates. They are listed as "close collaborators" of the President. If you add the other ministries (37) and everyone else with the title/rank of "minister", secretaries of state (deputy minsters) you could possibly end up with something like 75-100! Don't forget to add the former ministers who still earn ministers' salaries either as PCA (Board chairman of state corporations) or some other blurry position. How do Cameroonians feel when they know that unemplyment is at 30%, underemployment is at 67% and some generals and ministers in their 80s and 70s are still holding on to what now rightfully belongs to them?
When will the proverbial torch be touched by the youth of Cameroon?
I have been reading manifestoes, and politicians' plans of action, none has ever come out with full articulation on the vision for Cameroon Ayah Paul has outlined "My vision...nation". Southwesterners should embrace Paul Ayah, because his common sense vision is simple and above all espouses the very excellence and performance that the SW yearns for and deservingly. His plan to reduce government waste should appeal to the no-nonsense style of management that has made anglophones attractive as managers.
For the SW, the simple empowerment that knowledge of the government's processes brings is really teasing. Imagine knowing how much a minister, President, director makes. Imagine knowing how much revenue comes from our natural resources, knowing where that money is spent and being able to influence that ... imagine.
So what do South Westerners risk backing and voting Ayah Paul?
http://www.prc.cm/
postwebedition.com/Content.aspx?ModuleID=1&ItemID=5149
http://ayahpaul.net/
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