Anglophone
political elite have failed woefully
- Senator
Mbella Moki Charles
 |
| Senator Mbella Moki Charles |
Emblematic
Fako politician and CPDM Senator, Charles Mbella Moki has said that the present
crop of Anglophone political elite in Yaounde have failed to live up to their
billing as leaders of their people. Senator Mbella Moki, who is a former Mayor
of Buea, made the frank remark recently during a telephone conversation with
this reporter. He was speaking in reaction to the events in Buea and Bamenda
which led to the brutal massacre of over 100 Anglophones (REDHAC’ death toll)
by trigger-happy soldiers on 1st October.
Speaking in his characteristic
soft but emphatic tone, Mbella blamed the authorities in Yaounde for
negligence, and the Anglophone political elite in particular for standing aloof
and watching as the crisis degenerates until it is now almost out of hand.
“I must state that Anglophone
elite have not shown leadership in the wake of this crisis. in all of these,
those of us who are privileged to be in positions of leadership within the
Anglophone community have not shown leadership enough; in fact we have failed
to mobilize ourselves and say the truth about the frustrations of our people to
the powers that be in this country. And because of this, we have exposed our
individual and collective weaknesses; we have outlived our relevance; and the
people we purport to lead no longer identify with us; they no longer trust or
count on us,” noted Senator Mbella Moki, who at once suggested to the head of
state to look within the Anglophone community and pick out new persons who can
inspire true leadership; the kind of leadership that can be acceptable to the
majority of the minority Anglophones.
Mbella said at the speed with
which the crisis is decaying, the president of the republic should take urgent
measures to address the issues at stake.
“The president should address
the nation and say what he intends to do in the short run. Then he should even
visit the two Anglophone regions, if that will do some good to the present
situation,” suggested Senator Mbella Moki in earnest.
Asked to give his opinion on the
dialogue that many have suggested as way forward for the stalemate, Mbella
retorted with a series of questions: “what dialogue are you now talking about?
What form will the dialogue take? Who will participate in the dialogue now that
all the leaders of the struggle have been tagged as terrorists, while some
others have been scared away and when those who pass for our leaders in
government have not been able to come together and articulate the problems and
seek a common position that satisfies the aspirations of the majority of
Anglophones?”
Mbella noted albeit regrettably,
that Anglophones have a sitting Prime Minister and two former Prime Ministers,
but these people cannot get together and convene other Anglophone opinion
leaders like Ministers, MPs, Mayors, Chiefs, leaders of South West and North
West elite associations etc etc, so that together they can articulate the
vexing issues and find common ground to present to government.
“Today, because of the evident
lack of a veritable Anglophone leadership, everybody now goes to their own
small corner and claim leadership of his own following. And the various leaders
have different, at times, diametrically opposing opinions on what is good for
the Anglophones, in a “one and indivisible” Cameroon.
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