Obasinjom:

Paul Atanga Nji Yesterday Today Tomorrow

The quarreled remarks of the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, on France24, on the issue of dialogue with Anglophones, should be seen within the context of his persistent, unrepentant and unapologetic stance against Anglophone gesticulations in Cameroon.

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

The Minat, Paul Atanga Nji, is

 somewhat of an enigma to Anglophones

It was West Cameroon’s intellectual public servant, Dr. A.D Mengot, who once said: “when a man takes a stance, he must stand by it because it is from that stance that his standards are tested.”

                The Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, has gone down in the annals of history as one if not the most unrepentant of Cameroonians who argue that “Anglophones have no problem in Cameroon”.

                But to understand this rather controversial nay erroneous opinion of the man who has easily become the first Anglophone ever to head the powerful ministry of territorial administration since independence and re-unification, perhaps, one should revisit Atanga Nji’s earlier pronouncements on the subject of Anglophone marginalization in Cameroon. 

                It should be recalled that just about when the first All Anglophone Conference, AAC1, was convened in Buea in 1993, Cameroon Tribune published several full page opinions supposedly penned by Atanga Nji. In the write-ups Atanga weighed anchor that “Anglophones Have No Problem In Cameroon.” Cameroon Tribune also always made sure Atanga Nji’s write-ups on the Anglophone question were given vantage position in the Op-Ed columns of the state-run tabloid. More often than not the article was advertised on the front page of the newspaper.

                When the present crisis in the NW and SW started in late 2016, Atanga Nji was about the first person to grant a lengthy interview on CRTV television, stating categorically that “Anglophones have no reason to complain in Cameroon. Atanga Nji said Anglophones are asking for too much from the government because President Biya has already given them everything including appointing him Atanga Nji of all persons as not only Minister of Special Duties at the Presidency (at the time) but also as Permanent Secretary of the National Security Council, apart from appointing two Anglophones as Director General of Treasury and Director General of Customs.”

                Atanga Nji pursued his fight against the Anglophone course by multiplying write-ups in Cameroon Tribune and granting interviews to CRTV and Vision4 TV. In all these outings, Atanga Nji remained unrepentant and unwavering on his position about Anglophone marginalization.

                Born in old town (Mankon) Bamenda, Atanga Nji has spent the better part of his adult life in the French speaking regions of Cameroon, notably in Douala and Yaounde. Some observers say he is more comfortable speaking French than English.

                Atanga Nji is also married to a Bulu woman from Sangmelima and has most of his investments in French speaking Cameroon.

                What is however intriguing is how this very ‘frenchified’ and estranged son of Bamenda returned home and played his way to become the Section President of the Grand Mezam Section of the CPDM party, defeating the former all powerful Bamenda Government Delegate, Abel Ndeh, in the process.

                Also intriguing was how Atanga Nji succeeded to convince NW Fons (Fon Angwafor of Mankon inclusive) to move their palaces to Douala to meet President Biya. This was during the famous visit in 1992 when the President said: “me voici a Douala; me voici donc a Douala”.

                Informed observers reckon that for the very young man that Atanga Nji was at the time, it was no mean feat to move the Fons out of their palaces.

And it should be noted also that though Fon Angwafor was the leader of that delegation of NW Fons to Douala, Atanga Nji was the spokesperson (Ntumfor) during the audience with President Biya.

                As if these were not enough, Atanga Nji was about the only Anglophone who mustered the courage to openly challenge the ‘untouchable’ Ni John Fru Ndi, at the time when the Chairman’s popularity was still at its peak and festering. Atanga Nji sought and got from Yaounde the means that he used in creating a subsection of the CPDM in Fru Ndi’s fief in Ntarinkon. Atanga looked for a house not far from Fru Ndi’s residence and lodged the office of the new sub-section there.

                Yet, the point I am making here is not that Atanga Nji was doing the right thing or not; but how the very smart boy from Old Town Bamenda, used his only weapons – courage and smartness, to make mincemeat of the intelligence of the entire NW traditional and political elite, who projected him to be spotted by President Biya.

                Take note: That Atanga Nji was made the president of the Grand Mezam section of the CPDM, winning an election that Fru Ndi had tried and failed, was no mean feat. Also take note: That Atanga Nji convinced NW Fons to relocate their palaces to Douala to meet President Biya, also was no mean feat.

                What is however surprising today is that the same NW traditional and political elite who projected Atanga Nji to be spotted by Biya, are today complaining and liking their wounds.

                But the question that begs an answer is, who is to blame here – is it Paul Biya who adopted and raised Atanga Nji to the skies, or is it the NW elite who projected Atanga Nji to be seen and loved by Paul Biya?