Cameroun - Cameroon:The Folly of Crying Wolf in Yaoundé

The last panicked reaction of Dr Eric Mathias Owona Nguini regarding a recent article by Jeune Afrique exposing a secret of polichinelle that the president’s wife is the real power behind the throne is really telling for a man who couple of years ago made the same argument about what he called “a diarchy chantalist-Biyaiste” calling the first lady the president’s vicar and his number 10 on the soccer field. He then received a promotion because of that over the top form of panegyric.

Now, labelling journalists at Jeune Afrique as political activists calling for an “insurrection” against the regime of Yaoundé is more than a polemical tactic but part of regime of intimidation, anxieties and fear. Thus, anyone who states facts that the regime of Yaoundé does not like, including facts stated by the regime, is calling for an “insurrection,” therefore, is de facto a “terrorist.” Needless to say anything about real victims of real insurrections, solely and always, a habit of underestimating the forces his constant fearmongering might unleash. More, a real injustice for those ordinary Cameroonians being locked up on charges of “insurrection” which carries the death penalty in Cameroon.

Moreover, how effortlessly Dr. Owona Nguini and the regime of Yaoundé rewrite history on the fly. Second, the reality that they really do have limited their ability to credibly warn against the real dangers posed by a real insurrection. When this game is played every single time, regardless of the merits of the criticisms in question, the charge of “insurrection” becomes hollow.

Which brings to the second observation: as with Dr Owona Nguini, the regime of Yaoundé has exhausted its supply of effective political language. Indeed, watching Dr Owona Nguini ranting against Jeune Africa for something that he supported before, one is struck by how limited were his options — and are the options of those who make an even more explicit case against the Cameroonian opposition with Pr. Kamto and the leadership of the MRC being locked up on charges of insurrection, among others, which carry the death penalty in Cameroon.

Apocalyptic language does nothing to solve genuine political differences. More, if this isn’t crying wolf, what is?

Confronted with genuine realities and legitimate opposition, the regime of Yaoundé don’t have any radioactive denunciations in reserve anymore. They have all been deployed against a couple of generations of legitimate criticisms and opposition and the charges never change, just the target.

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