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BOOK REVIEW — The Patriot As Advocate of Genuine
Change
December 5, 2014
A Review of Mokun Njouny Nelson's Book "The Cameroon of Tomorrow"
which highlight the ideas of Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh
A great man is a living example to his acquaintances and of far greater
importance within the society in which he belongs than a good book. But as the
best of men are hardly ever known beyond his community, the author is therefore
called upon to help spread that good example.
Christopher Fomunyoh is however, different from many great men in the sense that
he was already well known thanks to his eloquence manifested during many media
outings before a book was written highlighting his ideas: "The Cameroon of
Tomorrow" which quotes Fomunyoh faithfully, reminds us of Nostradamus "The man
who saw tomorrow" The different here is that while Nostradamus was a seer,
Fomunyoh is a witness. The distinction between a seer and a witness is that the
former processes mystic powers and can predict the future with astonishing
accuracy, while the witness or rather prophetic witness analysis existing facts
before predicting their outcome. Proof of Fomunyoh visionary attributes is the
choice of time for the launch "The Cameroon of Tomorrow" i.e. the aftermath of
an uprising in Burkina Faso which resulted in the overthrown of Blaise Campaore,
one of Africa's longest serving dictators. A call on Biya to take another term
in 2018, contained in a motion of support crafted during Biya's 32nd anniversary
celebration, made such a launch even more relevant. Talk less of the overzealous
CPDM MP in Fako who called on Biya to ensure he rules for another 32 years. If
therefore I have the authority to propose a better title I would have renamed
this book "The People's Cry" This because Biya's present mandate is predicted on
a programme titled "The People's Call" in which is it's author "pleaded" with
Biya to take another 7-year term in 2011. But since I haven't the authority I
will leave the title as it is and proceed with my analysis of the book.
About the author
"He who humbles himself will be exalted and he who exalts himself will be
humbled." I will substantiate this biblical adage with the example of Mokun
Njouny Nelson. He does not at any point project himself as the author of the
work. He is frank to the reader that "The Cameroon of Tomorrow" is a compendium
of Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh's ideas. In other words, Fomunyoh is the muse, his
source of inspiration. Proof of his sincerity is that the rest book is a
faithful rendition of what Dr. Fomunyoh articulated to Cameroonian media with
regards to the democratization process in the country. It can therefore be said
without any fear of contradiction, that Mokun Njouny Nelson is the man-wife or
mid-husband of "The Cameroon of Tomorrow".
It is common knowledge that the mid-wife is never invited for the "born house" of
the baby he delivered. The reverse is true in the intellectual world. The
mid-wife (editor) must be present during the launch (celebration) of Mokun
Njouny�s intellectual baby.
Dr. Fomunyoh; The Patriot
In his poem "The character of men" the celebrated Augustan poet, Pope, states
that nobody is ever born a lover of money because he could be born where money
does not exist.
Similarly, no man is ever born a lover of his country because a nation is a state
distinguished from a state of nature. Only those with a solid educational
background can understand the historical, social political and central factors
that bind the people of that state. If we agree with the poet's view, then,
Christopher Fomunyoh is a patriot of the first rank because, like Jeremiah who
lamented the destruction of Jerusalem, he has sounded an alarm, a warning
against the consequences of failing to organize free, fair and transparent
elections in Cameroon.
He begins by acknowledging the importance of ELECAM � Cameroon's electoral
watchdog, in the democratization process. Despite the fact that Biya started by
appointing well-known CPDM stalwarts, Fomunyoh thinks it can still do a good job
if the board of directors of ELECAM place the interest of the nation above
parochial, partisan interests. He further suggests that Cameroonians be allowed
unrestricted equal access to the public media and that all citizens of voting
age are allowed to register.
He also calls into question the issues of "special constituencies" and suggests
that these constituencies be restructured to be proportionate to the population.
To him, nothing can be fairer than ensuring that everybody is properly
registered, cards collected and voting take place on Election Day.
The Opposition
One other issue Fomunyoh addresses very well is the opposition. He regrets that
many parties exist only on paper and many of them tend to hibernate only to
surface around elections. Because of its fragmented nature, Fomunyoh laments
that the Cameroonian opposition cannot effect change. He thinks that real change
can take place only if a broader movement is formed which includes the civil
society-human right groups, youth and women groups as well as community based
organisation. He concedes that a viable opposition is essential to sustainable
democracy, as this would ensure checks and balances.
Unfortunately, Cameroonian democrats are being eclipsed by "the excessive
polarization of political parties and the system of material incentive that
seems to guide citizen participation in politics in our country". Fomunyoh is
soft toward the issue of the economy, recommending greater accountability in the
management of resources and need to create a conducive atmosphere to attract
foreign investors. He questions why only a single road links Douala, Cameroon's
economic capital and the rest of the country endangering security and national
cohesion. He is angered by the fact that the private sector remains
underdeveloped.
But his greater worry is that Cameroon, which is endowed with a lot of economic
potential as compared to other nations in the Africa Sub Region, has not used
this advantage as a springboard to enhance its economic development. Cameroon
should create conditions for the nation�s entrepreneurs to emerge and proper.
A Senate That Lacks Legitimacy
While acknowledging that the constitution makes provision for a Senate, Fomunyoh
takes exception to the manner in which the present Senators were chosen. First,
the Senators were elected by municipal councillors, whose mandates had since
expired. The election took place in 2013 when ELECAM was still registering
people to vote for new councillors. The election of the Senators was therefore,
an ambush of the Cameroonian electorate. Fomunyoh does not see an immediate need
for a Senate, a Senate elected under questionable circumstances. He dismisses a
comparison between the election of Senators in Cameroon and those of the U.S. In
the U.S which has a population of 300 million people 600 times that of Cameroon,
all 100 Senators are chosen by universal suffrage, whereas in Cameroon, 30 out
of the same number are appointed by a president to whom the constitution has
already given enormous (sweeping) powers. Fomunyoh postulates that given the
questionable manner in which the Senatorial election was conducted, Biya should
have simply appointed all 100 and save the state the enormous sums spent and the
Cameroonian electorate the trouble.
Fomunyoh concludes by congratulating Senegalese president, Macky Sall who upon
getting into office realized the futility of a Senate created under similar
circumstances by his predecessors Abdoulaye Wade and scrapped it completely.
"Senegal's democracy hasn't lost a dent of its creditable" he states,
categorically.
Paul Biya's election as president, he notes, has been equally controversial,
Fomunyoh thinks that Biya should have organized credible elections and quit
power if beaten. He equally thinks Diaspora Cameroonians who have manifested so
much attachment to their community at home and Cameroon in general, can work
closely with progressive minded compatriots at home to bring about meaningful
change. He looks back with satisfaction at democratic transitions in Nigeria,
South Africa, Ghana and Senegal and thinks Cameroon could join these select few
on the democratic train.
The Anglophone Problem
In spite of his near perfect bilingualism, Dr. Fomunyoh has never forgotten that
he is Anglophone by birth and upbringing. He, therefore, recognised the
Anglophone problem, but chooses to approach it from a completely different
angle. He is not in line with the victim mentality of the SCNC and other
Anglophone pressure groups. To him Anglophones should stop complaining about the
fact that certain ministerial portfolios are the preserve of Francophones and
rather unite as well as fight to be in a position where they can influence such
appointments. He cites the case of Ni John Fru Ndi who though an Anglophone of
the North West extraction won the 1992 presidential election was voted not only
by Anglophones, but also Francophones.
The Analyst And Medical Doctor Compared
Identifying and analyzing a problem is like detecting and diagnosing an illness.
An analyst who examines facts, but fails to propose a solution to the problem he
has analyzed is not different from a doctor who omits to prescribe a cure for
the remedy he had diagnosed.
Chris Fomunyoh is a genuine intellectual because he is able to make concrete
proposals to end Cameroon's democratic stalemate. He recommends the separation
of the three powers �The Executive, Judiciary and Legislative.
He also recommends the reformation of security system established in the days of
the Macquis. He also recommends the reinvigoration of public service, the
empowerment of women as well as diplomats who should serve our country
diligently so that we don't depend on lobbies on whom huge sums of money are
squandered.
The book ends on a note of hope for Cameroonians and profound explanation as to
why Fomunyoh didn't contest the 2011 Presidential Election: that the playing
ground was not and has since then not been a level one. The preface and forward
completes the pictures.
Peterkins Manyong
Publisher — The Independent Observer
Bamenda, Cameroon
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