O Cameroon, Where is your soul?

By Arrey Obenson *** and edited by Innocent Chia

I have been pondering the words of the National Anthem of Cameroon for quite some time now.  It is true every word pays homage to the past, cherishes the present and inspires the future. These choice words were intended, rightfully so, to inspire citizens of Cameroon to become actors in the destiny of their beloved country, not mere spectators of it as the case arguably may be for the unhealthy majority. The words of the National anthem paint a picture in our minds of many who gave of their blood and sweat, of many who toiled for the independence and freedom our country – Cameroon. It is a painful regret that their dreams, now long forgotten, have been watered down by years of growing disregard to the sense of nationhood. 

As every pair of lips sings the anthem, a sense of pride is supposed to swell, consolidating our hope in the possibilities of a prosperous Cameroon. There is little doubt, however, that chanting away the hymn nowadays has become a painful reminder of how illusive prosperity has become to the people of Cameroon.  

Anyone who is of my generation, born in the mid-sixties to mid-seventies, who sang the words of the Cameroonian National anthem every morning at school, must have been looking forward to that hopeful and prosperous future.  After working towards it, it seems apparent the days of prosperity for our Cameroon have not come. As for looking ahead, hope flickers in the horizon like a candlelight in the wind - uncertain. Despair, a common currency in Cameroon, has taught many Cameroonians that we must make of our own destiny.

Bigger than Individuals - Change at Institutional levels

The destiny of Cameroonians must be one in which the justice emanates from the judiciary, a legislature that legislates and an executive that executes on the will of the people.  We must provide a voice to voiceless, bring comfort to the down trodden, provide an education that educates, a health care system that breeds healthiness; infrastructure that enhances economic growth and an economic system that leads to prosperity. 

Our founders gave their blood and sweat to give us independence. It is now our time to stand up to the call of history so that 50 years from today when our kids, grandkids and great grandkids chant the verses of our anthem, they will be proud of generations that made the words have meaning. Where we stand and how we act will greatly determine how history will judge us.

Yes, we have all become cynical about governance and politics. True, the last decades have been plagued by mismanagement, misappropriation, electoral fraud, nonchalance and complete lack of visionary of leadership. But as we look to the future, we cannot build the future of a people or a country on the whims of government leaders.

I speak not about individuals. The future of the Country is bigger than any one person. This is more than President Paul Biya (who has not pulled a new trick in 27 years). I speak of human Dignity and the respect of it or lack thereof. In the battle to conquer the future we must begin to recognize that the foundation of a civilized human society is the respect of every human being as being born equal and with inalienable rights.

The dignity of human existence gives right to good education, health care, good infrastructure (water, electricity, roads, high speed internet, social services). To hold the current Biya government accountable is to condemn an entire generation. To have any expectations of the regime is naïve and reckless. I do not wish that on my people. But as we acknowledge that 50 years of independence has been disastrous to the dreams of our founders we must reflect on the next 50 years. Is there reason to believe the near future will be better? I will be a fool hardly to think so.

I do not seek the victimization of the wrong or the vindication of the right. We must, however, learn from past, appreciate the present and be prepared to face the future challenges. How do we bring change to a country so degraded by a culture of corruption, disrespect for legality, and passiveness? 

Spectators must become players.

There comes a time in the history of a people when they must rise up to the call of history. Will we as a people be judged for taking action or failing to act? An answer to the question is that we can no longer afford to be spectators of our own destiny. It is the responsibility of each one of us, agents of change, to embark on educating our brothers and sisters, uncles and aunties, friends and foes, that a new beginning for Cameroon is possible. This new beginning is with each one of us accepting and assuming responsibility for change.

It involves bridging the gap between the haves and have-nots and making people believe in the possibility of a prosperous future. When people see the possibilities of a better life they will overcome their fears to speak out against the diabolism that surrounds them. Such responsibility for change falls squarely on the shoulders of those of us who have had exposure to what is possible when a people are educated about their rights and their responsibilities. Meaningful change is not about replacing Paul Biya as President of Cameroon (although it includes that). The Cameroonian society is so entrenched in its practices that whoever takes over in Cameroon will face unprecedented resistance in bringing that meaningful change.

We need to create a movement wherein we reach out to people of all professions, students, churches, tribal associations, chiefs, the Diaspora. In it, we must ensure everyone understands that meaningful change demands the acceptance of responsibilities and the active participation of all sectors of society. It is at that cost that we will be able build a prosperous future for future generations.

I have no illusions that brining meaningful change to Cameroon will be easy. I know it will be tough. But can it be achieved? I have no doubt. If we can be united in purpose - looking beyond short-term political interests, pecuniary gains, tribe or religion - Cameroon will prevail. For too long Cameroonians have been so divided, but at this intersection of our history we cannot afford to be torn apart by fictitious divides that only allow for prevalence by the unscrupulous few.  

The movement we must build has to be non-partisan; this is not the time for CPDM versus the SDF, or Anglophones versus Francophone, or Etones versus Bamilekes, or Bakweri versus Bayangi, women against men or Paul Biya versus Fru Ndi. This is about a people whose destiny is so inextricably linked that we must succeed united or fail divided. This movement should not be about who emerges as leader, but how we all come out better as a people. It is time for our people and people across Africa to understand that a nation is built on foundation of good character and citizenship, not nepotism and mediocrity.

If you are reading and think I sound naïve to dream of a harmonious future, I beg to differ. But I rather be called naïve, and dare to dream, than to be complacent to a country where human dignity is so degraded.  It has been said that the problems of the world cannot possibly be solved by skeptics or cynics whose horizons are limited by obvious realities…we need men and women who can dream of things that never were…and ask why not.  We must dream of Country that never was and ask why not.

With unfolding developments in North Africa and the Middle East, people may be forced to think change must only be accomplished by protest. I agree that civil disobedience is one way, but an educated nation is better than an excited mob. In our context, an educated nation has to do with a common purpose, as well as embracing and accepting responsibility for the future. It is time to begin to enlightening our people so when the time comes change will be embraced. As for those who chose to protest, I will stand by you, because you are doing something.

At this time in our history we cannot afford to be passive. We must do something, anything to change the course of our destiny to prosperous one.  I know many have said there is no price to peace. I say to them there is no peace without a price. The fear of price must not stifle our quest for a prosperous future. What we seek to preserve is not worth anything when measured against what we seek to build. With the prevailing Status quo I feel the voices of the masses cry “O Cameroon where art thou?” 
We must answer to this cry.

This is your call to action.  Educate one person today. Ask them to join the movement and you will be doing something. We all have rights. But more than your rights are your responsibilities to one another and, above all, to our Country. 

***The author, Arrey Obenson is JCI Executive Director for Growth and Development. He is also President of the United Nations Association of St. Louis in the United States. Born in Cameroon, this august key note speaker has become an inspirational brand in youth circles with the message that they need not wait on the rest of the world to make a difference. His "Power of One" impact forums empower young people across the globe to tap into their transformative abilities to make a difference in their communities and the world at large.

Comments

[Rose Ndile]

Arrey Obenson's message is more motivating than any message I've read during this period when Cameroonians are standing divided or seemingly undecided on what action to take in the break of the Wind of Change. It is a strong call that every Cameroonian in the diaspora should heed to.

I need to be in touch with this brother. He does not only give a definition of our responsibility to honor destiny's call but brings out a very non-partisan, non-ethnic stance that should unify all forward-looking Cameroonians if the cradle of our fathers and our responsibility to future generations means anything to us. His message defines responsibility that transcends social linkages and relations; a future founded on equal opportunities and shared aspirations.

I hope when this message will circulate, the conscience of all brothers will awaken to the call to action and the Movement for Change should finally become a moral duty, not simply the business of only those who want to see Paul Biya gone. It is a challenge that every Cameroonian should be ready to embrace, at a time when people are shedding off the chains of long-tenure dictatorship and economic stagnation.

My only problem with Obenson’s proposal is that he seems to think the time for change has yet to come, quote “… so when the time comes change will be embraced.” The time for change is Now. We cannot afford to let Biya run another election in our Country. He is sure to rig it and will be endorsed by the Chief Justice who is under his dictate, and that will be when a civil war (which we don’t hope for) will finally erupt, for he and his followers will argue that they won the election by 75% majority that only they determine. Do we all see the risk of non-action or passiveness at this time? We can no longer delay action. It’s not about getting up as excited mobs, but recognizing that we don’t have much time to start mobilizing into chapters of the movement in the various regions from where we currently exist and function.

The education process must start now and a clear action plan must get into place. We must organize, with a clear structure for the movement, clearly constituted chapters or teams with defined positions, roles and responsibilities. Our unified messages should be clearly spelt out of which Obenson’s message is a good motivational starting point. Yet we must acknowledge the need to start influencing all diplomatic, institutional and religious opinions to create the needed direction for this movement. Cameroonians will be educated in the process as we build the movement.

This is no longer the time to stay at the fence hoping that someone else will take the lead. We should all try to lead and follow at the same time. Eventually we’re going to identify the strongest leaders from amongst the leaders, who will eventually take responsibility for the next journey. Cameroonians should stop being scared of even Biya’s shadow. Everyone is suspecting everyone else as being on Paul Biya’s payroll. Should Paul Biya’s payroll matter now? Even those people will surely follow the movement the moment it’s underway for no one will choose to be left out when History is being made.

So to brother Obenson I say you’re welcome to Massachusetts any time you’re ready for us to meet with the community here. You’re already one of our true future leaders. I endorse your leadership and look forward to working with you to build this movement for Change for the future of our Country Cameroon.

Rose Ndille

Massachusetts

[china boy]

True,the time for change is now.what is lacking amongst us cameroonians is that we dont love our country.cameroonians are not patroitic.so many times i have seen cameroonians even deny being cameroonians.some of us in the diasporra dont even think of visiting home once we are out of our beloved fatherland.how then can we care of what the future holds for our country?most of the time what borders us is the francophone anglophone divide and forget what matters the most.out of the millions of our country men and women who are working and living in the diasporr a,i wonder how many of us in the diasporra think about investing back home.where do we want growth to come from,when we ourselves dont do our part to make our country what we want it to be.when i look at the resources the chinese peoples of the diasporra bring back to the land of their ancestors it makes me sometimes think being a cameroonian is regretable.some of us in the diasporra have families here with us ,some of our children dont even know where home is.what i am saying is that our mentality as cameroonians must change,we must be patroitic,we must be proud to be cameroonians.Every year chinese of the diasporra return to the land of their ancestors to contribute either ideas or reources to better build or develop their country.Today we see china one of the biggest economy in the world,thanks to their being patroitic and home sick.i know of class mates and relatives who have been in the diasporra for over thirty to fourthy years without having comeback or have anything to do with cameroon.Actions they say is better than words,how many of us in the diasporra have been able to contact international organisations to lay our problems and complains in regards to what is going on in our fatherland?yet we call on our brothers and sisters back home to go to the streets to demonstrate against paul biya.Those of us in the diasporra who have lots of experiences as a result of our travelling abroad must always be going home to share the knowledge we have gained with our peoples at home.When i was a little primary school kid i remember many of our relatives and freinds where sent abroad through scholarship to gain knowledge and comeback home and develop our fatherland,how many returned after gaining the knowlege paid by our fathers taxes?many stayed behind in the diasporra.now is the time that every single cameroonain should examine his or her conscience and ask John F Kennedys question,(ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY HAS DONE FOR YOU BUT WHAT YOU DONE FOR YOUR COUNTRY).So it is time for us to start doing something for our country.cameroonians now is the time to act.

[Nana mike a.k.a Chairman]

Wile you try to look at the Cameroon anthem, you should have known that things changed when the motto of Cameroon changed. It used to be
PEACE -WORK-FATHERLAND
Now it changed to:
WORK - IN -FATHERLAND -WITHOUT- PEACE

just my view
mike

[Marylyn Obenson]

Very well written Arrey, together we can bring change to our country Cameroon. One step at a time and like President Obama said " YES WE CAN", we definitely can.

[Abakwa Boy]

Great piece by mr Obenson but I would like to indicate that the call for action and the need for change is now but his post didn't really outline required steps, except the call to intelligence and unity. Sometime those will work but like the situation in which cameroon finds itself in now, I wonder how far reaching will our civil and calculated discourse take us.

Its a good call to unite above groups and factions and it kills me why cameroonians will look for division eventhough more than 80% of them don't directly profit from the cause they support or segregate for. Ethnic, language, religion and political differences are the things that are keeping us from uniting and is a tool derieved for that same purpose.

Mr Obenson I agree with your ideas and path but we need more clarification how we can put this into action and how to mobilize and get the masses interested because even though mop action is not what I will like, we are running out of time and the situaton is only getting worse.

[Ahijo]

I wish this message gets to a majority of Cameroonians. He need action at home. Nothing will change if we write and speak eloquently abroad or on the Internet knowing the situation back home. An impact is created in the village square, markets and different neighborhoods.

[Blaise Tintong]

Great piece here Mr. Arrey. Although your message does not call for the action some readers want to see, I believe that by just writing this piece you are already acting out your convictions. This is time for action!, and action is by each one of us doing things like this in our fields of influence with the goal of making Cameroon a better place. Cameroonians abroad have become too cynical and opinionated in such a way that it hinders unity in diversity. I am a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ and a business consultant, but I appreciate the efforts and contributions of people like Mr. Arrey Obenson, Mr. Innocent Chia, and others; even though I will approach things a little different from them. It is important that we see the best in peoples' efforts and then complement them by taking positive steps in our individual fields, resulting in the greater good of our beloved country, Cameroon. Together we can make a difference! God bless you.

[aken aten]

See, this is the reason why i really get upset at time!
The last 50 years have been the most exciting for Cameroon. It is quite clear that if it was not the case this young man would still be hunting behind Mt Cameroon as my uncles once did!
Rather than that Um Nyobe was heard in the UN general aessembly session, Cameroonian lived in peace in Guinea and Mbango was crowned the best in her sporting exercise!!!
But behind the empty message one sentence amost killed me: "We must dream of Country that never was and ask why not"!
Such petiness should be avoided!
Being Cameroonian is not the first trick placed in us by the white man! wheren't we before Camaroes-nian or better as my UPC pals like to call themselves from theirs parisian exile KAMEROONIAN'S???
Strangely enough I read this mail the day of the return of Jean Bernard Aristide in Haiti from his exhile in South Africa!
I am told he hasn't got whiter and he speaks perfectly Zulu NOW!!!

Maybe our "inspirational" Arrey Obenson should try the same vacation spot! He might discover what Zulu and Haitian are brothers and the complete irrelevance of speaking about the future of a non entity such as cameroon whilst african worlwide are united behind ourstronger and fastest growing nation ....................................AROUND THE WORLD!

Enjoy!

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