Mutual Tolerance!

Commentary

Elite of the North West and South West regions are negotiating the last bend in the challenging peace mission that took them to their respective villages, sub-divisions and divisions. Since October 15, they have been combing the nooks and crannies of the regions and holding broad-based discussions with several socio-political segments of the population to jointly seek ways of ending nagging problems that have bedevilled the English-speaking parts of the country for close to a year now. A communiqué announcing the yet another field visit indicates the concertations are to end on October 24, 2017.

How well the teams would have succeeded by then in passing across the peace messages from the country’s first citizen to an embittered people; some of whom are increasingly being radicalised, could be a debate for another day. Although some have questioned the necessity of the field visit by the elite and others the integrity of the people being sent; maybe looking at the mixed fortunes of earlier visits, government from observation could not stay aloof from the dragging problem. At least, it is the government of the people and there for the people.  

Cameroon is like a family wherein government plays the role of babysitter with the Head of State, father of the nation, leading. As such, any problem that touches on one area affects the whole nation, especially in the context where people have had the liberty to marry and live with whomever as well as work anywhere in the country. There is no gainsaying therefore that the interwoven nature of the country necessitates solidarity in pain as in joy.

After the September 22 and October 1, 2017 rioting in the two regions that further exacerbated the problem, peace crusaders from within and without the country advocated frank and inclusive dialogue as a way out. Going by Prof. Ghogomu Paul Mingo, Director of Cabinet, Prime Minister’s Office, in an earlier interview in Cameroon Tribune, “The Head of State thought he could send this goodwill message to all his compatriots so that they should know that the State is the State and that what has happened has happened and they should look forward with hope.” Thus, there should be no feeling of defeat or triumph from whomever!

What appears to be emerging here is the spirit of tolerance which precedes every result-driven dialogue. Which tolerance government has been seen to be showing from one move to the other ever since opportunists hijacked what teachers and lawyers engaged to seek improvement in their fields, to clamour for political gains. Wide-ranging mutations in the education and judicial sectors of the country are there for all to see. The Head of State’s magnanimity on August 30, 2017 ordering the discontinuance of proceedings pending before the Yaounde Military Tribunal against alleged perpetrator...