vox pop

What do you expect President Biya to say in his traditional state of the nation address on 31 December?

As the nation anxiously awaits the head of state's traditional year-end address on 31 December, and given the ongoing uprisings in the Anglophone regions, marked by unending teachers’ and lawyers’ strikes, that led to the premature closure of schools in NW and SW regions, and popular calls for a return to the pre-reunification federal arrangement, The Median went out to the streets to get the expectations of Cameroonians as to what the President should say. We brought back the following reactions: 

He will replay thesame deja entendu

Ekonde Daniel

                The end of year address message of the president over the years has become routine, with each one not sounding different from the other. So we should not expect anything different from the president, apart from the usual promises and perhaps some fake statistics about the performance of government in fighting unemployment and poverty. No doubt, the president will talk about the successes recorded by the army in checking the Boko Haram insurgency in North Cameroon. Then of course, he would hail the forces of law and order for their efforts in bringing the deadly riots in NW and SW under control. But I fear he will not mention the towns of Bamenda and Kumba where several deaths were recorded. He would also avoid talking about the brutal treatment visited on UB students by trigger-happy police and gendarmes, during the peaceful protest of these students on campus. Yet, even as I expect him to pronounce solutions to Anglophone grievances, there’s the likelihood he would not dwell on it; if anything he would only emphasize on the point of Cameroon’s unquestionable unity and indivisibility.

I don’t expect anything good from the address

Marvelous Ngale

                I don’t expect much from the president this time around just as I have hardly expected anything good from him before. We have been waiting on him since to talk about the recent disturbances in the country, especially the strike action by teachers and lawyers that has crippled schools and courts in Anglophone Cameroon, but he has not said anything. Perhaps he might use this opportunity to talk about it, especially if something good comes out of the meeting in Bamenda of the inter-ministerial Ad hoc committee put in place to look into the problems.

He will avoid burning issues as usual

                It's a good thing the president will address us next Saturday and of course we'll want to hear him talk about the marginalization of Anglophones in Cameroon. In many interviews with ministers, we've heard them say there's nothing like an Anglophone problem; so we are hoping to hear him say otherwise. But like in previous years when he avoided mentioning some alarming situations in the country, I reserve my fears the President's address on Saturday will touch only on New Year wishes and maybe the 2017 budget.

He should focus on Anglophone problem

Shing Timothy

                I want the president to focus his address on Anglophone grievances, spelling out effectively how he plans to solve them. He should also focus on the economic trauma and high unemployment amongst university graduates. But I know he will divert attention from the biggest threat to peace and stability in this country which is the Anglophone problem and focus on the fight against Boko Haram, the insurgency at the borders with the Central African republic. If anything he would barely touch on the real issues. Cameroon has many problems but the worst of them that can define the destiny of this country is the Anglophone problem. The president should address this problem.

He should tell us about the laptops

Bambot Valentine

                The president should first of all start by addressing the laptops he promised University students that has not yet come to fruition. Then he should condemn the brutality invited by the police and army recently in the NW and SW and also tell us where Cameroon is with vision 2035.

He should answer to calls for a return to federalism

Beng Emmanuel

                I am looking forward to hearing the president saying something concerning the Anglophone problem and the calls for a return to federalism. But I know he would insist that Cameroon is one and indivisible.

He should dwell on recent events in the country

Elvira Matong

                I am expecting the president to stress more on the recent happenings that has rocked the municipality of Buea in recent times and especially the NWR. Yet I know that in his characteristic evasiveness, he will hardly dwell on these issues; preferring rather to spend time on the successful hosting of the female AFCON and preparations for that of 2019. I would also not be surprised to hear him congratulate the police and gendarmes for the brutality they visited on armless Cameroonians in Bamenda, Buea and Kumba.

I don’t recognize him as my president

Mr. Fossung Henry-Farmer

                I don't expect anything from President Biya on 31 December because to me he is the president of a foreign country called La Republic; even though he has trespassed and is now also ruling Southern Cameroons. I do not recognise him as the president of my country, Southern Cameroon. As such for peace to reign he should understand he is ruling another country. So let him just be himself.

He should apologize for the killings in B’da and Kumba

                What i expect from the head of state’s speech is very simple. He should admit that there is an Anglophone problem and release all those people arrested and taken to Yaounde. He should apologize for the killing of those Anglophones during the strike and assure the public of investigations to bring those military people to book. Also,  he should  start  making arrangements for Federalism

He should talk like a father

                I expect the president to say things that will be nice to all the children of this country because he is like the father to the whole country. When children are angry, he as father should know how to calm them. He should make us know that he has been listening to our lawyers and teachers. He should say things that will sound well in people's ears.

He should address the Anglophone issue

Ekabo Linus - Farmer

                Let the head of state talk of the Anglophone problem because we the Anglophones are crying for marginalization. Meantime, as a farmer I want to decry the system in which our produce are bought is very poor. In this light let the Head of state talk about stabilization of prices of cocoa and other farm produce.

Answer to Anglophone lawyers and teachers

 Penda Eric - Bike Rider

                We expect the president to announce solutions to the recent happenings in the Anglophone regions of the country. Let him address the issues raised by common law layers and teachers.

Give lasting solutions to Anglophone question

Che Elias - Farmer

                He should grant the request of the common law lawyers and the teachers so as to ensure that these two sectors get back to work. Let him give lasting solutions and not fake and short term solutions to the problems.

He should be positive and promising

Tanoh Soterine- Student

                I expect nothing more than a positive and promising reaction from the head of state to the grievances of Southern Cameroonians. Our families, friends and loved ones have been killed, maimed, raped and abducted by the armed forces and police who have easily become "Boko gendarmes" and "Boko Police". Forces that were trained to protect the citizens have instead become forces of destruction in the country. It is sad, disgusting and even aching when poor parents pay fees for children and the children cannot go to school for months running. One can no longer move freely in the streets of the Southwest and Northwest because of the heavy presence of men in uniform in town. Anglophones are seriously marginalized in this country. Let the President hit his hand on the table against all these.

He should avoid making empty promises

Dinka John Paul Sama-Student

I expect him to talk about the problems faced by teachers and Lawyers and not bore us with the usual bantar and empty rhetoric. I want to hear solutions to the grievances of striking lawyers and teachers.