The Socio –Economic State of Cameroon and the Way Forward
By
Nanche Billa Robert
Cameroon has been held hostage by a group of persons who manipulate state power for their enrichment. It is time we told them that Cameroon is nobody’s farmland that it belongs to all its compatriots.
Cameroon’s economic activities are below expectation because consumption have overtaken production .No importance has been given to development, instead we have become dependent on the western states which set low prices for raw materials and high prices fro manufactured goods. This dependence is because our bourgeoisie is intellectually lazy; they do not produce, build nor labour. They have no economic power, ideas nor are dynamic. It will be difficult to industrialise Cameroon because of their incapability to accumulate wealth. They are more of businessmen than industrialists. They embrace conspicuous consumption in order to hide their stagnation; they build grandiose mansions, drive luxurious cars, and spend week-ends in sybarite night clubs
A society progresses when part of its products meant for consumption is invested in its economy. On the contrary, Cameroon’s elite does not invest in their stagnating economy. Their savings are sent abroad rather than being invested in productions and the rest are used to pay people who are not involved in production but render auxiliary services such as civil servants, merchants, soldiers, entertainers etc. They do not reinvest in agriculture nor industries. They squander the wealth produced by peasants and workers by purchasing cars, suits, whisky etc. Wealth does not come from taxes, it comes from nature: turning raw materials into finished goods for human consumption.
In 1968, when Cameroon became an entrepreneurial state, about forty industries were created. This was a very good step but these industries were not well managed: their surplus was not invested in them but sent to the state and there was no systemic innovation: similar industries were not created in other areas .In 1979, petrol brought a lot wealth to the country but this wealth was not put in the national budget which was regrettable. Our rulers said they were preserving it for rainy days. Where was the money when the economic crisis struck in 1986?
The above cases could have transformed Cameroon into a veritable industrial nation as the case is with Hong-Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea today.
It is ironical that it is the peasants who produce wealth; it is thanks to their food and cash crops that our sterile civil servants are champions of consumption. If this poor peasants stop production, will there not be famine and malnutrition? Cameroon rulers give more preference to political than economic power because they love dignified life. The situation would have been different if they had thought of economic power at independence. One notices that Cameroonians lack capitalistic spirit: hard work, austerity and knowledge. Cameroon has great natural resources but the poorest in terms of goods and services provided by and for its citizens.
Can you imagine that 16.8% of Cameroonians in the urban areas and 45.6% in the rural areas have no durable goods such as television, refrigerator, cookers; about 8.5% in the urban areas and 2% in the rural areas have a personal car, about 50% of Cameroonians have access to potable water, infant mortality is about 151 out of a 1000; 80% of Cameroonians are below poverty line. The percentage of 3-4 Cameroonians sharing a room is about 18.7%; the life expectancy is about 47 years as compared to about 74 in the western world. It is estimated that at least 15,786 students graduate from Cameroon’s six state universities annually and only about 2,951 of them finally gain employment in both public and private sectors. Is it not funny that people should lack jobs where everything has to be redone? Unemployment has led to high rate of prostitution banditry and feymanism. Nearly everyone wants to fall bush. How many Cameroonians can today say in good faith the words of the head of state “I am born a Cameroonian, I will live a Cameroonian and I will die a Cameroonian”?
As Lincoln is reputed to have said, “you can fool some people some time; you can fool all the people some of the time; but you cannot fool all the people all the time.” That is the reason why we must fight to put an end to such wanton plunder of our resources, the regression of our nation and the total neglect of Cameroonians. For us to breakthrough this mess, we need the energy of everyone. Let’s join hands to formulate a new order, to build a new Cameroon.
For this new Cameroon to be possible we need to:
-Adopt an aggressive industrialisation and export policies, strive to copy, to innovate, to invent and to buy designs abroad whenever we have difficulties.
-Develop economic nationalism; hard work and the desire to catch up with the industrial world. We must have a sense of saving for investment and the acceptance that enjoyment must be postponed; instead of using huge sum of money to buy conspicuous goods, we should use it to buy the technology used in manufacturing them. We should take great interest in the law of science which can be harnessed in the form of machinery to work and make profit on their behalf. An economy economy’s strength is measured using its productive capacity and not its capacity to import goods.
- We must sensitise the public on the disadvantages of sumptuous consumption and the advantages of investing in the agricultural and industrial domains of the economy.
- We must also have to encourage our elite to invest in the agricultural sector because the food production sector must flourish in order to feed its citizens and the surplus on it will generate industries.
The above are some of the policies we have to adopt if we want to march forward .Let’s work together as one person.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Marriage in Cameroon (BY Nanche Billa Robert )
Marriage in Cameroon
BY
Nanche Billa Robert
Douala Cameroon
Today the search for glamour and high profile husbands has destroyed the institution of marriage in Cameroon. Girls always think of a dream world thereby detaching themselves from their own reality. In Cameroon, especially in Douala where about 80.5% of the population lives in poverty, only very few people get married
47.5%, 31.7%, 5%, 5.4% and 4% of the population of Douala are married, single, divorcees, engaged, cohabiting. Those who are married are those having prestigious and high salary jobs. Most single people work in the informal and private sectors are students and unemployed. The more prestigious ones job is, the higher the likelihood that one will be married and the reverse will mean that one is single and is cohabiting.
Those who are affected are those <30-40 years old because they are seriously crushed by poverty.48% and 50% of those between 30-40years earn about 24,000-75,000frs and 75,000frs -125,000frs respectively which is far beyond the poverty-line of 177,000frs.Only 8%of those below 30 earn above the poverty line.
This is an indication that marriage is more of interest than sacrifice. Very few people will find a wife that will accept them with little or no interest. Your wife accepted and supported you up to what you are today. I hope that will be a lesson to our self-centred sisters. It is difficult to find a lady who will like to marry someone without having an ulterior interest. whenever there is money, one will be the best husband on earth and they will often say: “what will I have been without you” If in the course of their cohabitation or marriage, suffering strikes, she will make life miserable to the man and it is very common to hear utterances such as “You dirty man. What have you ever done for me? It is better to live in my father’s compound than to suffer here. When I took the decision to marry you I thought life would be better but I didn’t know that I was a fool». She will say over and over again “This marriage you want to contract with me will not work because we are not compatible”. Must compatibility be determined by money? That is the major reason why people especially men want to have a good job before engaging in a legal marriage. Very few women are willing to work together with their spouse in order to build together. They want to marry men only when the storm is over. I know of a lady who asked her partner to pay her for all the domestic works she had done for the time they had been together. You know what she gave him a bill of two million and said her month was worth 60,000frs. Where in Cameroon does a housemaid earn that sum? The child they had had she changed her name to her father’s name forgetting all what had happened in the past.
How is it possible for one to get married when ones partner doesn’t identify herself with what one is doing? Whenever one does something positive she thinks it is for oneself and not for the family as a whole. When she welcomes and treats her family members better than she will treat her partners’. Even when they are legally married some women still fail to identify themselves with their husband’s home. One still hears other saying that they have delivered children for their husbands as if the children are not theirs as well. It is only when women identify themselves as part of their husband’s home that we can have a stable marriage. When they feel for each other, when they hear each other heartbeat, when they share the joyful and timorous events of their partner’s life then can we have real blissful marital home. But when they continue to say “your mother” “your father” “your sister” instead of our mother, father and sister” there will not be veritable peace in the household. The Bible says when two people get married they become one therefore people must stop using discriminative words. What belongs to Adam must also be Eve’s. They must be together for what God has united nobody should put asunder
Young girls will prefer to go out with people who are older than their parents not because they love them but because they are sure that their daily bread and other needs will be guaranteed. You certainly know of the cases of mboma at our state universities. Prof Chinje: a Sociologist said, in the western world, in the first year university students observe each other and in the second year they approach each other and may even end up getting married to each other. It is the reverse at our state university where girls will prefer older persons than their own classmates certainly because their classmates having got the wherewithal. Today our sisters want to get married to albinos (whites) at all cost: they send them pictures in which they are stake naked. This is because they think they will have a better life if they are married to them. When they fail in their attempt to get what they want, they then desperately look for someone to hang on. However, there are a few women who are selfless and are willing to support whatever situation to make their marriage work. This category of women, who are difficult to come by, must be encouraged.
For marriage to be successful in Cameroon, we need a change of mentality: money can provide everything we need for our comfort but marriage is much more than that. Love should be the core of marriages and not money because of the vicissitude of life It needs people who understand each other and are ready to work together to achieve a common goal. Since the youth of our country is entrenched in poverty, very few engaged themselves in marriage. Less than four out of every ten young people in their thirties are married.
BY
Nanche Billa Robert
Douala Cameroon
Today the search for glamour and high profile husbands has destroyed the institution of marriage in Cameroon. Girls always think of a dream world thereby detaching themselves from their own reality. In Cameroon, especially in Douala where about 80.5% of the population lives in poverty, only very few people get married
47.5%, 31.7%, 5%, 5.4% and 4% of the population of Douala are married, single, divorcees, engaged, cohabiting. Those who are married are those having prestigious and high salary jobs. Most single people work in the informal and private sectors are students and unemployed. The more prestigious ones job is, the higher the likelihood that one will be married and the reverse will mean that one is single and is cohabiting.
Those who are affected are those <30-40 years old because they are seriously crushed by poverty.48% and 50% of those between 30-40years earn about 24,000-75,000frs and 75,000frs -125,000frs respectively which is far beyond the poverty-line of 177,000frs.Only 8%of those below 30 earn above the poverty line.
This is an indication that marriage is more of interest than sacrifice. Very few people will find a wife that will accept them with little or no interest. Your wife accepted and supported you up to what you are today. I hope that will be a lesson to our self-centred sisters. It is difficult to find a lady who will like to marry someone without having an ulterior interest. whenever there is money, one will be the best husband on earth and they will often say: “what will I have been without you” If in the course of their cohabitation or marriage, suffering strikes, she will make life miserable to the man and it is very common to hear utterances such as “You dirty man. What have you ever done for me? It is better to live in my father’s compound than to suffer here. When I took the decision to marry you I thought life would be better but I didn’t know that I was a fool». She will say over and over again “This marriage you want to contract with me will not work because we are not compatible”. Must compatibility be determined by money? That is the major reason why people especially men want to have a good job before engaging in a legal marriage. Very few women are willing to work together with their spouse in order to build together. They want to marry men only when the storm is over. I know of a lady who asked her partner to pay her for all the domestic works she had done for the time they had been together. You know what she gave him a bill of two million and said her month was worth 60,000frs. Where in Cameroon does a housemaid earn that sum? The child they had had she changed her name to her father’s name forgetting all what had happened in the past.
How is it possible for one to get married when ones partner doesn’t identify herself with what one is doing? Whenever one does something positive she thinks it is for oneself and not for the family as a whole. When she welcomes and treats her family members better than she will treat her partners’. Even when they are legally married some women still fail to identify themselves with their husband’s home. One still hears other saying that they have delivered children for their husbands as if the children are not theirs as well. It is only when women identify themselves as part of their husband’s home that we can have a stable marriage. When they feel for each other, when they hear each other heartbeat, when they share the joyful and timorous events of their partner’s life then can we have real blissful marital home. But when they continue to say “your mother” “your father” “your sister” instead of our mother, father and sister” there will not be veritable peace in the household. The Bible says when two people get married they become one therefore people must stop using discriminative words. What belongs to Adam must also be Eve’s. They must be together for what God has united nobody should put asunder
Young girls will prefer to go out with people who are older than their parents not because they love them but because they are sure that their daily bread and other needs will be guaranteed. You certainly know of the cases of mboma at our state universities. Prof Chinje: a Sociologist said, in the western world, in the first year university students observe each other and in the second year they approach each other and may even end up getting married to each other. It is the reverse at our state university where girls will prefer older persons than their own classmates certainly because their classmates having got the wherewithal. Today our sisters want to get married to albinos (whites) at all cost: they send them pictures in which they are stake naked. This is because they think they will have a better life if they are married to them. When they fail in their attempt to get what they want, they then desperately look for someone to hang on. However, there are a few women who are selfless and are willing to support whatever situation to make their marriage work. This category of women, who are difficult to come by, must be encouraged.
For marriage to be successful in Cameroon, we need a change of mentality: money can provide everything we need for our comfort but marriage is much more than that. Love should be the core of marriages and not money because of the vicissitude of life It needs people who understand each other and are ready to work together to achieve a common goal. Since the youth of our country is entrenched in poverty, very few engaged themselves in marriage. Less than four out of every ten young people in their thirties are married.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Ethnic politics
I know constructive criticism is what we all strive for and freedom of speech is not an excuse for anybody to say whatever they want without considering the implication of whatever they say. That said, nobody should prevent the other from expressing their views, because they are unconformable with what is being said. If we are not allowed to express ourselves in our house, where else are we going to be free? If those we have elected as our leaders are not treating us well, what do we expect from those who do not know us?
The truth must be spoken in love at all times even though it will make people uncomfortable. I agree with both of you, that we prefer talking behind people’s backs and not confronting them when given the opportunity to do so. It is deeply entrenched in our culture and anybody that does not toe the line is considered abnormal. Our leaders and elders are always right and are above reproach. “Little children are to be seen and not to be heard”. If I was born before you, I am always right and you must listen to me and not speak up. No doubt we grew up hearing that the youths are leaders of tomorrow, but most of us still have to wait for another century for a chance to become leaders.
Mr. Agendia, I agree with you that we do not need a minister from Lebailem for the needs of our area to be met. We have lived with this lie for a very long time and I think the time has come for us to face it head long. We have seen how little ministers from other parts of the country have benefited the common man. At their best their immediate family and close friends are those that benefit.
Why is our country where it is? Part of the reason is the manipulation of the masses under the pretext of regional balance. This policy reinforces “tribalism” resulting in a false sense of ethnicity. As such people lose sight of the broader picture and are prevented from asking the right questions. Therefore elections are not centered around issues, but on ethnic affiliations. That is why it is not surprise to hear that an election as important as the plebiscite was reduced to “will you vote for Foncha a Bamenda man or for Endeley a Bakweri man?
We are all aware of what the out come of the plebiscite is. Although we are still being told all is well and that nobody should complain or speak up. After all the problem is from the “came no goes” we have to send back to where they belong. How long are we going to play this ethnic card? I hear there is a lot of jubilation on the streets of Bamenda, because a son of the soil has been appointed the prime minister. Give me a break. Is he the first or the last Bamenda prime minister? Many have come and gone and we know the North West still has a very long way to go. I drove by the house of one of their former prime minister, who tarred the road from the dusty main road to his house. What a shame.
We will only get what we desire and expect. Politics of ethnic balance has kept us where we are. The colonial masters played that card and our leaders have mastered it very well. It sounds well and has the appearance of being the best option, but it is a deadly smoke screen used by those in power to manipulate, control and dominate the masses. The good news is this deceit will not go on forever. The time has come and now is the time to speak against such a blatant lie that has enslaved our people. Do not vote for somebody because he or she is your “country man” vote for them because they have the interest of Cameroon at heart.
The truth must be spoken in love at all times even though it will make people uncomfortable. I agree with both of you, that we prefer talking behind people’s backs and not confronting them when given the opportunity to do so. It is deeply entrenched in our culture and anybody that does not toe the line is considered abnormal. Our leaders and elders are always right and are above reproach. “Little children are to be seen and not to be heard”. If I was born before you, I am always right and you must listen to me and not speak up. No doubt we grew up hearing that the youths are leaders of tomorrow, but most of us still have to wait for another century for a chance to become leaders.
Mr. Agendia, I agree with you that we do not need a minister from Lebailem for the needs of our area to be met. We have lived with this lie for a very long time and I think the time has come for us to face it head long. We have seen how little ministers from other parts of the country have benefited the common man. At their best their immediate family and close friends are those that benefit.
Why is our country where it is? Part of the reason is the manipulation of the masses under the pretext of regional balance. This policy reinforces “tribalism” resulting in a false sense of ethnicity. As such people lose sight of the broader picture and are prevented from asking the right questions. Therefore elections are not centered around issues, but on ethnic affiliations. That is why it is not surprise to hear that an election as important as the plebiscite was reduced to “will you vote for Foncha a Bamenda man or for Endeley a Bakweri man?
We are all aware of what the out come of the plebiscite is. Although we are still being told all is well and that nobody should complain or speak up. After all the problem is from the “came no goes” we have to send back to where they belong. How long are we going to play this ethnic card? I hear there is a lot of jubilation on the streets of Bamenda, because a son of the soil has been appointed the prime minister. Give me a break. Is he the first or the last Bamenda prime minister? Many have come and gone and we know the North West still has a very long way to go. I drove by the house of one of their former prime minister, who tarred the road from the dusty main road to his house. What a shame.
We will only get what we desire and expect. Politics of ethnic balance has kept us where we are. The colonial masters played that card and our leaders have mastered it very well. It sounds well and has the appearance of being the best option, but it is a deadly smoke screen used by those in power to manipulate, control and dominate the masses. The good news is this deceit will not go on forever. The time has come and now is the time to speak against such a blatant lie that has enslaved our people. Do not vote for somebody because he or she is your “country man” vote for them because they have the interest of Cameroon at heart.
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