Cameroon: A Private Estate or a Nation That Values Equity? 

In theory, Cameroon is a republic — a nation governed by laws, accountable leadership, and the collective will of its people. In practice, however, the country often feels less like a republic and more like private property. Power in Cameroon has become so centralized, so personalized, that one might be forgiven for thinking the state itself is owned rather than governed. 

Since independence in 1960 and reunification in 1961, Cameroonians have been told they live in a democracy. Yet, after more than four decades under the same leadership, democracy seems more a word than a lived experience. Institutions that should serve as checks on executive power have been reduced to instruments of control. The lines separating public service from personal loyalty are so blurred that many citizens no longer see government as a system that belongs to them — but as a club they can only enter through connections. 

A Concentration of Power, A Diminution of Trust 

The presidency has become the epicenter of everything — from economic decisions to local appointments. Such concentration of authority has not only weakened other arms of government but has also bred a culture of dependency and silence. The fear of challenging the status quo has taken root, and the few who dare to speak are quickly branded as rebels or troublemakers. 

Meanwhile, ordinary citizens continue to pay the price. Roads crumble, hospitals lack basic equipment, teachers go unpaid, and yet billions of francs disappear in the name of “projects” that exist only on paper. How can a nation cherish equity when its own resources serve the interests of a few? 

The Inequity Beneath the Flag 

Cameroon’s inequality is not just economic — it’s structural. From the rural farmer in the North to the unemployed graduate in Douala, many Cameroonians feel abandoned by a system that rewards obedience over effort. The Anglophone Crisis is perhaps the most painful manifestation of this inequality. For years, English-speaking Cameroonians have decried marginalization, only to be met with bullets and bureaucracy. Their cry is not for privilege but for fairness — the very essence of equity. 

The irony is that Cameroon possesses enough wealth to transform the lives of all its citizens. From oil and timber to fertile lands and an entrepreneurial youth, the ingredients for prosperity are abundant. What’s missing is not potential, but political will — the will to treat Cameroon as a shared nation, not a family business. 

A Flicker of Hope 

Despite the cynicism that grips many, hope is not dead. Across the country, young Cameroonians are questioning the narrative of complacency. Civil society movements are rising. Journalists, activists, and reform-minded citizens continue to demand accountability, often at great personal risk. They are the true patriots — those who refuse to give up on the idea of Cameroon as a nation where justice and equality are more than slogans. 

The Way Forward 

For Cameroon to reclaim its promise, it must first rediscover the meaning of public service. Leadership should be stewardship, not ownership. Power should rotate, not stagnate. Institutions should protect citizens, not the powerful. And above all, resources should benefit the many, not the few. 

The time has come to decide what Cameroon truly is: a private estate guarded by elites, or a nation that genuinely values equity, fairness, and the collective good. 
The answer will define not only the nation’s politics — but its soul. 

 

Steve Nfor 

Retired Senior Journalist