The struggle to dismantle the French-imposed system and the Biya regime is winnable. And this quest for change is a continuation of Cameroon's civic-nationalist struggle that began in the late 1940s, which is broad-based and devoid of illusions. The most that any other struggle can achieve is a stalemate (military-wise) that in reality would sustain the system even in the absence of Paul Biya, give it some life for a while, even though it would be less effective in governing Cameroon, especially Anglophone Cameroon. Meanwhile, it would be devastating for Anglophone Cameroon.
So any strategy that advocates of change come up with should be geared towards a broad alliance and a link with reality (taking into account Cameroonian and world realities). Unfortunately, world realities are things most Cameroonians, especially the leadership for an independent Anglophone Cameroon, or what was former West Cameroon, the former British Southern Cameroons, and the former German Südwesten Kamerun (to be called Ambazonia) are naive about. I am beginning to see a dawning realization though. German Kamerun was considered and treated as a conquered territory by the Western powers, and none of them appreciated the Kamerunian civic-nationalist ideal of reunification, much less the audacity to pick up arms against one of them ("The Gods"). All of the Western powers conditioned by their dread of the Soviet Union (USSR) and communism, thought Cameroonians leaned towards the East. And they are allies who will always stick together.
The question for Cameroonians dehumanized by the six-decade French-imposed system and the dictatorships of their puppets Ahmadou Ahidjo (Prime Minister from 1958-1960 and president or Head of State from 1960-1982) and Paul Biya (1972-1982 as Prime Minister and 1982- today as president or Head of State) is:
- How can Cameroonians rebuild the broad-based alliance against the system, a braoad-based alliance that was accomplished in the early 1990s, when civic-nationalists who before had identified with the UPC, joined the SDF and made it a national civic-nationalist party that fully embraced the dream of the "NEW CAMEROON", the "New Cameroon" dream that fueled the UPC struggle against France and its puppet Ahidjo, the "New Cameroon" dream that fired the imaginations of KNDP, OK, etc. into campaigning and voting for reunification, the civic-nationalist path that continued rejecting the Ahidjo and Biya regimes (The French-imposed system) even after UPC, KNDP, SDF etc. renegades conciliated with the system, making them accomplices as the system continues leading Cameroon into the abyss?
- How can Cameroonians rebuild that broad-based national alliance that is instinctively Cameroonian and that strives to build the New Cameroon which would take into account the Hopes, Dreams, Reservations, Fears, Concerns, and Strengths of the different peoples of Cameroon, while heeding the threats (internal and external) confronting our heavily traumatized country--- a demanding task per se that is Cameroon's only bargain with the future?
- And how do the advocates for change then work together to dismantle the system and build the "New Cameroon" that began in 1910 as a cause led by Martin Paul Samba and Rudolf Douala Manga Bell, a cause that is in its fourth phase after three unsuccessful attempts, all thwarted by foreign powers lording it over Cameroon?
And the sooner those who believe they are equipped to lead realize that, then the better for themselves and Cameroonians. That realization would be a psycho-social advancement very few who claim leadership qualities can ascend to.
