Cameroon: Anglophones did not take up arms to seize power;

To dismiss the legitimate aspirations of a populace as mere ‘political delinquency’ is not only misleading but profoundly irresponsible. Minister Momo, with due respect, your assertion is both contemptuous and perilous.

Characterizing the advocacy for an Anglophone Vice-President as ‘rewarding political delinquency’ fundamentally misrepresents historical facts. The genesis of the Anglophone crisis was not armed conflict; rather, it stemmed from the systematic dismantling of the 1961 constitutional framework, the erosion of our distinct legal and educational systems, and decades of sustained marginalization and exclusion.

Your inquiry as to whether every region should resort to armed struggle to secure representation constitutes a false and irresponsible premise. Anglophones did not take up arms to seize power; they were progressively marginalized to a point where some felt compelled to resist. The pertinent question remains: why has the State consistently failed to address legitimate grievances before their escalation?

Your allusion to past struggles in other regions does not invalidate Anglophone demands; instead, it underscores the inherent inconsistencies within the existing system.

Furthermore, to suggest that calls for equitable representation jeopardize national unity is to invert the truth. It is precisely the persistent refusal to acknowledge Cameroon’s dual heritage and address structural imbalances that has undermined this unity.

You invoke the concept of a ‘one and indivisible Cameroon’ while disregarding the foundational terms upon which that unity was negotiated in 1961. Unity is not a mere slogan; it is a solemn contract, one that has been repeatedly breached.

An Anglophone Vice-President is not a concession or a reward. It represents a crucial initial step towards re-establishing trust, rectifying historical injustices, and averting national fragmentation.

The dismissal of these realities as mere dissent or regional agitation is precisely why the crisis endures. If our commitment to unity is genuine, then we must embrace truth, justice, and inclusion, rather than cloaking denial in the guise of patriotism.

Nkongho Félix Agbor « Agbor Balla »

Lawyer | Human Rights Advocate

President of the Centre for Human Rights and Democracy in Africa (CHRDA)