Monthly Archives: January 2016

Please don’t ask me whether I am a “Francophone” or an “Anglophone”

English, Social

Whenever and wherever a person of Cameroonian origin introduces him/herself to new people, the question that arises immediately is know whether the person is an “Anglophone” or a “Francophone”.

Please do not ask me that question anymore, because I am none of these categories. My ancestors, staring from those I personally such as my maternal great and grandparents did not speak any of these languages.  Yes, my father received a French education in Dakar as a “Médecin africain”, as well as his father transitioning from a German to a French education and becoming a nurse, primary school teacher and clerk in a  business. But I refuse to define my own identity through that of someone else. Who by the way forcefully imposed himself into my History. If or when Germans, British and French people will start define themselves through the identity of people and countries they dominated, then I will reciprocate.  Until then, please do not ask me this infamous question anymore. All Cameroonians are either Bantu, semi-Bantu or Sudanese people. Full stop. Nothing more, nothing less.

The easiest and best paid job in the world

Français, Governance

Do you want to become rich, famous, extremely well paid, not accountable to any (mostly your share and main stakeholders( but only to your close family members and circumstantial allies?  Become a Head of State in one of fewer and fewer African countries. That’s the way they are perceived and act. To the detriment of most people in these countries, apart from a selected list of cronies, family members, national and international opportunists and their networks, etc. Taking into consideration the state in which their countries linger, without decent public policies which involve good transportation infrastructures by roads, rail, air, water, affordable social housing programs, urban and rural facilities, hospitals, schools, armies, utilities, even economies.

One can access this position by any means (Coup d’état, fraudulent and untrustworthy elections, intrigues, quasi dynastic successions, etc.),  keep it for decades, doing nothing and not being accountable to anyone in the World.

Nkurunziza contre tous et toutes

Français, Governance

Plus de 400 morts depuis avril dernier,  causées par son interprétation particulière des Accords d’Arusha de 2003 sur la paix et la sécurité au Burundi, une quasi déclaration de guerre contre une bonne partie de son propre peuple, qui vote maintenant avec ses pieds en prenant les chemins de l’exil dans des pays voisins.  Ensuite et pratiquement d’autres declarations de guerre ou de l’hostilité manifeste contre la société civile, les médias de son pays, certains des pays voisins, contre la Belgique – ancienne puissance tutrice – contre l’Union Européenne, contre les États-Unis, contre l’Union africaine et finalement contre les 15 membres du Conseil de Sécurité, y compris les 5 permanents. Qui lui reste-t-il comme allies?

“Les dieux rendent fous ceux qu’ils veulent perdre” a énoncé la sagesse grecque antique. Et un dicton de chez moi d’indiquer que “Dieu n’est pas un fou”.

En dehors des Nwamitwe et autres consorts, Nkurunziza est vraiment seul contre tous et toutes, sinon plusieurs acteurs determinants dans la vie de son pays. Hélas pour les Barundi et les Barundikazi!

The Mandela that I admire

Français

Now that dust has settled on his earthly qualities and some start to put into question his true  legacy, I modestly hereby would like to add my simple thoughts to this legacy, taking into consideration the man’s enduring gift to Africa. While many African Heads of State fight to their nails to extend their mandates at the helm of their country without showing any concrete results achieved towards their people’s wellbeing and without having fought for their country’s freedom even for one day, Mandela is the one who fought for his people and country’s freedom for 27 years.  Then he was head of State for 4 years only. Other at best fought for 4 years and then keep the highest position in their land for 27, 40 if not 50 years….