What Cameroon?
It is fundamental that we should define a powerful ideal for Cameroon, meaningful symbols, rooted in the depth of our culture, that will bring Cameroonians together and to which Cameroonians will be able to identify themselves with. Does the shape of the beloved country imitate a woman? A woman with a scarf on? Or should we rather see a nourishing mother? A beautiful woman? What name we should give her: aïssatou? Nyango? Ngo? Sita? Ma'ala…?
What sweet name should we use for our country: « the Cradle of Our Fathers »? « The Beloved Land »? « The Triangle » ? « The National Triangle »? « The National Pyramid »? « The Land Of The Three Angles »? « Mboa » ? « Binam »? « Nnam »? « Ko »? « Mbaï » ?
In many ways Cameroon can be called a mirror of Africa: its climate diversity, the diversity of its landscape made of majestic mountains, the lushness of its forest, its golden savannah, the serene tranquillity of its desert; its african diversity caused by migrations that occurred in ancient times, so that we can say cameroon is literally « the land where africans gathered together in the past ».
This fact is of great importance for the diplomatic relationships Cameroon must keep with the fellow african states. There are people in The Triangle who get cultural ties with other parts of the motherland, I think of Liberia, Senegal, Ethiopia, Somalia, Benin, Ghana, Togo, Mali, Kenya, Zambia, Congo, Gabon, C.A.R, Equatorial guinea, Nigeria. In Cameroon we find almost all the human groups and phenotypes that exist in Africa.
So, history and culture will have to be one of our major axes for the future, with nation cohesion and african oneness as horizon. United not divided. Let us make this point clear, africa must never be a fantasy nor a second-class priority, no: Africa must be the top priority with capital « P » and marked with red ink! United not divided. The african people and states are organs of a global body. We are the elements of the same ensemble, we are members of the same great family and we all share common ancestors, a common history, common destiny. United not divided. The fate of one is the fate of all. A united africa is an absolute condition for our collective welfare and survival. United not divided. Africa is both the physical and spiritual space that is the true Cradle of Our Fathers, The Beloved Land, our nourishing matrix. The african states express again their desire to join in a winning african project. We are one under the sun.
Now, before being the business of the african head of states, africa first of all remains the business of the african people themselves. The people of Africa must show a growing interest for our common future. They must wish to come together and reunite and live together again. We are one under our sun. This wish must be present in the daily conversations like any topic, let's say politics, economy or an african cup of nations. The new african entity of this time and age will start in the hearts of Africans, not in any given great summit. So, Africans must express their will to unite. We are one.
First there was the African Unity Organization (AUO). Then there has been the project of an « African Renaissance » which evolved into the African Union (AU) as we know it today. The time is history and we must be on time for history. More than ever there sure is history to be made. If the complexities of structures such as states can somehow make concrete collective actions slow in showing results, nothing prevents states to individually make a step on their own by taking symbolical yet strong measures to materialize inside their respective boundaries the reality of a great african family. As far as Cameroon is concerned, we could build up in Yaounde a beautiful place dedicated to africa, with a great mighty monument surrounded by the flags of all the african states. The cameroonian media also could make official announcement of our fellow african states' national holidays, with a personal message from the cameroonian head of state to his fellow head of states on those occasions. Those simple measures could prove to be highly advantageous since they do not need specific financial investments and can help foster intra-african brotherhood. Not only would those act as a testimony of our true concern for Africa, also they could help develop a more intense cooperation within the african circle. After all, what is an african union if not primarily a union of the hearts, the acknowledgement of a common ancestry and a space we save for our brothers and sisters in our lives?
Conditions for that union of the hearts have to be created inside every african state through educative programs taught in schools, broadcasted on television that put the emphasis on the cultural ties that make us a big family. Symbolical actions can show our clear will to unite.
I do believe that the african diversity we find in Cameroon can place us in a choice position to act as agent of the great african reunion. Cameroon must play his historical role that is a bridge between all the Africans. If Cameroon proves not to be able or willing to fulfil that noble duty, the we will have failed and fallen tragically. History and our ancestors will have laid a mission in both our hands and we will have failed. We cannot allow ourselves to fail. History a-knocking at our door. It is ours to answer that call.
