Preserving The Pearl of Unity!

Commentary

As Cameroonians from far and near continue in the euphoria of seeing a new year, one of the things those of them of goodwill are certainly reflecting on is how to tighten the bond of unity that has been shaken to its very foundations. For, never in the history of the country has the much treasured national unity been deeply threatened like in the past year. 2017 was no doubt a dark year in this regard as acts portraying feelings of dejection were regrettably perceptible. In his end-of-year address on December 31, 2017, President Paul Biya did not mince words to remind his fellow compatriots of the importance of living together.

Without claiming perfection, the Head of State agreed with field realities that, “As you can see, our nation is facing multiple challenges which we should address together in fraternity, with due respect for our institutions and in the spirit of national concord.” Of course, it couldn’t have been otherwise looking at what Cameroonians, especially those residing in the embittered North West and South West Regions, have been going through since November 2016 that the crisis escalated from genuine professional complaints to rising and complex socio-political claims.

Reminding fellow compatriots that, “Cameroon is a precious legacy for each and every one of us,” and urging all and sundry to remain worthy of the legacy, of a united Cameroon, standing tall, proud and jealous of its freedom, should logically cause all to rethink their stance. Shameful acts of nepotism which have pushed perpetrators to feel more Cameroonians than others and their victims to lose a sense of belonging to a one and indivisible nation should be discouraged energetically and at all levels. Peace and unity are finished products of justice! Like a child who doesn’t decide who to be his/her parents, no Cameroonian chose to be as such. Who we are and how we fare cannot and shouldn’t be decided elsewhere.

There is nothing wrong with Cameroon that cannot be resolved by Cameroonians. In unity, mountains can be levelled. Unity, they say is strength, and citizens more than ever absolutely need to remain focused on enhancing national concord. Cameroon is by every means a country of diversity looking at her socio- cultural and linguistic build up. Very few countries in the world have internationally-acclaimed English and French as official languages besides the over 250 national languages of the diverse cultures of Sahel, forest and grassfield zones.

Nothing should therefore cause any citizen to afford toying with this wealth-rich diversity. To say the least, differences are inevitable in any family but the strength of those who govern and are governed largely rests on how well together, they can rise above w...