End of year address to the nation:

Biya recognizes Anglophone problem, shames AtangaNji and Co.

-Announces imminent creation of a national body to examine legitimate concerns raised and propose solutions

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

President Biya instructed gov’t to open dialogue with lawyers, teachers

President Paul Biya has insinuated his government is ready to make concessions on some substantive concerns raised by striking Anglophone teachers and Lawyers. He made the disclosure in his traditional state-of-the-nation address on 31 December 2016.

                In a rather hard, though apologetic tone, Biya dwelled on the Anglophone issue for the better part of his address, saying that far from what most people are wont to think, he is not indifferent to the unfortunate happenings in the Northwest and Southwest regions of the country.

                “I would like to dwell on the events that unfolded recently in the NW and SW regions. Physically and emotionally, we are deeply concerned about these events,” Biya said, regretting however, the loss of lives, destruction of property and desecration of national emblems by some misguided rioters, who resorted to violent protests on the streets of Bamenda and Kumba. 

                Banging his fist on the table, Biya said such acts of violence are unacceptable in a state of law like Cameroon. He however, admitted that it is a democratic right for people to express their feelings in public, even though such public demonstrations must be peaceful and within the confines of the laws in force.

                Emphasizing the readiness and openness of the regime for dialogue, Biya said: “Let me make this very clear: it is not forbidden to voice any concerns in the Republic. However, nothing great can be achieved by using verbal excesses (recall Hon. Wirba Joseph’s outing in parliament), street violence (recall Bamenda and Kumba) and defying authority. Lasting solutions to problems can only be found through violence.”

                Commentators have been quick to opine that Biya’s 31st December address met the aspirations of a vast majority of the wider Cameroonian public, especially the very expectant Anglophones.

                Franklin SoneBayen, a journalist and political analyst observed in a post on facebook that President Biya literally bent over backwards and made concessions to the demands of Anglophones this, despite his tough-talking, fist-banging and protesters-bashing.

                “Anglophones are succeeding in this struggle; they are pushing the frontiers of dialogue and change. Biya is conceding to Anglophone demands,” Bayen opined, adding that any Anglophones who missed to see these in Biya’s speech, probably expected to see the president practically going on his knees to know he was begging and conceding. Franklin Bayen’sfacebook post immediately ignited a vast amount of debate, and with many debaters aligning and subscribing to his “Biya is conceding” argument.

                Bayen argued for instance that when Biya says: “All voices that spoke have been heard; they have, in many cases, raised substantive issues that cannot be overlooked”, he is simply acknowledging the Anglophone problem and has thus shamed doubting thomases like AtangaNji, Fame Ndongo, Laurent Esso, IssaTchiroma and of course, “Anglophone stooges in government”.

                Also, when the president says: “like in any human endeavour, our experience is not perfect. There are aspects that can be improved. We should therefore listen to each other. We should remain open to constructive ideas, to the exclusion, however, of those that would affect the form of our state,” he is only insinuating that federalism may be put on the table for discussion but not secession.

                Then, when Biya says besides the specialized lawyers’ and teachers’ adhoc committees, government is, in the footsteps and spirit of the architects of the reunification, ready to concede even more to discuss the wider Anglophone concerns in a national entity that will be tasked to examining the grievances and proposing solutions aimed at consolidating peace and unity in diversity, he was only short of convening what many already predict as a second Foumban Conference.               

                Yet, in making these concessions, Biya did not go practically on his knees or lie flat on his stomach; he made them from a position of strength, at some point banging his fist on the table and bashing at misguided rioters, as not to concede defeat.

                Political analysts are advising that “if Anglophones are seriously out to make gains, step by step and not hoping to conjure outcomes like magicians or Alice in wonderland, they should seize the opportunity granted by Biya.”

“For one thing, concessions do not mean accepting defeat; negotiating parties can rebound, capitalising on the weaknesses and blunders of the charging opponent,” concluded Franklin Bayen, in his very brilliant analysis of Biya’s year end address.