Bilingualism Commission Beckoned:

Anglophones Terribly Sidelined in Police Exams

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

DGSN, Martin Mbarga Nguele

Names of Anglophones are hard to find in the lists of successful candidates of the August and September 2017 recruitment exams into the police force that were released on 31 August by the DGSN, Martin Mbarga Nguele.

            A thorough survey of the lists of over 5000 candidates admitted into different categories of the police force including superintendents, officers, inspectors and constables revealed too few names of Anglophones candidates.

            Successful candidates are expected to start training at the Higher Police College in Yaounde, as from the 10th of September 2018 (for Superintendents) and 12 September 2018 for Police Officers, according to the release that is signed by the DGSN, Martin Mbarga Nguele.

            Other categories including inspectors and constables are to begin their training in different training centres, as from 10 October 2018. Different specialties that were recruited include computer engineers, musicians, drivers and nurses.

            Observers have not waited to point out the marginalization and sidelining of Anglophone candidates in the police recruitment exams. Many who called this reporter to announce the publication of the results, complained about the paltry number of Anglophones admitted for the training. They said the results smack of marginalization at best, and provocation at worse.

            Informed observers said the results are inimical to the rules and regulations governing admission into the public service, rules which emphasize regional balance, planning and special consideration for minorities.

            “The results of the police exams reflect what has since been happening to Anglophones or even worse,” said an informed observer, who added that the names of some candidates who failed in the written part of the exams also appeared on the final lists of successful candidates.

            What’s worse, some said the lists have been released at a time when the Anglophone community is spitting venom over what some consider as the “shabby” treatment the system in place reserves for Anglophones, and which has caused some to take up arms to fight for independence and/or secession.

            Commentators have wondered aloud whether the president and members of the Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multi-Culturalism in the country have also seen and gone through the lists. They said the police exams results are a tacit case of the discrimination and marginalization that Anglophones are currently struggling against. The commentators say the Bilingualism Commission must wade in and recommend a review of the admissions especially with respect to Anglophones.

            Yet, this reporter got it on good authority that when the exams were written in 2017 and many complaints came up about the poor translation of the exams questions from French into English, the president of the Bilingualism Commission, Peter Mafany Musonge, actually took time off and met the Police boss, Martin Mbarga Nguele, and urged him to be careful with his handling of the exams.

            We learned that Musonge called the attention of Mbarga Nguele to the fact that, Anglophones are already expressing bitterness about discrimination and poor treatment they get especially from highly placed Francophone officials in the country. The former PM, who is also the Grand Chancellor of National Orders, cautioned the police boss to avoid creating any situation that may further inflame the Anglophones.

            We learned further that Mafany Musonge as well, reminded the police boss that one of the training schools for the bulk of police recruits is situated in Mutengene, in the SW region, and that it would be preposterous to admit trainees for the school and sideline Anglophones.

            But the results that were published on Friday 31 August 2018, leave one with the impression that Musonge’s exchange with Mbarga Nguele was a dialogue of the deaf; a most difficult dialogue. It gives the impression the police boss did not listen to Musonge’s advice or if at all he did, he never felt compelled to take into consideration any suggestions from the Anglophone that Musonge is.

            Commentators say situations like the one exposed in the police recruitment exams only raise questions about how truly relevant or powerful the Bilingualism Commission is in solving the frustrations of minorities in Cameroon.

            It should be recalled that when president Paul Biya on 31 December 2016, announced the imminent creation of a commission to look into the Anglophone problem, he said it was with the aim to ensure real social cohesion and a harmonious living together among Cameroonians, in their diversity.

            Yet, the question begs for answers: Do the 31 August 2018 recruitments into the police force reflect this lofty aspiration of the Head of State, Paul Biya? For this newspaper, the answer is blowing in the wind.