One No Kamerun?

One No Kamerun?
Stay in your own lane.

For the One Kamerun dreamers:
you can totally have a One Kamerun dream,
but you cannot force a supposedly free people
into a dream just because you can.

The dream was not sold to you
on the basis of
our loss of self-rule,
annexation, or forced come-we-stay,
recolonization and occupation,
the complete disintegration
of our local governments, especially
our traditional chieftaincy models
and the native authorities that kept
the peace and harmony from the
family level to the state level,
with a House of Chiefs.

Do you get the picture?
Occupation?
We are a people with a foundation
who are not ready or willing to lose it.

You can denigrate our chiefs, our
traditions and their positive influence
in the running of our families (the basic
units of a community);
you can dismantle our institutions (judiciary,
administrative, economic, politico-social…),
but the one thing you can never take away
is our foundation stone.
Heck, you can even physically eliminate
our people. The ancestors will still speak.

The One Kamerun dream should not be based
on us losing something we rightfully can, and should,
keep: our freedom to say YES or NO to being part
of your dream, or anyone else's.
Hope that is OK with you.
If not, you tell me why not.

Do we have something you do not have? No.
Do you have something we do not have? No.
So…
Stay in your lane.
And please drive carefully to your destination.
We are on our way too.
You may go faster if you wish.
That is not a problem.
We can all move forward together,
in our different lanes, that is.

We are all a product of history.
Is your history different? Yes.
Is our history different? Yes.
So do we have to force ourselves
into an untenable situation, and be
foolish enough to stay just because of
a pipe dream of "One…"?
If it does not fit, then quit trying.
Why does it not fit?
Because history says so,
and that history is not fiction.

The series of lies, subterfuges, tricks,
arm-twisting, assassinations and fake patriotism, just to
grab resources for free… all this
paints a picture of clear BAD FAITH
in any relationship.
Should it be so? No.
But unfortunately, that is what
the record shows.

Should we be foolish enough to just
bow our heads and say "Amen" or "Oui, m'sieu"
to this situation, just because of
a pipe dream of "One…"?
Only a fool would do that.
Are we fools?
You tell me.
Oh yes, you already did.

I don't want to repeat
the condescending name
used for my people. It is
well known in the social-commentary
circles of One Kamerun/Camerounese culture.
I won't repeat it.
I won't advertise it.
It is not legal.
But then, how many quick-thinking
legislators in this contraption of
a system have introduced a law in
the Camerounese parliament to ban
condescending names given to
"fellow citizens"? None!
And you want me to believe
you have any brains?

But that is beside the point.
The time for arguments is over.
First of all, you never listen.
And it seems that even when you do,
you wonder what these strange people,
speaking a strange language, are talking about.
N'importe quoi?
I will be surprised if you read this.
Humour me. Meanwhile, the question stands:
Yes, Kamerun. What is the dream?

About One No Kamerun:
does the "One Kamerun" theory fall apart
if former British Southern Cameroons
restores its right of self-rule?
You tell me.

~wv

When you betray, you create bad faith.

— Wanaku Verdzekov