Cameroonians in the Diaspora have been craving for an opportunity to express their concerns regarding various stumbling blocks standing in the way of getting directly involved in the development strategies in Cameroon either through micro and macro development projects, charities, making available their expertise in the various fields if only on an advisory basis and more.
Those concerns may in the near future become issues of history as a special technical delegation from the Presidency of the Republic in Cameroon is currently en route to 8 western countries visiting around 20 cities to meet and dialogue with Cameroonians in the Diaspora in a bid to find common ground for effective involvement in the development process in Cameroon.
After their first stop in Belgium, the delegation made up of an official in charge of special duties at the Presidency, an adviser to the Prime Minister, the Head of Division in charge of Cameroonians abroad at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and an Inspector General in the Ministry of Communication, was in the United Kingdom over the weekend holding talks with leaders of various Cameroonian groups in London, Manchester and Birmingham.
During the various meetings introduced by the High Commissioner of Cameroon to the UK, H.E. Nkwelle Ekaney, members of the four-man delegation briefed the leaders of Cameroonian groups invited to the meeting on the status of earlier concerns such as dual nationality, right to vote, creating and running businesses in Cameroon, investment opportunities in various sectors of the economy – agriculture and forestry, banking and finance, communications infrastructure, the mining sector, water and energy, sports and the media environment in the country among others.
Speaking on the Diaspora, the head of Division in charge of Cameroonians abroad, Mr Thomas Fozein Kwanke brought out some revealing statistics (for example, over 4,000 Cameroonian medical doctors abroad against only 800 at home – 1 doctor/20,000 in the cities and 1 doctor/40,000 in the rural areas, 167 million US dollars (0.8% of GDP) in remittance from the Diaspora in 2008).
He called on all Cameroonians to register at the Cameroon High Commission, regardless of their residential status, pointing out that there is no exact figure on the number of Cameroonians living outside the country. Mr Fozein Kwanke said the High Commission is there to serve the interest of all Cameroonians and should in fact serve as an administrative facilitator for all Diasporan initiatives, be they of an economic or charitable nature geared towards the development of the country. .
On the specific issue of dual nationality, the delegation revealed that technically everything had been completed and the document will have to be tabled before the National Assembly before it becomes effective.
Concerning the right to vote, they also said that with regards to Presidential elections or a referendum it could also be possible for Diasporans to exercise their civil duty in the near future as promised by the President when he addressed the Cameroonian community during his visit to France last year, though the problem of under which constituency to classify the Diaspora will arise when it comes to parliamentary or municipal elections.
In Birmingham, members of a group calling themselves ‘Collectif des Organisations Democratiques et Patriotques des Camerounais de la Diaspora (CODE)’ obstructed the meeting for some 30 minutes to express their discontent with the powers that be in Yaounde, accusing them of embezzling state funds, corruption and human rights abuse, brandishing photographs of the famous Cameroonian musician Lapiro de Mbanga, who is currently in prison, and Germain S. Ngota Ngota editor of a private newspaper, Cameroon Express, who died in prison recently. It was thanks to the intervention of the police that the meeting went on undisturbed.
In fact, the head of the delegation, Dr Emmanuel S. Wonyu admitted that, of the three meetings held in the United Kingdom, that of Birmingham stood out as the most constructive and enriching with regards to the expressed concerns of Cameroonians in the Diaspora.
In a comment following the dialogue, which at times was near virulent but passionate, the High Commissioner called on Cameroonians in the Diaspora to have faith in the leadership, whom he said, is striving to take the modernisation process of the country forward and to demonstrate maturity in matters relating to the image of the country abroad.
Steve Nfor
THE LETTER OF YOUR LOOK
I can say what you are
Just by looking at you.
Your look is a letter of yourself
I may be wrong, I may be right
But what people take you to be,
Derives from the outward perception of you
So how do you expect me to read you?
The way you project yourself,
Or what you think you really are?
I can say who you are
Just by the words of your mouth.
Your words and tone say much about you
I may be wrong, I may be right
Since what you say and how you say it,
Often reflects your inner self perfectly
I want to make a correct reading of you
So do project a true image of yourself.
What is on the outside should be a reflection of the inside;
Your words and tone should always be yours;
That way I will read you rightly and not wrongly
Since it is a true reflection of the inner you.
Let what I see, be what I get,
The real and true letter of your look!
Just by looking at you.
Your look is a letter of yourself
I may be wrong, I may be right
But what people take you to be,
Derives from the outward perception of you
So how do you expect me to read you?
The way you project yourself,
Or what you think you really are?
I can say who you are
Just by the words of your mouth.
Your words and tone say much about you
I may be wrong, I may be right
Since what you say and how you say it,
Often reflects your inner self perfectly
I want to make a correct reading of you
So do project a true image of yourself.
What is on the outside should be a reflection of the inside;
Your words and tone should always be yours;
That way I will read you rightly and not wrongly
Since it is a true reflection of the inner you.
Let what I see, be what I get,
The real and true letter of your look!
THEY ARE EVERYWHERE
You find them everywhere
In the countryside and in the cities
In the developed and developing worlds
Always on sight in corridors,
On pavements and in the streets,
That is all about their world
No other place to go to
You know them by their looks
Epitomes of misery, rejection and dejection
You know them by their abode
On the streets, the market places,
Railway stations and airports
In sunlight and in darkness;
In rain and in the winter cold
You know them by their movement
Not enough energy to carry them on
For clothing and food, they sit cap in hand
Waiting for the 'Samaritan'
To drop in 'some change' if they care
Or scavenge the garbage can
For crumps from the 'rich man's table'
They are the hungry and homeless
The helpless and the hopeless
The wretched of the earth
They need our love and affection
To turn hopelessness into hopefulness
Lend an ear! Give them a word of hope
To help them out of rejection
They surely deserve better
In this world of abundance
In the countryside and in the cities
In the developed and developing worlds
Always on sight in corridors,
On pavements and in the streets,
That is all about their world
No other place to go to
You know them by their looks
Epitomes of misery, rejection and dejection
You know them by their abode
On the streets, the market places,
Railway stations and airports
In sunlight and in darkness;
In rain and in the winter cold
You know them by their movement
Not enough energy to carry them on
For clothing and food, they sit cap in hand
Waiting for the 'Samaritan'
To drop in 'some change' if they care
Or scavenge the garbage can
For crumps from the 'rich man's table'
They are the hungry and homeless
The helpless and the hopeless
The wretched of the earth
They need our love and affection
To turn hopelessness into hopefulness
Lend an ear! Give them a word of hope
To help them out of rejection
They surely deserve better
In this world of abundance
LITTLE ANGELS
I can still remember those days,
When life was at its peak, so to say,
I wanted to enjoy it to the fullest.
Marriage was never on my list of priorities,
And the thought of children very far-fetched.
A bunch of destructive ‘brats’ I thought of them
Please forgive me for I knew not
That they are really little angels;
The warmth and joy they bring are matchless.
I dare not say the same of them today
For it is real fun to have them around.
They’d cry when scolded, but are quick to reconcile;
To forgive and forget are their virtues
We have to change and be like them,
If we want true peace in this turbulent world of ours.
Please listen to me for I know now,
That they are really little angels;
The warmth and joy they bring are matchless.
They have a strong spirit of belonging and sharing,
And are always very sad to part with loved ones.
They will cry and yell, but patiently wait for their return,
And are quick to the door with a genuine hug of welcome.
To ease off the tensions of another difficult and challenging day
You need to have them to know and feel their unbridled love.
Please believe me, I bet you
For they are really little angels;
The warmth and joy they bring are matchless.
They teach you forgiveness and true love
They help to discipline and mould you,
Into a more responsible and selfless person.
You grow up to have a more meaningful vision of life.
The cry from their tiny voice is like a dagger in your heart;
Oh how they are pretty and you want to keep them happy!
They deserve it, I assure you
For they are really little angels;
And the warmth and joy they bring are matchless.
When life was at its peak, so to say,
I wanted to enjoy it to the fullest.
Marriage was never on my list of priorities,
And the thought of children very far-fetched.
A bunch of destructive ‘brats’ I thought of them
Please forgive me for I knew not
That they are really little angels;
The warmth and joy they bring are matchless.
I dare not say the same of them today
For it is real fun to have them around.
They’d cry when scolded, but are quick to reconcile;
To forgive and forget are their virtues
We have to change and be like them,
If we want true peace in this turbulent world of ours.
Please listen to me for I know now,
That they are really little angels;
The warmth and joy they bring are matchless.
They have a strong spirit of belonging and sharing,
And are always very sad to part with loved ones.
They will cry and yell, but patiently wait for their return,
And are quick to the door with a genuine hug of welcome.
To ease off the tensions of another difficult and challenging day
You need to have them to know and feel their unbridled love.
Please believe me, I bet you
For they are really little angels;
The warmth and joy they bring are matchless.
They teach you forgiveness and true love
They help to discipline and mould you,
Into a more responsible and selfless person.
You grow up to have a more meaningful vision of life.
The cry from their tiny voice is like a dagger in your heart;
Oh how they are pretty and you want to keep them happy!
They deserve it, I assure you
For they are really little angels;
And the warmth and joy they bring are matchless.
NO ONE TO TALK TO
The night was long and distressing,
And the loneliness of my home scaring.
I longed for someone to talk to,
My only friend, the cat was snoring
And neither knew nor cared about what was happening
Enjoying her paradise in my hell
The streak of the morning light brought hope,
I heaved a sigh of relief, at the birth of a new day.
The chores were done; I was ready to go
And leave behind the horrors of the night.
To allay my fright I needed someone,
Someone who’d care and listen to my nightmare.
I stroked and kissed the cat goodbye
I hurried to the door, slipped my key in the keyhole
And locked the loneliness of my home behind.
I was just on time to hop on the bus.
I made my way to the back in search of a seat,
And there, a gentleman looked at me with a grin on his face
He created space and I sat by him.
Before I had time to say ‘good morning’
He commented on the beautiful weather outside.
I anxiously answered back saying it was a lovely day,
Little did I know the conversation would end there.
He buried his face in a paper and his voice I heard no more
On the train and everywhere, the mood was the same
We squeezed and pushed for space to sit or stand
Everyone was in a hurry and no one cared to talk
Here I was, anxious to share my story with someone
Though there were many people, I felt lonely again
It is an inhuman world fraught with selfishness and pride!
But it all begins with my own selfishness,
How come I choose to live only with my cat
When there are thousands out there longing for an abode?
It may be true that for fear of the unknown, there’s no more trust
But for how long and to what extent will man fear man
And become each a tiny island in an ocean of human beings?
Let’s be human and show warmth towards one another
It’s the best way of dispelling the fear and suspicion of each other
And by so doing make this world a better place to live in!
And the loneliness of my home scaring.
I longed for someone to talk to,
My only friend, the cat was snoring
And neither knew nor cared about what was happening
Enjoying her paradise in my hell
The streak of the morning light brought hope,
I heaved a sigh of relief, at the birth of a new day.
The chores were done; I was ready to go
And leave behind the horrors of the night.
To allay my fright I needed someone,
Someone who’d care and listen to my nightmare.
I stroked and kissed the cat goodbye
I hurried to the door, slipped my key in the keyhole
And locked the loneliness of my home behind.
I was just on time to hop on the bus.
I made my way to the back in search of a seat,
And there, a gentleman looked at me with a grin on his face
He created space and I sat by him.
Before I had time to say ‘good morning’
He commented on the beautiful weather outside.
I anxiously answered back saying it was a lovely day,
Little did I know the conversation would end there.
He buried his face in a paper and his voice I heard no more
On the train and everywhere, the mood was the same
We squeezed and pushed for space to sit or stand
Everyone was in a hurry and no one cared to talk
Here I was, anxious to share my story with someone
Though there were many people, I felt lonely again
It is an inhuman world fraught with selfishness and pride!
But it all begins with my own selfishness,
How come I choose to live only with my cat
When there are thousands out there longing for an abode?
It may be true that for fear of the unknown, there’s no more trust
But for how long and to what extent will man fear man
And become each a tiny island in an ocean of human beings?
Let’s be human and show warmth towards one another
It’s the best way of dispelling the fear and suspicion of each other
And by so doing make this world a better place to live in!
A New Generation
We grow as fast as we want to
We talk and act as we want to
What'er you say we care not
For ours is a new generation
Even though by age we're minors
We smoke and drink as adults
Though risks abound we care less
For ours is a new Generation
The streets out there our haven
We wine and dine our freedom
And make life tough for others
'Cause ours is a new generation
We disrespect our parents
And look down on our teachers
Their time is gone we tell them
And ours is a new generation
Let's stop and think for a moment;
What will our own world look like
When we grow up into leaders
If ours is a new generation?
Good God, not a world of egotists
And surely not of druggists
Who glory in crime and violence
No, ours is a new generation
W A T C H O U T !
We talk and act as we want to
What'er you say we care not
For ours is a new generation
Even though by age we're minors
We smoke and drink as adults
Though risks abound we care less
For ours is a new Generation
The streets out there our haven
We wine and dine our freedom
And make life tough for others
'Cause ours is a new generation
We disrespect our parents
And look down on our teachers
Their time is gone we tell them
And ours is a new generation
Let's stop and think for a moment;
What will our own world look like
When we grow up into leaders
If ours is a new generation?
Good God, not a world of egotists
And surely not of druggists
Who glory in crime and violence
No, ours is a new generation
W A T C H O U T !
POPE’S VISIT TO CAMEROON: THIRD TIME LUCKY?
Pope Benedict XVI is in Cameroon for a four day visit during which he will hold talks with political and religious leaders of the continent. As is customary with visits of this nature, the population of Cameroon in particular and Yaounde, the Capital in particular must have been preparing frantically to clean up the environs to dignify the presence of the august visitor and his entourage on the soil of this privileged country – Africa in miniature.
Did I say privileged country? Oh yes because we have all that it takes for a country like ours to stand up and be counted – the natural, socio-cultural and human resources, the ‘peace’ and its strategic position on the continent.
This visit is the third by a Roman Pontiff to the country in a quarter of a century, which is eloquent proof that the Vatican still considers Cameroon as the nerve centre from which the Holy Father's message of love, peace and hope can reach out to the entire continent and by the same token to the rest of the world.
Of course, having covered such a visit before, I know for sure that the presence of those in authority in the country will be very prominent during the four-day stay of the Pontiff in Cameroon – some of them surely after having pulled their bibles out of the rubble and dusted them for the occasion. Will there be a place for those suffering from AIDS (who’s cause Pope Benedict XVI is so concerned about), the lepers, the handicapped, the poor, the unemployed youths, the prisoners or simply put the downtrodden or the neglected of the country to come in close contact with the Pope as a source of hope as was the case during Christ’s mission on earth?
The national media and the politicians will strive to use the visit for scoring political points. I am not trying to be cynical or downplay the importance and the impact of this third visit of the Head of the Catholic Church to the country. It could help to touch and soften hardened hearts of some of Cameroon’s leaders if they so do wish. There is always room for a new beginning.
We have learnt through the media of how corruption, favouritism and patronage have eaten deep into the fabric of Cameroon leadership; how at a time the country is classified as one of the poorest in the world, the leaders in the legislative arm of government (national assembly) of the country are greedily seeking to guarantee feeding fat off the system both in active service and at their retirement; how leadership is ageing (the majority of those in authority in Cameroon are aged around 70) and the old guard is stubbornly hanging on to power while the young and youthful (‘leaders of tomorrow’, they say) are searching far and wide for subsistence and a deserved space under the sun.
The long queues at the US and British Embassies for Visas are eloquent proof of this quest to move on even if it means leaping into the dark.
The brain drain continues and the country is thus deprived of a much needed active age group to drive forward its development efforts. There are lots of Cameroonians in the Diaspora anxious to be part of their country’s development process but bottlenecks and political positioning make it difficult for them to chip in their expertise.
In my opinion and I hope it is shared by the visiting Pope, preparations for his visit would have had more meaning and impact if instead of laying emphasises on the outward beauty of Cameroon during the visit, there was a deeper cleansing of all the vices (corruption, squandering of state revenue, patronage, favouritism, human rights abuse, high-handed suppression of freedom of expression, misuse of the forces of law and order, political victimisation etc.) imbued in the hearts and systems of the leaders of the country in preparation for the coming of the man of God.
Maybe in passing mention should be made here of the fact that Cameroon has witnessed the assassination of Catholic priests and the religious in mysterious circumstances in years gone by and to this day no one has been brought to book for the killings. I just hope the Pope will be third time lucky to change the way of thinking as well as the ‘façon de faire’ of the leadership of Cameroon in particular and the entire continent in general.
Will they (leaders) be ready to make an effort for change in the right direction and thus open up their hearts to let the Saviour in? We can only hope and wait and wait and hope, or else it will be business as usual and when the dust of this visit settles, the nightmare of the vices standing in the way of meaningful development of the continent, will be staring at us in the face.
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