Cameroon Echoes {Echos Camerounais}

50 Years After: Cameroon’s History Witnesses More Distortions

By Elias Ntungwe Ngalame

 Is it not rape of the intellect of even the ordinary Cameroonian that the story of Cameroon is being thwarted even by those who lived it? Otherwise how do we interpret the growing misrepresentation and interpretation of Cameroon’s history, making the facts as unrealistic as every other happening in Cameroon’s daily life?

How would any right-thinking Cameroonian, except those who have no conscience say Cameroon reunited in 1972?

It might be seen just as another slap on the face of the docile Anglophone, but it is a harder slap on the conscience and history of the whole Cameroon nation.
The history of the nation may be distorted by a clique of unpatriotic citizens, but it stands to be scrutinised and corrected by the international community.

The Commonwealth Secretary General, Kamalesh Sharma, was one of President Biya’s special guests at the 20th May celebration and the official launching of the 50th anniversary may have done just that.

The Secretary General and his delegation during an audience after the march past on 20th May at the Unity Palace in Yaounde presented to President Paul Biya two maps, the one representing West Cameroon and the other representing East Cameroon before reunification.

Though the Secretary General said after the audience that the two maps were a symbolic gift that depicts the two regions before reunification, many observers believe it was a vivid reminisce of the historical facts of the country that should be respected and under no circumstances be adulterated.

Throughout the activities marking the 50th anniversary celebrations, pictures or maps of this nature painting the history of the country before reunification were absent, indicative of some calculated intent to conceal certain historical facts.

It should be recalled that President Paul Biya in his message to the nation in prelude to the official launching of the 50th anniversary celebrations said the event will span throughout the year to culminate in the celebration of the reunification of East and West Cameroon on 1 October 2011.

This, accordingly, implies that Cameroon, next year, will be celebrating reunification and not the independence of West Cameroon.

Historically, however, the Western part of Cameroon got its independence on 1 October 1961 one year after their brothers of East Cameroon on 1 January 1960. So while East Cameroon has 50 years of freedom from their French colonial master in 2010, West Cameroon will have its own 50 years of freedom from their English colonial lords in 2011.

Biya Receive Other Guests
The 38 edition of Cameroon’s National Day that also coincided with the 50th anniversary celebration was a moment of honour and pride for the country and its leader, President Paul Biya who for the first time since taking over power in 1982 saw such quality VIP visitors in a single event.

After the over three hours march past, each of the special guests took turns to discuss with their host on some salient issues dear to them.

Beginning with neighbouring Nigeria where two past presidents, Yakubu Gowon and Olosegun Obasanjo and the newly sworn in, Goodluck Jonathan, all had friendly tete-a tete with him, Paul Biya was apparently quite at ease with the over 20 special guests including 10 current Heads of State in the continent: 
Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast, Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria, Sasso Ngueso of Congo, Idris Deby of Tchad, Francoise Bozize of Central African Republic, Joseph Kabila of DR Congo, Ali Bongo of Gabon, Blaise Compaore of Burkina Faso, Fradrique De Menezes of Sao Tome and Principe.

Other dignitaries included former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamlesh Sharma, Ali Treki, President of the 64th UN General Assembly, Jean Ping, Chairman of the African Union Commission, Cai Wu, Chinese Minister of Culture, etc.

Goodluck Ebele Jonathan sworn in as 14th President of Nigeria

Nigeria's president died yesterday around 9pm and immediately following his death, his Vice President was sworn into power  that same night in a ceremony closed to the public and un-televised with footage only surfacing today. Umaru Yar'Adua had not been seen by the public for over 3 months as news and speculation about his health intensified. His absence let to a very fragile political atmosphere in Africa's most popular country. Making matters worse was the power wielded by his wife Turai, who knew her husband was incapacitated but was not ready to renounce power. 

NEWS AFRICA Iran leader in Zimbabwe for trade

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, is due to sign trade agreements with Zimbabwe during a visit to the country.

At a trade fair in Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe, on Friday, Ahmadinejad said that the level of trade between the two nations was not at full capacity and should improve.

Obama's envoy begins seven-nation Africa tour

US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs William J. Burns. Photo/REUTERS 

US Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs William Joseph Burns has begun a seven-nation African tour.

His first stop was Dakar this week.

Diplomatic sources say Mr Burns’ official sub-Saharan Africa tour is intended to identify ''areas of cooperation'' with African leaders.

But observers believe that the centrepiece of the diplomatic offensive is the fight against terrorism and narco-trafficking, both of which have been rearing their head in four of the seven countries that the envoy is visiting.

Senior diplomat

The visit is significant because the US has chosen to send a more senior diplomat than the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, Mr Johnnie Carson.

When Mr Burns paid a courtesy call on the Senegalese Premier Souleymane Ndéné Ndiaye and the Foreign minister Madické Niang in Dakar, sources said the US diplomat sought clear assurances from them against narco-trafficking in particular.

Germaine Ahidjo : Ahidjo n’a jamais été derrière le coup d'Etat du 6 avril

Elle a partagé plus de 40 ans de vie commune avec Amadou Ahidjo, le premier président de la République du Cameroun. Germaine, la veuve, mène depuis la mort de son mari à Dakar le 30 novembre 1989, un combat pour le retour de ses restes et sa réhabilitation. C'est une femme à l'allure digne, à la détermination totale  qui s'exprime. Son regard sur l'indépendance du Cameroun est singulier et éclairant ; il est aussi celui d'un témoin privilégié de l'histoire.

 

19 seized after Madagascar coup bid

Security forces in Madagascar have arrested 19 people on suspicion of plotting a coup, the latest in a series of plot rumours to hit the Indian Ocean island's capital in the past few weeks.

Colonel Rene Lylison, the head of the security unit that carried out the arrests, told journalists that there were plans to attack the Prime Minister's residence in the early hours of Monday.

Former leader of Nigeria Babangida to run for president

Ibrahim Babangida lost power after he annulled 1993 elections Nigerian former military leader Gen Ibrahim Babangida will run in the 2011 presidential poll, his spokesman says. He told the BBC that Gen Babangida will seek the nomination of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). Gen Babangida took power in 1985 in a bloodless coup, but was forced to step down in 1993 when he annulled elections generally considered to be fair. Gen Babangida had declared he wanted the PDP nomination for 2007 elections, but later withdrew his candidacy. The PDP has said that its presidential candidate will be from the mainly Muslim north, which includes Gen Babangida.

Guinea-Bissau Premier Released from House Arrest

A top military officer in Guinea-Bissau claimed to have seized control of the nation's army and the prime minister was briefly detained, signs of another possible coup in crisis-struck West Africa.

The tiny coastal country plunged into confusion early Thursday after the deputy chief of staff of the army, Antonio Indjai, announced the arrest of his immediate boss, army chief Zamora Induta.A government spokesman said Friday that Prime Minister Carlos Gomes Jr. was released from house arrest. Mamudu Djau said that soldiers left Mr. Gomes's home, but police remain there to maintain order, according to the Associated Press. Mr. Djau said that the prime minister will meet with the president Friday to discuss the coup attempt.

Ghadaffi: Carve Nigeria into many states

Libyan leader Muamar al-Ghadaffi, who enraged Abuja after suggesting Nigeria be partitioned between Muslims and Christians, has now proposed the country is carved into "many" ethnic states. He said: "In fact, Nigeria's problems cannot be resolved by dividing the country into two states, Christian and Muslim."

That country’s Jana news agency reported Monday, that Kadhafi said, like the former Yugoslavia, Nigeria comprises "other populations who want independence" without religious considerations.

He cited "the Yoruba people in the east and south who demand independence, the Ibo people in the west and south" as well as the Ijaws.

"The model that best fits Nigeria, which comprises many ethnic groups, is Yugoslavia" which was divided into six countries, including Kosovo whose independence has not been unanimously recognised.

The Libyan leader said earlier this month Nigeria should be partitioned between the Christian and Muslim communities to end its sectarian violence.

Enquête :Séisme -Sur les traces de l'aide du Cameroun à Haïti

Les 500 millions Fcfa promis par le chef de l'Etat n'ont été reversés qu'après la publication de la liste des donateurs par l'Onu.

La conférence internationale des pays donateurs pour Haïti aura lieu le 31 mars aux Nations unies à New York. Les Etats-Unis et les Nations unies, en coopération avec le gouvernement d'Haïti et avec le soutien du Brésil, du Canada, de l'Union européenne, de la France et de l'Espagne, seront les co-organisateurs de cette conférence. Laquelle doit mobiliser le soutien aux besoins de développement d'Haïti, en vue de commencer à poser les fondations de son rétablissement à long terme.