Info For You Lot Ahmadu Ahidjo: Nationalist, Pan-Africanist, Cameroon`S Commencement President As Well As 1 Of The Youngest Presidents Of A Newly Independent African State
“Africa at lastly takes her house at the household unit of measurement table” Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo
Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo (24 August 1924 – xxx Nov 1989) was Nationalist, Pan-Africanist, liberty fighter together with the foremost President of Republic of Cameroon from 1960 until 1982. In 1947, when his dry soil was yet a United Nations trust territory administered yesteryear the French, he won his foremost elected office, a spot inwards the Representative Assembly. He was together with so 23 years old. Sagacious beyond his years, quick-witted together with persuasive inwards debate, he rose to go Prime Minister inwards 1958 together with from this high office, guided his dry soil to independence on the foremost twenty-four threescore minutes flow of Jan 1960.
He was 1 of the African leaders who spoke passionately inwards favor of stronger African unity. At the formation of Organization of African Unity at Addis Ababa inwards Ethiopia, Ahidjo was so happy that he exclaimed "Africa at lastly takes her house at the household unit of measurement table." He continued thus "The concept of Unity is unquestionably the noblest together with most profound aspiration to permeate together with animate our continent at the nowadays time.
In all the history of mankind, the original populations of Africa have got been the longest dependent to the Foreigner, humiliated, divided, exploited. And so, for them, whatever rehabilitation, their rehabilitation, tin never live consummate together with total, until together with unless they have got made goodness this tragic flow of segmentation imposed yesteryear colonial conquests. The uncomplicated proof of this is that this aspiration towards Unity has featured together with continues to characteristic inwards the programmes of all African nationalist parties who have got fought or are soundless fighting for the liberation of their territory."
President Ahidjo walking with Cameroonian ladies during Cameroons independence celebration inwards 1960
"Elected President of the novel republic at historic flow 36, he withstood with striking courage the terrorist activities which threatened his government. In 1961, the quondam Southern Cameroun joined with the Republic of Cameroun to cast the Federal Republic of Cameroun, a spousal human relationship which gave farther diverseness to a people whose ethnic together with linguistic composition already has the most complicated inwards all of Africa. But with characteristic courage, together with statesmanship of a high order, he met the challenge, together with to this novel land of 4,000.000 he has brought stability together with direction."
President Ahidjo Receives Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa) from Long Island University inwards New York. Circa March 16, 1962
Ahidjo`s mightiness inwards creating a unmarried province yesteryear bringing together 2 federated states together with the consolidation of mightiness inwards the hands of 1 person- president ensured that the numerous ethnic groups inwards his dry soil had equitable distribution together with allotment of national resources together with development.
President Ahidjo together with his ministers after 1970 elections.
Ahidjo was born inwards Garoua, a major river port along the Benue River inwards northern Cameroun, which was at the fourth dimension a French mandate territory. His begetter was a Fulani hamlet chief, piece his woman parent was a Fulani of slave descent.
Ahidjo's woman parent raised him equally a Muslim together with sent him to Quranic schoolhouse equally a child. In 1932, he began attending local authorities primary school. After failing his foremost schoolhouse certification exam inwards 1938, Ahidjo worked for a few months inwards the veterinarian service. He returned to schoolhouse together with obtained his schoolhouse certification a yr later. Ahidjo spent the next 3 years attending secondary schoolhouse at the Ecole Priamaire Superieure inwards Yaoundé, the uppercase of the mandate, studying for a career inwards the civil service. At school, Ahidjo also played soccer together with competed equally a cyclist.
President Ahidjo of Republic of Cameroon sitting with the French president Pompidou inwards Cameroun
In 1942, Ahidjo joined the civil service equally a radio operator for a postal service. As component of his job, he worked on assignments inwards several major cities throughout the country, such equally Douala, Ngaoundéré, Bertoua, together with Mokolo. According to his official biographer, Ahidjo was the foremost civil retainer from northern Cameroun to piece of work inwards the southern areas of the territory.
His experiences throughout the dry soil were, according to Harvey Glickman, professor emeritus of political scientific discipline at Haverford College together with scholar of African politics, responsible for fostering his sense of national identity together with provided him the sagacity to handgrip the problems of governing a multi-ethnic state.
Ahidjo together with Muamar Al Gaddafi
In 1946, Ahidjo entered territorial politics. From Jan 28, 1957 to May 10, 1957, Ahidjo served equally President of the Legislative Assembly of Cameroon. In the same yr he became Deputy Prime Minister inwards de facto caput of province André-Marie Mbida's government. Upon independence inwards 1960, Ahidjo, equally leader of the Republic of Cameroon Union, was elected equally President, together with he persuaded component of British Republic of Cameroon to bring together his country. He was reelected inwards 1965, 1970, 1975 together with 1980, gradually establishing the consummate ascendence of his ain political party together with outlawing all others inwards 1976.
He experienced a rebellion inwards the 1960s from a grouping known equally the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon, but defeated it yesteryear 1970. In the early on 1970s he created an unpopular constitution which ended the autonomy of British Republic of Cameroon together with established unitary rule. Though many of his actions were dictatorial, his dry soil became 1 of the most stable inwards Africa. He was considered to live to a greater extent than conservative together with less charismatic than most post-colonial African leaders, but his policies allowed Republic of Cameroon to attain comparative prosperity.
Ahidjo resigned, ostensibly for wellness reasons, on 4 Nov 1982 (there are many theories surrounding the resignation; it is to a greater extent than often than non believed that his French physician "tricked" Ahidjo well-nigh his health) together with was succeeded yesteryear Prime Minister Paul Biya 2 days later. That he stepped downwardly inwards favor of Biya, a Christian from the due south together with non a Muslim from the due north similar himself, was considered surprising. Ahidjo's ultimate intentions are unclear; it is possible that he intended to homecoming to the presidency at a afterward dot when his wellness improved, together with some other possibility is that he intended for Maigari Bello Bouba, a beau Muslim from the due north who succeeded Biya equally Prime Minister, to live his eventual successor equally President, with Biya inwards effectively a caretaker role. Although the Central Committee of the ruling Republic of Cameroon National Union (CNU) urged Ahidjo to remain President, he declined to create so, but he did concur to remain equally the President of the CNU.
Paul Biya, vice-president together with President Ahidjo
However, he also arranged for Biya to go the CNU Vice-President together with handgrip political party affairs inwards his absence. Additionally, inwards Jan 1983, Ahidjo travelled across the dry soil inwards a tour inwards back upwards of Biya.
Later inwards 1983, a major feud developed betwixt Ahidjo together with Biya. On July 19, 1983, Ahidjo went into exile inwards France, together with Biya began removing Ahidjo's supporters from positions of mightiness together with eliminating symbols of his authority, replacing Ahidjo's portraits with his ain together with removing Ahidjo's call from the anthem of the CNU.
CAMEROON. Yaoundé. Presidential elections. 1970. President of Republic of Cameroon Ahmadou Babatoura AHIDJO. Sabbatum 28th March, 1970. yesteryear © Guy Le Querrec
On August 22, Biya announced that a plot allegedly involving Ahidjo had been uncovered. For his part, Ahidjo severely criticized Biya, alleging that Biya was abusing his power, that he lived inwards fearfulness of plots against him, together with that he was a threat to national unity. The 2 were unable to reconcile despite the efforts of several unusual leaders, together with Ahidjo announced on August 27 that he was resigning equally caput of the CNU. In exile, Ahidjo was sentenced to decease inwards absentia inwards Feb 1984, along with 2 others, for participation inwards the June 1983 coup plot, although Biya commuted the judgement to life inwards prison. Ahidjo denied involvement inwards the plot. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 vehement but unsuccessful coup endeavour inwards Apr 1984 was also widely believed to have got been orchestrated yesteryear Ahidjo.
In his remaining years, Ahidjo divided his fourth dimension betwixt French Republic together with Senegal. He died of a pump laid on inwards Dakar on xxx Nov 1989 together with was buried there. He was officially rehabilitated yesteryear a police force inwards Dec 1991. Biya said on xxx Oct 2007 that the affair of returning Ahidjo's remains to Republic of Cameroon was "a household unit of measurement affair". An understanding on returning Ahidjo's remains was reached inwards June 2009, together with it was expected that they would live returned inwards 2010. There is a stadium named after Ahidjo inwards Yaoundé.
Few images remain of President Ahmadou Ahidjo, together with it is often said that the Biya regime made an active travail to erase whatever visual or sound references to Cameroon's foremost caput of state. The few surviving pieces of archival footage of Republic of Cameroon inwards the flow next independence volition probable come upwards to low-cal after Biya's departure
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His Excellency Ahmadou Ahidjo, President of the Federal Republic of Cameroun`s epoch-making spoken language at Addis Ababa, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on the Formation of OAU
“Africa at lastly takes her house at the household unit of measurement table”
Your Imperial Majesty,
I wishing to welcome your guests who have got journeyed from all the horizons of Africa together with no dubiousness to live worthy attendees of this historical gathering, Addis Ababa together with all the glorious Ethiopian people whom you lot incarnate, are adorned with the purest together with most legendary hospitality.
You have got welcomed us all, many equally nosotros are, such equally nosotros are, with an opened upwards pump together with opened upwards arms.
Permit me to follow the other distinguished Heads of State, to limited to you lot our deep feelings for this warm welcome together with say how grateful our people, whose goodness tidings nosotros bear, volition live to yours for the agreeable remain together with friendly nosotros spent on your soil.
Your Excellences,
We have got come upwards to this extraordinary coming together inwards Addis Ababa with the conviction that it must together with volition grade a major decisive phase inwards our march towards liberty together with the edifice of African Unity.
The concept of Unity is unquestionably the noblest together with most profound aspiration to permeate together with animate our continent at the nowadays time. In all the history of mankind, the original populations of Africa have got been the longest dependent to the Foreigner, humiliated, divided, exploited. And so, for them, whatever rehabilitation, their rehabilitation, tin never live consummate together with total, until together with unless they have got made goodness this tragic flow of segmentation imposed yesteryear colonial conquests. The uncomplicated proof of this is that this aspiration towards Unity has featured together with continues to characteristic inwards the programmes of all African nationalist parties who have got fought or are soundless fighting for the liberation of their territory.
This demand has been widespread together with soundless is, to such an extent that it has go a challenge on a continental scale, which history obliges us to accept. We cannot logically denounce the Foreigner for having divided us, nor tin nosotros go along to complain of this segmentation if, 1 time having go masters of our destiny, nosotros prove ourselves incapable of restoring this Unity.
To these sentimental reasons must live added others to a greater extent than pressing challenges, imposed yesteryear the economy, yesteryear technique together with policy, inwards short, yesteryear the nowadays trends inwards world affairs.
Is it so a mere accident that the 2 greatest world powers of today, Continental mainland People's Republic of China together with Republic of Republic of India apart, are also the 2 largest human concentrations together with equally a outcome of industrial together with technical potential? Who could deny that world affairs are influenced, whether nosotros similar it or not, yesteryear this powerful mainland People's Republic of China with its 650 1 yard 1000 inhabitants? Is it yesteryear endangerment that Europe herself, witting of together with surprised yesteryear the astonishing successes of our era which are showtime to elude her, has now, after a voluntary self-appraisal embarked upon a feverish piece of work of construction which is underway despite its ain problems?
Accordingly, sentiment, reason, self-interest together with inwards the lastly analysis survival, impel Africa to unite if she wishes her phonation to live heard inwards the councils which volition determine our planet’s fate.
Defining this objective, is to grasp ipso facto the importance of what is at stake, go aware of the complex nature of the existent facts behind the Africa of today together with to all intents together with purposes withdraw stock of the difficulties to live overcome if our ideal is to succeed together with to triumph.
We must firstly, equally Africans, create an appraisal of this Africa on the march. We must realize the route travelled inwards the recovered freedom, together with and so hold inwards measurement together, over the remaining distance to live covered, which volition live the determining factor inwards our progress inwards this presently unsafe world, unsafe because it is so total of pitfalls.
U.S. President Ronald Reagan together with President of Republic of Cameroon Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo. Date 26 July 1982
We must withdraw the indispensable precautions for ensuring every endangerment of initial success. We must, equally is ever the illustration with Africans, opened upwards our hearts inwards frank, loyal together with brotherly discussion. We must obtain the consummate back upwards of all concerned, gratuitous from whatever thought of ulterior motive, of whatever distrust, that deadly toxicant which corrodes whatever together with every organization.
It is, I experience persuaded, no betrayal of our ideal of unity to say regretfully that the Africa of today, 1 time so united inwards its determination to live free, reveals its divisions to the entire world; at to the lowest degree inwards the at nowadays gratuitous territories. There is no escaping the fact that such schisms, fifty-fifty if non necessarily hostile, have got tended to diminish our next together with have got saddened our friends, those who had organized faith inwards us together with hoped that our appearance on the international scene would withdraw inwards its wake, together with the seal of our solid union, the message of a novel world where hatred together with opposition create non exist, where friendship together with honey are cultivated.
At this juncture, it is only natural - together with I hope you lot volition allow me to create so briefly - to withdraw a appear at our nowadays relations.
No project design for African construction tin live envisaged, withal brief, whilst, with of us, next door to ourselves, other Africans, our brothers, are soundless whimpering nether the yoke of the most backward type of colonialism, its dorsum to the wall, profiting from the collusion of those who create non forgive history for taking its normal course.
How tin 1 finally verbalise well-nigh African Unity without a thought for the southernmost corner of our continent where 1 of the most saddening tragedies imaginable is beingness played out? Whilst the conscience of the entire world is involved inwards this, together with constitutes a challenge to human rights, it is to a higher house all a nameless disgrace together with insult to the dignity all Africa's sons.
But inwards actual fact, how create nosotros appear to the world? In spite of a strained volition to unite, how different are nosotros really! Differing cultures bequeathed yesteryear our quondam colonial rulers, each State differing inwards the way it obtained its freedom, differing inwards its economical construction or inwards the institutional organisation of our Nations. Differing also inwards the diverse friendships nosotros have got made which cannot assist but influence our behavior or our way of viewing things.
As is unremarkably inwards such cases, nosotros have got had different approaches to the fundamental problems of the hour; nosotros have got had an imperfect or wrong vision of the internal province of affairs of our neighbours. We have got fifty-fifty had on occasions misunderstandings. We have got also been impatient or too eager to help, for right or wrong reasons.
In short, all these factors have got estranged us from this basic virtue nosotros telephone phone tolerance, without which neither cohabitation nor cooperation are possible.
The hard facts of today’s Africa oblige us so to withdraw each other equally nosotros are, to hold this firmly inwards hear together with attempt to sympathise each other.
Raising such questions, fifty-fifty inwards this prefatory fashion for which I inquire your indulgences is to touching upon the essential problems involved.
The regulation of political unity is a concept that is both precise together with wide-ranging which, inwards actual fact, cloaks diverse realities. It tin live anything from the institutional type to uncomplicated articulation consultation together with including treaty arrangements. Apart from this, inwards such matters, nosotros have got the demand for all our intelligence, vigilance together with caution. In no other sphere create nosotros so much demand to beware of the haste together with enthusiasm which are the natural products of our nowadays comradely gatherings.
Modern Africa has after all provided us with a broad attain of experiences for some years now, equally differing equally they are also instructive, either of groups of purely African States on regional basis, or of African States with other non-African States. Our continent is inwards fact traversing at the nowadays fourth dimension a flow of intense growth. In deciding 1 time together with for all to build this Unity, allow us give this evolution the endangerment to piece of work together with save our peoples from the unavoidably baneful consequences of acts which, fifty-fifty though inspired yesteryear our goodness will, could live traumas to the normal progress of such evolutions. Nature together with events are stubborn: they create non easily yield to exterior disturbances without difficulty.
We must watch things on a larger scale, taking inwards everything of a similar nature that is beingness undertaken on our planet. Precedents abound. An intelligent inspiration which cannot impairment the originality to which nosotros are so deeply attached together with which nosotros have got to offering to the world. Agreed equally nosotros are upon the fundamentals the inquiry remains of the cast to live given to our Unity.
Firstly together with to a higher house all things, basic alternatives are involved. We must pick out betwixt political principles, nosotros must also pick out betwixt economical policies. In to a greater extent than technical fields, cooperation appears simpler.
Now, to live realistic vis-à-vis the political aspect that Africa presents, which I have got just sketched in, the organisation that nosotros tin give to African Unity has to live a highly flexible one.
It seems to us that whatever stiff cast of establishment would live premature at this stage. And so, for the moment, allow us have got neither Federation nor Confederation. In our opinion, this volition involve making a consummate suspension with everything presently existing.
What has to live similar a shot institutionalized is the periodical coming together of all the African Heads of State. Its undertaking would live to weigh upwards experiences, determine upon alternatives, harmonize our policies, standardize decisions made on the main affairs of continental importance or which require a mutual stand upwards to live taken before international opinion. Naturally, laid upwards equally it would live for Africa together with Africans, this Conference would only contain Heads of State of African Governments.
The proof of such Unity would primarily consist inwards the demonstration of our unusual action, together with especially inwards the international forums. It follows that, 1 time the stand upwards nosotros withdraw inwards summit conferences is coordinated together with agreed upon, nosotros have got to laid upwards on an official basis, institutional if necessary, the African groups which are often formed solely for consultative purposes within the different international bodies, within UN, specialized or other organizations.
But 1 time again, if all this is to live durable, nosotros have got to concur upon sure basic principles. We must withdraw each other for what nosotros are. We must recognize the equality of all our States, whatever they live together with whatever their size or population; nosotros must withdraw the sovereignty of each together with every one, its absolute right to be equally a sovereign province inwards accordance with the volition of its people. This implies absolute abide by for one's neighbour; this implies abstaining from intervention inwards its internal affairs from encouraging or trying to maintain covert or overt subversion.
Even to a greater extent than on the economical than the political level, African Unity volition live our salvation. In the human face of the activities of the combined together with gigantic concentrations that be these days or are beingness established, which of our countries is capable of defending its interests unaided? Dependent inwards full general upon fluctuations inwards world prices, our economies are struggling upwards the arduous gradient of evolution together with industrialization. The realization that nosotros are amongst the outcasts of what nosotros telephone phone the developing uncommitted nations is to withdraw to a greater extent than than ever dwelling theatre the demand for us to live organized together with united.
It is obvious that the amount total of our products, primary equally they may be, constitute a considerable component of the total world consumption together with that the phonation of a grouping similar ourselves volition have got a different band together with carry a different weight.
Admittedly, I am non forgetting that sure of our States have got already started to laid upwards on a purely regional footing organizations of an economical nature.
Nor am I forgetting that a number of us who have got subscribed to an Association with extra-African economical organizations recognize the short-term benefits to live derived inwards the initial stages which are peculiarly critical for our economy.
This is non the house where nosotros wishing to dot our policies.
The truth is that nosotros have got to project design ahead together with withdraw a long term perspective. We are convinced that the different experiences inwards this field, equally inwards whatever other, are only stages on the arduous together with hard path, the halt of which nosotros shall only attain after patient efforts. What nosotros demand is perseverance starting yesteryear broadening together with harmonizing the concentric circles already existing. We have got to attain the ultimate stage.
In this field, Africa, dissimilar similar experiments that have got been launched elsewhere, is good placed. It is only at the showtime of its industrialization. It tin accordingly at 1 stroke avoid the pitfalls incurred yesteryear sacrifices, hard to accept, requiring us to renounce specific merchandise routes or markets which have got to appointment been closed or protected. On the contrary, coordination inwards our plans for evolution tin assist States to specialize inwards industrial production together with avoid, within the same economical expanse that has been created, the installation of competitive activities.
President Ahidjo shaking hands with Prof. Victor Anomah Ngu
All of this postulates cooperation betwixt the existing regional unions together with the evolution of economical activities to the scale of a continental. This implies to a higher house all a alter inwards mental attitude together with the determination to obtain, here, amongst ourselves together with on improve atmospheric condition what nosotros oft import from abroad on unfavourable terms of trade.
Experience has proved how hard it is to attain a rapid political integration. And so, inwards guild to hold opened upwards the possibilities of such an organisation for economical cooperation, the latter could live embodied inwards a separate treaty.
Inspite of the outposts soundless remaining hither together with there, decolonization has won the day. Now nosotros embark upon some other peachy battle which volition go out its grade upon the 2d one-half of the 20th century: the economical liberation of the developing countries of the uncommitted world.
This is just what was realized yesteryear the 17th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations when it turned its attending to the possibilities of an International Conference on Trade. It is only natural so that Africa should also mobilize together with prepare her forces: truly, she has a lot at stake.
Our continent tin claim that it has made a major contribution to the prosperity of the world, non only with its raw materials but with the sweat together with blood of its sons, enriching other parts of the world where colossal fortunes together with gigantic agricultural together with industrial powers have got since been built up.
What nosotros are claiming at nowadays is non an illusory together with impossible redress of the past, but a fair remuneration for our primary products together with the stabilization of prices. What nosotros demand is a readjustment of the terms of merchandise which are only detrimental to 1 side, ourselves. It has got to live understood - inwards understanding moreover with our other partners amongst the developing nations - that nosotros are determined no longer to allow this province of affairs go along unchallenged.
Finally, this era inwards which nosotros alive has shown that our relations, inwards spite of our goodness volition together with want for unity, have got non ever been unclouded. This organisation nosotros shall have got laid upwards would live speedily threatened yesteryear disintegration if it does non at the same fourth dimension render the mechanism for settling the differences which tin arise amongst its members. There are examples inwards this sphere upon which nosotros tin depict to our mutual benefit.
Ahmadou AHIDJO (debout), president of Cameroon, President of the French republic Georges POMPIDOU together with Jacques FOCCART, General Secretary for the African communities together with for African & Republic of Madagascar Affairs. On the left, Yvon BOURGES secretarial assistant of unusual affairs. Mercredi 10 février 1971. yesteryear © Guy Le Querrec
Judicial bodies are already inwards existence, such equally the International Court of which our States are members. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Conciliation Commission could live laid upwards to withdraw cognisance of our internal disputes together with give an initial ruling.
Differences which the Conciliation Commission has been unable to settle would live brought before the International Court of Justice at The Hague.
There also remains the affair of cooperation inwards spheres other than the political together with economical ones which I have got just touched upon. There be within the groups already installed specialised organisations for defence, carry or telecommunications. Failing a merger of these which at the nowadays fourth dimension seems hard or simply premature, nosotros could envisage a periodical consultation betwixt direction or execution boards so equally to attain subsequent harmonisation together with unity.
In this way, nosotros shall initiate inwards all fields a unopen together with progressive cooperation amongst ourselves, piece of cake but effectual, towards the achievement of a Unity. This volition have got solid foundations since it volition have got given the fourth dimension for the different experiments inwards progress to mature together with come upwards to fruition, unaided these would atomic number 82 to the inevitable tabular array of destiny.
Your Excellences,
There are 2 schools of thought, springing out of 1 civilisation that has been stamped with the hardness of steel yesteryear out together with out mechanisation, are gripping the world similar the 2 inexorable jaws of a vice, threatening to asphyxiate it; nay, pound it, pulverise it even… Does non the entire globe alive at nowadays inwards perpetual fearfulness at the sight of this heaven glowing with the ominous flashes that denote that, the total annihilation, is henceforth within the attain of human being together with his whims? What a unusual irony, that matter, which all of a abrupt discloses to us, yesteryear dint of our struggle to disintegrate it, that nosotros are imperceptibly sliding downwardly the gradient of our ain self-destruction.
That is why Africa must evidence before world opinion. That is why the phonation of Africa has got to live heard, the phonation which proclaims inwards appealing tones its honey for mankind, which reminds us that the finest emotion on globe is non simply that aroused yesteryear the clash of arms.
After much suffering, travail together with patience, Africa at lastly takes her house at the household unit of measurement table. It is the fourth dimension to tape our regret that empty seats await those who are soundless detained live the Foreigner.
But nosotros are already filled with hope yesteryear the conviction that shortly they volition live nowadays equally good us together with with us to build Africa, our motherland.
May God enlighten us all, together with may the fruits of our piece of work live such that they are hailed live the generations to come upwards equally a major contribution to the edifice of a world inwards which our continent shall have got its select together with rightful place.
On Dec 6, 1973 Yaounde - Heads of province of 5 African nations to encounter the Chat Lake Chad. L to R: Jean Bedel Bokassa of CAR, Niger's Hamani Diori; Ahidjo, General Yakubu Gowon of Nigeria together with Chad's Tombalbaye - inwards Yaoundé, Centre.
REUNIFICATION AND POLITICAL OPPORTUNISM IN THE MAKING OF CAMEROON'S INDEPENDENCE
Martin Z. Njeuma
Introduction
Effective business of British Republic of Cameroon yesteryear British authorization required a cast of governance with which the Cameroonians would comply willingly, rather than coercively. This imperative led to the indigenization of the colonial province through the adoption of the scheme of indirect rule. The post-colonial state, too, embraced indirect rule, albeit inwards a modified form. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 corollary of this procedure of colonial together with post-colonial province construction has been a redefinition of mightiness relations at province level. It has also had important repercussions at the fabric level. This newspaper is a study of indirect dominion inwards the North-West Province of Cameroon. The nowadays analysis adopts a multidisciplinary approach focusing on questions of political economy, which complements E.M. Chilver's analysis of indirect dominion inwards the same portion betwixt 1902 together with 1954 (1963).
Since 1916 when the British together with French partitioned High German Kamerun, the reunification of Republic of Cameroon has been an of import political issue. In modern times many politicians have got risen together with fallen depending on their science inwards treatment the implications of reunification. The dot is that the real survival of Cameroon, inwards terms of national integration together with harmonious development, depends largely on a profound understanding of the role that the bespeak for reunification has played inwards Cameroon's political history. The history of the reunification motion has been recounted elsewhere from many perspectives (Ardener 1967; Johnson 1970; Kofele-Kale 1980; Bayart 1989). It is the operate of this newspaper to highlight how reunification affected the evolution of an independent Cameroon. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 major hypothesis is that reunification conditioned how the principal political actors perceived independence.
Already yesteryear 1894 the Treaties setting upwards the entire international frontier of High German Kamerun had been signed with Britain together with French Republic respectively (Hertslet 1967; Rudin 1938). However, the political configuration of Kamerun changed all of a abrupt betwixt 1914 together with 1916 when the allied forces of Britain together with France, with assistance from the Belgians, ousted the Germans together with partitioned the country. The partition Treaty gave Britain 1 quarter together with French Republic 3 quarters of the territory together with inhabitants, including the of import towns of Douala, Kribi, Garoua together with Yaoundé. This fact, from the start, made French influence preponderant inwards Cameroon.
Reunification was a want to homecoming to the High German territorial frontiers before the First World War. This want varied inwards strength from 1 component of the dry soil to the other (Fanso 1982). In the predominantly Moslem due north no local together with self-sustaining motion emerged to struggle for reunification. There was picayune involvement inwards reunification because religious together with linguistic solidarity over a broad expanse bred permissive habits towards frontier regulations. In contrast, the struggle for reunification was strongest inwards West Republic of Cameroon together with the side yesteryear side French territories because the European powers were keen to protect European investment together with sources of revenue inwards the portion against native traders who ignored the frontier restrictions.
The campaigns for reunification were interlinked with those for independence but at that spot were essential differences inwards lastly objectives. For example, equally a slogan to win political back upwards at the United Nations (UN) together with mobilise the masses inwards Cameroon, reunification overshadowed both the demand together with the didactics for independence. Thus the notions of personal liberty, political democracy, national freedom, cultural self-expression together with economical development, which were ideas concomitant with independence, received less attention. To laid about with, reunification was advanced equally a solution to deadening frontier restrictions together with harassments which disorganised traditional activities inwards the political, economical together with cultural fields. For this reason, the Anglo-French frontier presented a important target for the primary resistance movements. By far the strongest challenge to the frontier's existence was the imperative to remain Cameroonian together with to restore the total Cameroonian identity fifty-fifty nether a scheme of dual governance. During the mandate flow some attempts were made to assuage the ill-effects of the frontier on the population inwards both wood together with savannah regions, but these did non create it plenty to trim down the call against a divided Cameroon.
The Cameroonian voices for alter became organised after the Second World War when the European powers, Britain together with French Republic inwards particular, accepted the regulation of transfer of mightiness to Cameroonians. This determination laid the phase for several Cameroonian leaders to emerge together with distinguish themselves yesteryear forming political parties. There was picayune that was original inwards their actions equally they were either imitating or beingness prompted yesteryear politicians inwards the metropolitan countries. The raison d'être of these parties was simply to compete with 1 some other to supersede the outgoing colonial rulers. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sort of free-for-all political careerism was installed.
Georges POMPIDOU together with Ahmadou AHIDJO, president of Cameroun.
Behind Pompidou: Jacques FOCCART, General Secretary for the African communities together with for African & Republic of Madagascar Affairs. Mercredi 10 février 1971. yesteryear © Guy Le Querrec
Political consciousness had non developed evenly all over the dry soil but had its fullest impact around the capital, Yaoundé, together with the coastal regions where the Douala peoples were prominent. Initially, rapid progress inwards political participation came to rely greatly on Douala elite leadership (Derrick 1989) which had demonstrated peachy political astuteness inwards the human face of large-scale High German expropriation of land. The Douala foremost entered contemporary politics before the Second World War, equally members of the Jeunesse Camerounaise Française (Jeucafra) inwards answer to Hitler's bid to find Germany's colonial empire. At that fourth dimension the French authorities sponsored Soppo Priso to atomic number 82 Jeucafra (Joseph 1975; Zang-Atangana 1989: 75).
However, when the High German threat was over together with Jeucafra dissolved, Soppo Priso turned around to demand liberty together with human dignity for all Cameroonians. He was aware that the grade of suppression of political liberties nether colonial dominion was such that the French authorities would non tolerate unwelcome political actions. Recourse to the number of reunification seemed the most convenient strategy that camouflaged his existent ambitions. He was familiar with how the number of reunification amongst the Ewe inwards Togoland had been favourably received at the United Nations Councils, had drawn attending to, together with advanced, the territory politically. Since Republic of Cameroon was non legally a colony but a trust territory of the UN, he pose forwards reunification equally the cornerstone of his newly formed party, the Rassemblement Camerounais (Racam) inwards 1947 (Zang-Atangana 1989: 78).
In doing so, Soppo Priso hoped to locate the legal battlefield exterior Cameroon, inwards the United Nations He used the United Nations to challenge French assimilation policies inwards Republic of Cameroon inwards low-cal of the strong anti-colonial lobbies inwards that world torso (Gardinier 1963). However, the stumbling block was the Cold War that polarised political views (see Langhëë inwards this volume). Though relatively moderate inwards its full general political orientation vis à vis France, Racam was considered revolutionary.
However, the United Nations had picayune effective power, together with the Council of the Trusteeship held that it could only create recommendations to the administering powers together with could non oblige them to obey its decisions. Indeed the danger was that since the issues of Cameroon's political evolution could non live settled straight inwards the UN, inwards Republic of Cameroon itself the bid for reunification roughshod into the category of revolutionary politics together with anti-French activities. As expected, the proponents came nether heavy intelligence surveillance, together with were to live combated together with extirpated inwards the same way equally communists.
An early on grouping moving-picture present of the Federal Government inwards 1962. Back row from left to right: Ekangaki Nzo (Foreign Affairs Deputy Min.), Jean Akassou (without portfolio), Sadio Daoudou (Armed Forces), Eteki Mboumoua (Education), together with ET Egbe (Deputy Justice Min.). Front row from right to left: Victor Kanga (Economy), ST Muna (Transportation, Mining, P & T), Ahidjo (Head of State & Gov.), Charles Ako Awana (Territorial Admin, Finance), Betéyené (Foreign Affairs) together with Simon Tchoungui (Health). - In Yaoundé.
However, the thought of reunification was differently expressed inwards East together with West Republic of Cameroon inwards parallel with differences inwards concepts of independence or political change. In East Republic of Cameroon radical nationalism was ranged against the French together with forcefulness was freely used. Reunification was a revolutionary thought together with only radicals adhered to it. As the leading radical party, the successor political party to Racam, the Union des Populations du Cameroun (UPC) took upwards the banner inwards 1948 with reunification high on its agenda (Joseph 1977; Um Nyobe 1989). It did not, however, define or give whatever content to reunification but assumed that its audience had a mutual understanding of its message. In West Republic of Cameroon the bogey was Nigerian sub-imperialism; but inwards the early on days at least, reunification was invoked to solve local problems together with preceded the formation of locally based political parties.
In the political wake of the Second World War, the UPC's advocacy of 'immediate reunification' ought to live seen to a greater extent than equally a strategy than equally a programme of action. Firstly, equally for Racam, it was a ploy to acquire the United Nations to allow reunification before independence, which would permit the political party foremost inwards advocating that platform to carry the twenty-four threescore minutes flow inwards the struggle for power. Secondly, reunification was expected to neutralise both French together with British influence inwards Republic of Cameroon to the territories' advantage. It was reckoned that the 2 powers would compete with each other for a novel hegemony inwards a reunified Cameroon, together with that the Cameroonians would live able to dictate their ain terms of co-operation.
The UPC used the political arguments for reunification to constitute mutual the world betwixt politicians of East together with West Cameroon. Furthermore, they ignored the international frontier together with went ahead to create together with win supporters for the UPC inwards West Republic of Cameroon (Um Nyobe 1989: 83-84; Joseph 1977: 188ff; Zang-Atangana 1989: 272). Such trans-frontier activities gave the political party the reputation amongst the population of constituting the existent opposition to colonialism. However, their strident criticism of the French provoked the French authorities to forcefulness the leading political figures to declare whether or non they wanted French participation inwards the evolution of Republic of Cameroon next independence (Joseph 1977: 248). As long equally reunification remained the virtual monopoly of the UPC together with was expressed inwards what were considered revolutionary terms, opponents of the UPC entrenched themselves inwards the French army camp equally an piece of cake way of furthering their political careers.
As the 1960s approached, both French together with British colonial diplomacy accepted that independence was inevitable together with that French Republic together with Britain should seek to channel the independent States into structures such equally the French Community together with the British Commonwealth. Thus independence was gained but within the western capitalist alliance. This did non coincide with the UPC's vision of independence. The political party distrusted an independence which depended on the goodwill of the colonial powers. The outcome was that the pursuit of reunification became entangled inwards a ruthless confrontation betwixt the UPC together with the colonial powers. The entire resources of the State were ranged against the UPC, reducing it to a slaughterhouse inwards less than 2 years. The autumn of the UPC took the steam out of the reunification movement.
In West Republic of Cameroon reunification entered political party politics equally a outcome of political events inwards East Cameroon. The thought at foremost won adherents because populations were split yesteryear the frontier together with also East Cameroonians were nowadays inwards several principal towns. The latter had taken upwards permanent residence after the First World War or had emigrated to avoid the oppressive French indigénat system.
These migrants roughshod into 2 categories. The foremost were the High German trained elites, mostly from the Douala together with Yaoundé regions together with residing inwards Buea, Tiko, Victoria together with Kumba districts. An of import link was R.J.K. Dibonge, a Douala yesteryear birth, who had served inwards both the High German together with French administrations. Retired inwards 1947, he returned to withdraw upwards permanent residence inwards Buea inwards 1949. He proceeded to utilisation his political experience to build back upwards for reunification together with to hold this number inwards focus inwards West Cameroon. The 2d category was composed of traders, mostly Bamileke together with Bamum. They exploited a dynamic commercial traffic across the frontier, a primal aspect of which was the existence of relatives together with back upwards systems on both sides of the frontier. One of import figure was Joseph Ngu of Kumba, a successful human being of affairs who used his wealth together with influence to host meetings that promoted reunification together with to hold upwards a current of petitions to the UN. Both Dibonge together with Ngu had been active inwards creating the French Republic of Cameroon Welfare Union which promoted the thought of reunification. This type of grassroots linkage strengthened trans-frontier ties. The thought spread through individual initiatives, diffused together with unstructured channels, together with non through a political platform with a commutation source. Hence, its enemies could non easily kill it.
The foundation of the Republic of Cameroon National Federation (CNF) inwards 1949 yesteryear the West Republic of Cameroon political elite created a wider forum for the French Cameroonian Welfare Union to win back upwards from the indigenes inwards the political struggle for reunification. However, despite formal commitment to reunification, the CNF focused more, if non entirely, on the internal issues of West Cameroon. Their leader, Endeley, for instance, saw a brighter futurity inwards pressing for workers' rights, representation inwards the Nigerian legislative organs together with reform of the 'Land together with Native Rights Ordinance' rather than inwards 'reduction of frontier difficulties'. This unclear stand upwards on reunification led the 'French Cameroonian' activists to suspension away to cast the Kamerun United National Congress (KUNC).
The long-term political implications of this split may non have got been perceived at the time. Nevertheless, it marked the showtime of the competition betwixt 2 crucial movements - i.e. for closer ties either with Nigeria or with East Republic of Cameroon - which has persisted inwards West Republic of Cameroon politics. Before this time, it was possible to pursue both objectives at once; but the KUNC insisted on adherence either to 1 or the other. It is curious that reunification had been the platform of a minority inwards East equally good equally inwards West Cameroon, but survived equally a compelling forcefulness for major political changes seemingly to a higher house political party politics.
The KUNC was born inwards Kumba where pop political options centred around reunification. The novel political party combined anti-colonial demands with a dynamic stand upwards on reunification. In low-cal of the UPC back upwards of these demands the KUNC welcomed the latter's fiscal together with logistical support. However, piece pushing reunification to the fore of West Republic of Cameroon politics, collaboration with UPC activists ever bore the threat of a UPC takeover. As it was, the UPC members introduced novel forms of patronage together with authoritarian leadership that presaged novel forms of domination.
If West Cameroonian politicians learned whatever lessons at all from the flow 1948 to 1952 when the UPC was the primary promoter of reunification inwards both East together with West Cameroon, it was that neither 'immediate reunification', nor only 'reunification before independence', were inwards West Cameroon's long-term interests. This was reflected, for instance, inwards Mbile's about-turn inwards back upwards of the farther integration of West Republic of Cameroon into Nigeria. He founded the Kamerun People's Party (KPP) to struggle an election on this platform. In 1953, the leading political figures inwards West Republic of Cameroon regrouped around Endeley's Kamerun National Congress political party (KNC) together with placed reunification equally an ultimate but non an immediate goal. Indeed, the immediate destination was the antithesis of reunification, i.e. regional status within Nigeria. Rejection of reunification seemed to attain a peak after the KNC's resounding victory inwards the 1954 election inwards West Cameroon. However, the reaction was immediate together with a substantial faction of the political party broke away inwards 1955 to cast a novel party, the Kamerun National Democratic Party (KNDP). Its leader, John Foncha, brought reunification dorsum onto the platform of mainstream West Republic of Cameroon politics.
Foncha, similar the Fon of Bafut, envisaged East Republic of Cameroon equally fire, because of the civil state of war that raged there, together with Nigeria equally water. He abhorred the violence inwards East Cameroon, but judged that it would live short-lived together with that reunification would soundless live possible. He so built a broad political platform so that yesteryear the showtime of 1959, 'immediate reunification' equally a slogan to mobilise the masses against imperialism had lost its savour. The UPC had been banned inwards West Republic of Cameroon together with its successor, the One Kamerun Party (OK), had non been able to withstand the massive opposition to its policies on reunification. Reunification had been couched inwards revolutionary language, together with represented a unfamiliar political civilization to the average West Cameroonian whose attachment to the dominion of police force was strong. The UPC together with OK leadership had wrongly thought that the West Cameroonians' lack of special attachment to French Republic would bolster upwards their ain efforts against France. Ironically, the closer East together with West Cameroonians tried to piece of work together, the to a greater extent than they were pushed apart yesteryear linguistic, cultural together with political differences cultivated separately for over xl years nether French together with British rule.
1959 was a decisive dot inwards the political history of French together with English linguistic communication speaking Cameroons. In West Cameroon, Foncha defeated Endeley inwards the elections of Jan 1959, elections which were also a prove of the popularity of Foncha's create of reunification. In East Republic of Cameroon the authorities passed from André-Marie Mbida to Ahmadou Ahidjo, but without solving the problems of widespread terrorism together with strong French involvement inwards the country's affairs. Reunification at nowadays depended on Foncha together with Ahidjo but neither had been inwards at the outset of the idea; they had simply picked it upwards equally a convenient slogan but had never bothered to piece of work out a programme.
President John F. Kennedy meets with President of Cameroon, Ahmadou Ahidjo, together with others inwards the Cabinet Room of the White House, Washington, D.C. L-R: Cameroonian Ambassador to the United States, Jacques Kuoh Moukouri; President Ahidjo; Minister of the National Economy of Cameroon, Victor Kanga; unidentified; US Ambassador to Cameroon, Leland Barrows; Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams; Under Secretary of State, George Ball; President Kennedy; US State Department interpreter, Edmund S. Glenn; Deputy Director of the Office of West African together with Malagasy Affairs, Donald Dumont. Circa thirteen March 1962 Photographer: Rowe, Abbie, 1905-1967.
The imminent halt of United Nations trusteeship inwards East Republic of Cameroon inwards Jan 1960 forced both leaders to consider reunification together with give content to what had been only an electioneering slogan. The nationalists inwards each State knew picayune or zippo of each other. They had faced different problems inwards their history. In these circumstances, each leader gave reunification a pregnant appropriate to his ain internal atmospheric condition together with political goals. Ahidjo was never excited well-nigh reunification, together with so played downwardly its structural implications. His political programme dealt exclusively with East Cameroonian politics. But the 1 thing he did that made all things possible was to insulate reunification from political party politics. This was achieved yesteryear getting the East Republic of Cameroon Assembly of Deputies to approve a motility inwards September 1958 accepting reunification with West Republic of Cameroon whenever the latter was ready (Ahidjo 1964). From this together with other statements it tin live seen that reunification was never an imposition from East Cameroon. In fact, Ahidjo together with the East Republic of Cameroon population were largely indifferent to it because the ultimate cast of independence of his component of Republic of Cameroon had already been decided yesteryear the halt of 1958.
In West Cameroon, the political leadership was nether peachy force per unit of measurement area to define reunification inwards concrete terms since reunification was at the top of the political agenda. However, this instead led to much tension together with political polarisation. The dominant issues were on the 1 hand, association with Nigeria, advocated yesteryear Endeley's political party with the tacit blessing of the British authorities, together with on the other hand, secession from Nigeria together with reunification with East Republic of Cameroon advocated yesteryear Foncha's party. It was to a greater extent than often than non understood that the victor inwards the elections would proceed to negotiate the terms of spousal human relationship with either Nigerian or East Cameroonian leaders.
Foncha's political party won the election yesteryear fourteen to 12 seats, receiving over one-half the pop vote. Immediately several basic problems arose. Firstly, the victory gave the West Republic of Cameroon authorities the constitutional mightiness to pursue reunification. Secondly, Endeley (and the British) ceased moves towards the farther integration of West Republic of Cameroon into Nigeria. Indeed, reunification became for the foremost fourth dimension a State to State affair. Foncha had fought the elections on a platform of secession from Nigeria together with reunification with East Republic of Cameroon exterior both the French Community together with the British Commonwealth. He could, therefore, scarcely count on British co-operation. Moreover, the British authorities had expected Endeley to win the election inwards the belief that the West Cameroonian elite would rally to protect their British civilization together with values. When Foncha won, the British feared increased widespread hostilities together with so they maintained unopen links with Endeley's opposition political party inwards the hope that it would render the necessary residual and, perhaps, really create a come-back to power.
The British authorities decided to deed fast to kill reunification together with refused to sanction the 1959 election results. Foncha, they claimed, had won the elections on parochial together with vague promises to the electorate. They observed that reunification had go so unpopular that none of the successful politicians had explicitly canvassed for reunification. Indeed, Foncha's political party had ceased to advocate reunification inwards world and, instead, stressed secession from Nigeria followed yesteryear a flow of trusteeship before independence. The British authorities could non withdraw hold some other full general election immediately. The democratic solution was to utilisation the United Nations to organise plebiscites inwards the British Cameroons to determine the people's wishes on how to halt British trusteeship. However, this went awry when the referendum limited the choice to gaining independence either yesteryear joining East Republic of Cameroon or yesteryear maintaining their connectedness with Nigeria (see Chem-Langhëë this volume).
Throughout 1959 British officials increased force per unit of measurement area on Foncha to abandon reunification. They organised several meetings inwards West Cameroon, Nigeria, Britain together with the United Nations. Under the spell of the personalities of Endeley together with Mbile, they minimised Foncha together with failed to withdraw cognisance of the soaring popularity of the KNDP after the 1959 elections, together with Endeley's waning fortunes amongst the leading politicians. There were signs that Foncha was willing to abandon reunification provided that the British extended the flow of trusteeship together with stopped insisting on an fifty-fifty to a greater extent than unpopular choice for West Cameroonians, the Nigerianisation of Cameroon. Nevertheless, the British employedmmuch arm-twisting at the United Nations to line upwards western together with anti-communist representatives to block Foncha's bid to create secession the 2d inquiry inwards the British-inspired plebiscite.
However, the to a greater extent than the British together with Endeley tried to force Foncha towards immediate reunification, the to a greater extent than he resisted by, for example, imposing political party land of study on his followers to win the plebiscite. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 farther effect was that Foncha drifted irretrievably into the hands of Ahidjo together with his French allies. While this had been foreseen, what was non expected was that the people would follow Foncha. Foncha's dilemma was how to withdraw hold his constituency intact piece winning back upwards from Endeley's followers. Foncha's solution was to transform the concept of reunification into 1 of federation. At this fourth dimension federation was an attractive catch-word which seemed to guarantee autonomous evolution inwards a unified Cameroon. Thus yesteryear unification Foncha meant a loose federation of States:
Pompidou`s see 1971
Joining the Republic of Republic of Cameroon way federating with the Republic of Republic of Cameroon inwards a novel federation to live formed similar a shot after the plebiscite. In this federation, the Republic of Republic of Cameroon together with either the British Cameroons equally a whole or Southern Cameroons volition come inwards equally members on equal terms... (Foncha to the Special Session of the House of Chiefs - Kamerun Times 22/12/1960.)
The novel formula also bore the seeds of devastation for British policy inwards West Cameroon. It was a constitutional formula which was based on the regulation that negotiations for a federal constitution were a affair for the ruling parties together with eventually for the East together with West Republic of Cameroon governments to piece of work out the details. It claimed an equal phonation for West Republic of Cameroon inwards the making of the 'new federation' piece preserving the West Republic of Cameroon identity. The loose federation formula allayed the fears of the doubting West Cameroonians well-nigh the absorption of their State together with people inwards reunified Cameroon. Under this scheme they felt they soundless had a endangerment to save their much valued British heritage together with at the same fourth dimension pursue West Cameroon's specific needs for independently attracting unusual assist for development.
However, the British, along with Endeley together with his followers, did non perceive the potency of the federal formulation used yesteryear Foncha. Indeed, Mbile's together with Endeley, equally leaders of the Republic of Cameroon People's National Congress (CPNC), continued to struggle a losing battle based on the before excogitation of reunification equally an extremist together with vague notion. The outcome of Endeley's weak create showing was that Foncha, equally premier of West Cameroon, at nowadays felt confident to negotiate reunification, or the specifics of federation, with Ahidjo single-handed, without foremost seeking full general consensus inwards his party, the KNDP, allow lonely amongst the population of West Cameroon.
Although Foncha spoke of a Federal Republic of Cameroon exterior the British Commonwealth together with the French Community, the French were satisfied that yesteryear cutting links with the UPC together with yesteryear non behaving overtly equally a political enemy, Foncha, together with less so the Foncha-Ahidjo alliance, would non live detrimental to French interests inwards a reunified Cameroon. Moreover, it seemed clear that 'federalism' had many conservative elements that revolved around the maintenance of the status quo inwards each State. Also, the loose federal formula omitted 1 of the most radical aspects of reunification equally far equally East Republic of Cameroon politics were concerned, the number of achieving reunification before independence. The French also felt secure since East Cameroonians would constitute the bulk chemical constituent together with would so live improve placed to dominate events inwards a reunified Cameroon. Consequently they pose no obstruction to the massive back upwards Foncha received from East Cameroonians for a federal Union.
However, the years 1960 together with 1961 saw a steady erosion of the thought of reunification equally a loose federation. On the 1 st Jan 1960 East Republic of Cameroon became a sovereign State, together with a fellow member of the United Nations. There was no prior understanding on the formulation of a federal constitution with West Cameroon. The United Nations had ruled out separate sovereignty for West Republic of Cameroon together with imposed the choice betwixt independence yesteryear joining Nigeria or yesteryear reuniting with the Republic of Cameroon Republic. Hence, equality of status betwixt East together with West Republic of Cameroon inwards subsequent negotiations was rendered impracticable. Unwittingly, West Republic of Cameroon had stayed behind the tide of argue together with mutual sense; henceforth the electrical current moved resolutely against federalism. Also, civil strife caused much insecurity at the fourth dimension East Republic of Cameroon gained independence together with the necessity to co-operate closely with French Republic to stabilise the regime did non augur good for a loose federal formula.
Political opportunism, cut-throat competition betwixt West Cameroonian politicians together with the threat of an immediate British withdrawal dealt the lastly blow to the thought of a loose federation. Foncha together with Endeley remained at daggers drawn before together with after the plebiscite. Dirty politics was the guild of the twenty-four threescore minutes flow together with only the presence of British safety forces imposed some restraint. It was sure enough non inwards Foncha's political involvement to involve Endeley's political party closely inwards the procedure of federalising the spousal human relationship betwixt East together with West Cameroon. Foncha feared that the opposition inwards West Republic of Cameroon would pose a wedge betwixt him together with Ahidjo. Accordingly, Foncha restricted the articulation East together with West Republic of Cameroon constitutional discussions to the 2 governing parties.
However, this did non go unchallenged fifty-fifty within Foncha's party. His deputy, Augustin Ngom Jua, led a faction of the KNDP who felt that Foncha had gone too far inwards isolating the opposition on a affair that concerned all West Cameroonians. Opposition to Foncha's leadership both within together with exterior his political party was so strong that Ahidjo passed from beingness a negotiating partner to an arbitrator betwixt disputing West Republic of Cameroon politicians. Thus the fact that Foncha could non dominate politics inwards West Cameroon, equally Ahidjo had done inwards East Cameroon, was a serious handicap to equality inwards whatever constitutional negotiations. It left Ahidjo equally the unmarried strong human being inwards the political life of Cameroon, gratuitous to apply his ain interpretation to the federal notion.
Four months after the referendum results inwards favour of reunification betwixt East together with West Republic of Cameroon became known, Ahidjo summoned the Foumban Constitutional Conference (Johnson 1970: 169-185). The Conference was to verbalise over together with concur on a federal constitution which would bind all Cameroonians with effect from the 1 st Oct 1961. It offered 1 lastly endangerment for the protagonists of the loose federal system. But the fact that it was Ahidjo who had chosen the timing together with setting of the Conference, fixed the agenda, together with summoned the delegates, made the coming together to all intents together with purposes Ahidjo's Conference.
The commutation number at the Conference concerned the nature of the commutation authorities together with its human relationship with the province governments. Ahidjo was unwilling to withdraw suggestions which weakened the dominant spot he had already acquired inwards the constitution of the Republic of Cameroon. Only a constitution with a strong commutation authorities was acceptable inwards watch of electrical current political unrest together with threats to national sovereignty yesteryear Ahidjo's political opponents (Johnson 1970: 180). He farther insisted that national involvement should withdraw precedence over sectional interest.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 major work which destabilised the West Republic of Cameroon delegation was the fact that they were seeing, for the foremost time, Ahidjo's constitutional bundle for a strong commutation government, with only residual powers for the federated State. Overwhelmed yesteryear 'brotherly sentiments', the West Republic of Cameroon delegates ignored their embarrassment together with agreed to examine the proposals on the spot. As if farther to humiliate them, the West Cameroonians were obliged to encounter inwards separate sessions from the East Republic of Cameroon delegates for the 5 days that they were inwards Foumban. Under such circumstances at that spot was no serious bargaining. There was too picayune fourth dimension together with understanding was expected immediately. Coming so shortly after the referendum campaigns, the West Cameroonian representatives approached the deliberations at the Conference from established political party positions together with relied too picayune on experts. Moreover, at that spot was consummate unanimity inwards the East Republic of Cameroon delegation for a strong commutation government. In many ways, then, the Foumban Conference was used to persuade the protagonists of a loose federation to withdraw a strong commutation authorities for a united authorities which was already a fait accompli .
Romanaian leader Ceausescu and Ahidjo
Ahidjo's actions were predicated on the readiness of French Republic to participate inwards the socio-economic evolution of the federal Republic. Republic of Cameroon was 1 of France's most of import trading partners inwards Central Africa, with long-range economical prospects. Since World War II, Republic of Cameroon had received huge French investments. At independence French Republic had a relatively large colony together with controlled the economy. The UPC challenge to French dominion had necessitated a direct French armed forces build-up inwards the territory. The novel Republic of Cameroon authorities largely depended on French assist to maintain stability together with peace (Bayart 1979: 240). Also, Ahidjo had signed cloak-and-dagger armed forces together with intelligence pacts with French Republic which would increment reunified Cameroon's dependence on France. French Republic subsidised the Republic's budget yesteryear over 70% together with for the most component ran the educational system. Hence, it was unthinkable for the ruling East Cameroonians to cutting the umbilical cord with French Republic so shortly after independence, no affair how much force per unit of measurement area was brought from West Republic of Cameroon together with anti-imperialist elements inwards the country.
The British left West Republic of Cameroon beingness unwilling to subsidise what they saw equally a financially weak state. The Foncha authorities never undertook enquiry into the economical issues to prove the contrary. This point, to a greater extent than than whatever other, worked against delegates fully pressing their illustration for a loose federation since they had to determine how their ideas were to live financed. The weakest dot inwards favour of the loose federation at the constitutional 'negotiation' was so economic.
Aminatou Ahidjo, fille of the foremost president Ahidjo
Nevertheless, the constitutional debates scarcely touched on economical issues. Too much fourth dimension together with travail was spent on political problems; trying to avert a totalitarian regime together with what appeared to live French neo-colonialism. Indeed, the debates were carried out inwards an economical void, peradventure because it was felt that 1 time political issues were resolved all the ease would follow on. This neglect is surprising since at base of operations was the thought that reunification would serve equally a catalyst for rapid economical development. Apart from the unfavourable Phillipson study (1959), at that spot were no studies available to enable West Republic of Cameroon participants to create an accurate appraisal of the economical potential of West Cameroon. On the contrary, all believed that West Republic of Cameroon was a fiscal liability together with the constitutional arrangements had to withdraw this into account.
In summary, nosotros have got seen that reunification was a strong political forcefulness which seriously affected the evolution of Cameroonian nationalism from the halt of the Second World War until Oct 1961. It provided the leitmotif to attract co-operation betwixt politicians inwards East together with West Republic of Cameroon throughout the period. The concept of reunification developed from vague slogans to precise political structures bringing together East together with West Republic of Cameroon inwards either a loose federal or a strong commutation government. The latter construction was finally adopted on the 1 st Oct 1961. Cameroonians have got since lived nether the unitary scheme irrespective of their colonial together with cultural backgrounds. The achievements so far registered constitute 1 of the themes of Cameroon's contemporary history.
SOURCE:http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/chilver/paideuma/paideuma-REUNIFI.html
Photo-source https://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&ALID=2K1HRGMACLY
Pompidou`s visit
http://www.fonlon.org/
Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo, Nationalist, Pan-Africanist, liberty fighter together with the foremost President of Cameroon
Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo (24 August 1924 – xxx Nov 1989) was Nationalist, Pan-Africanist, liberty fighter together with the foremost President of Republic of Cameroon from 1960 until 1982. In 1947, when his dry soil was yet a United Nations trust territory administered yesteryear the French, he won his foremost elected office, a spot inwards the Representative Assembly. He was together with so 23 years old. Sagacious beyond his years, quick-witted together with persuasive inwards debate, he rose to go Prime Minister inwards 1958 together with from this high office, guided his dry soil to independence on the foremost twenty-four threescore minutes flow of Jan 1960.
President Ahidjo
He was 1 of the African leaders who spoke passionately inwards favor of stronger African unity. At the formation of Organization of African Unity at Addis Ababa inwards Ethiopia, Ahidjo was so happy that he exclaimed "Africa at lastly takes her house at the household unit of measurement table." He continued thus "The concept of Unity is unquestionably the noblest together with most profound aspiration to permeate together with animate our continent at the nowadays time.
President John F. Kennedy visits with President of Cameroon, Ahmadou Ahidjo, together with others upon President Ahidjo’s arrival at the White House for a luncheon inwards his honor. L-R: Naval Aide to President Kennedy, Captain Tazewell Shepard; US Chief of Protocol, Angier Biddle Duke; President Kennedy; President Ahidjo; Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cameroon, Jean Faustin Betayene. North Portico, White House, Washington, D.C. Circa thirteen March 1962 Photographer: Rowe, Abbie, 1905-1967.
In all the history of mankind, the original populations of Africa have got been the longest dependent to the Foreigner, humiliated, divided, exploited. And so, for them, whatever rehabilitation, their rehabilitation, tin never live consummate together with total, until together with unless they have got made goodness this tragic flow of segmentation imposed yesteryear colonial conquests. The uncomplicated proof of this is that this aspiration towards Unity has featured together with continues to characteristic inwards the programmes of all African nationalist parties who have got fought or are soundless fighting for the liberation of their territory."
President Ahidjo walking with Cameroonian ladies during Cameroons independence celebration inwards 1960
"Elected President of the novel republic at historic flow 36, he withstood with striking courage the terrorist activities which threatened his government. In 1961, the quondam Southern Cameroun joined with the Republic of Cameroun to cast the Federal Republic of Cameroun, a spousal human relationship which gave farther diverseness to a people whose ethnic together with linguistic composition already has the most complicated inwards all of Africa. But with characteristic courage, together with statesmanship of a high order, he met the challenge, together with to this novel land of 4,000.000 he has brought stability together with direction."
President Ahidjo Receives Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa) from Long Island University inwards New York. Circa March 16, 1962
Ahidjo`s mightiness inwards creating a unmarried province yesteryear bringing together 2 federated states together with the consolidation of mightiness inwards the hands of 1 person- president ensured that the numerous ethnic groups inwards his dry soil had equitable distribution together with allotment of national resources together with development.
President Ahidjo together with his ministers after 1970 elections.
Ahidjo was born inwards Garoua, a major river port along the Benue River inwards northern Cameroun, which was at the fourth dimension a French mandate territory. His begetter was a Fulani hamlet chief, piece his woman parent was a Fulani of slave descent.
President Ahidjo of Republic of Cameroon sitting with the French president Pompidou inwards Cameroun
In 1942, Ahidjo joined the civil service equally a radio operator for a postal service. As component of his job, he worked on assignments inwards several major cities throughout the country, such equally Douala, Ngaoundéré, Bertoua, together with Mokolo. According to his official biographer, Ahidjo was the foremost civil retainer from northern Cameroun to piece of work inwards the southern areas of the territory.
Ahidjo together with Mbida, Circa 1958
His experiences throughout the dry soil were, according to Harvey Glickman, professor emeritus of political scientific discipline at Haverford College together with scholar of African politics, responsible for fostering his sense of national identity together with provided him the sagacity to handgrip the problems of governing a multi-ethnic state.
Ahidjo together with Muamar Al Gaddafi
In 1946, Ahidjo entered territorial politics. From Jan 28, 1957 to May 10, 1957, Ahidjo served equally President of the Legislative Assembly of Cameroon. In the same yr he became Deputy Prime Minister inwards de facto caput of province André-Marie Mbida's government. Upon independence inwards 1960, Ahidjo, equally leader of the Republic of Cameroon Union, was elected equally President, together with he persuaded component of British Republic of Cameroon to bring together his country. He was reelected inwards 1965, 1970, 1975 together with 1980, gradually establishing the consummate ascendence of his ain political party together with outlawing all others inwards 1976.
He experienced a rebellion inwards the 1960s from a grouping known equally the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon, but defeated it yesteryear 1970. In the early on 1970s he created an unpopular constitution which ended the autonomy of British Republic of Cameroon together with established unitary rule. Though many of his actions were dictatorial, his dry soil became 1 of the most stable inwards Africa. He was considered to live to a greater extent than conservative together with less charismatic than most post-colonial African leaders, but his policies allowed Republic of Cameroon to attain comparative prosperity.
Ahidjo resigned, ostensibly for wellness reasons, on 4 Nov 1982 (there are many theories surrounding the resignation; it is to a greater extent than often than non believed that his French physician "tricked" Ahidjo well-nigh his health) together with was succeeded yesteryear Prime Minister Paul Biya 2 days later. That he stepped downwardly inwards favor of Biya, a Christian from the due south together with non a Muslim from the due north similar himself, was considered surprising. Ahidjo's ultimate intentions are unclear; it is possible that he intended to homecoming to the presidency at a afterward dot when his wellness improved, together with some other possibility is that he intended for Maigari Bello Bouba, a beau Muslim from the due north who succeeded Biya equally Prime Minister, to live his eventual successor equally President, with Biya inwards effectively a caretaker role. Although the Central Committee of the ruling Republic of Cameroon National Union (CNU) urged Ahidjo to remain President, he declined to create so, but he did concur to remain equally the President of the CNU.
Paul Biya, vice-president together with President Ahidjo
However, he also arranged for Biya to go the CNU Vice-President together with handgrip political party affairs inwards his absence. Additionally, inwards Jan 1983, Ahidjo travelled across the dry soil inwards a tour inwards back upwards of Biya.
Later inwards 1983, a major feud developed betwixt Ahidjo together with Biya. On July 19, 1983, Ahidjo went into exile inwards France, together with Biya began removing Ahidjo's supporters from positions of mightiness together with eliminating symbols of his authority, replacing Ahidjo's portraits with his ain together with removing Ahidjo's call from the anthem of the CNU.
CAMEROON. Yaoundé. Presidential elections. 1970. President of Republic of Cameroon Ahmadou Babatoura AHIDJO. Sabbatum 28th March, 1970. yesteryear © Guy Le Querrec
On August 22, Biya announced that a plot allegedly involving Ahidjo had been uncovered. For his part, Ahidjo severely criticized Biya, alleging that Biya was abusing his power, that he lived inwards fearfulness of plots against him, together with that he was a threat to national unity. The 2 were unable to reconcile despite the efforts of several unusual leaders, together with Ahidjo announced on August 27 that he was resigning equally caput of the CNU. In exile, Ahidjo was sentenced to decease inwards absentia inwards Feb 1984, along with 2 others, for participation inwards the June 1983 coup plot, although Biya commuted the judgement to life inwards prison. Ahidjo denied involvement inwards the plot. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 vehement but unsuccessful coup endeavour inwards Apr 1984 was also widely believed to have got been orchestrated yesteryear Ahidjo.
President John F. Kennedy attends arrival ceremonies for President of Cameroon, Ahmadou Ahidjo. Standing on reviewing platform (L-R): President Ahidjo; President Kennedy; US Ambassador to Cameroon, Leland Barrows; Cameroonian Ambassador to the United States, Jacques Kuoh Moukouri. Ambassador of Nicaragua together with Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Dr. Guillermo Sevilla-Sacasa, stands at far left of image; Aide-de-Camp to President Ahidjo, Lieutenant Belladji Ngoura (partially hidden behind President Ahidjo), stands behind platform at left. Military Air Transport Service (MATS) Terminal, Washington National Airport, Washington, D.C. Circa thirteen March 1962 Photographer: Knudsen, Robert L. (Robert LeRoy), 1929-1989
In his remaining years, Ahidjo divided his fourth dimension betwixt French Republic together with Senegal. He died of a pump laid on inwards Dakar on xxx Nov 1989 together with was buried there. He was officially rehabilitated yesteryear a police force inwards Dec 1991. Biya said on xxx Oct 2007 that the affair of returning Ahidjo's remains to Republic of Cameroon was "a household unit of measurement affair". An understanding on returning Ahidjo's remains was reached inwards June 2009, together with it was expected that they would live returned inwards 2010. There is a stadium named after Ahidjo inwards Yaoundé.
President Ahidjo
Few images remain of President Ahmadou Ahidjo, together with it is often said that the Biya regime made an active travail to erase whatever visual or sound references to Cameroon's foremost caput of state. The few surviving pieces of archival footage of Republic of Cameroon inwards the flow next independence volition probable come upwards to low-cal after Biya's departure
Source:
His Excellency Ahmadou Ahidjo, President of the Federal Republic of Cameroun`s epoch-making spoken language at Addis Ababa, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia on the Formation of OAU
“Africa at lastly takes her house at the household unit of measurement table”
Ahmadu Ahidjo
Your Imperial Majesty,
I wishing to welcome your guests who have got journeyed from all the horizons of Africa together with no dubiousness to live worthy attendees of this historical gathering, Addis Ababa together with all the glorious Ethiopian people whom you lot incarnate, are adorned with the purest together with most legendary hospitality.
You have got welcomed us all, many equally nosotros are, such equally nosotros are, with an opened upwards pump together with opened upwards arms.
Permit me to follow the other distinguished Heads of State, to limited to you lot our deep feelings for this warm welcome together with say how grateful our people, whose goodness tidings nosotros bear, volition live to yours for the agreeable remain together with friendly nosotros spent on your soil.
Your Excellences,
We have got come upwards to this extraordinary coming together inwards Addis Ababa with the conviction that it must together with volition grade a major decisive phase inwards our march towards liberty together with the edifice of African Unity.
The concept of Unity is unquestionably the noblest together with most profound aspiration to permeate together with animate our continent at the nowadays time. In all the history of mankind, the original populations of Africa have got been the longest dependent to the Foreigner, humiliated, divided, exploited. And so, for them, whatever rehabilitation, their rehabilitation, tin never live consummate together with total, until together with unless they have got made goodness this tragic flow of segmentation imposed yesteryear colonial conquests. The uncomplicated proof of this is that this aspiration towards Unity has featured together with continues to characteristic inwards the programmes of all African nationalist parties who have got fought or are soundless fighting for the liberation of their territory.
President Ahidjo`s wife, Germaine Ahidjo. Circa 1963
This demand has been widespread together with soundless is, to such an extent that it has go a challenge on a continental scale, which history obliges us to accept. We cannot logically denounce the Foreigner for having divided us, nor tin nosotros go along to complain of this segmentation if, 1 time having go masters of our destiny, nosotros prove ourselves incapable of restoring this Unity.
To these sentimental reasons must live added others to a greater extent than pressing challenges, imposed yesteryear the economy, yesteryear technique together with policy, inwards short, yesteryear the nowadays trends inwards world affairs.
Is it so a mere accident that the 2 greatest world powers of today, Continental mainland People's Republic of China together with Republic of Republic of India apart, are also the 2 largest human concentrations together with equally a outcome of industrial together with technical potential? Who could deny that world affairs are influenced, whether nosotros similar it or not, yesteryear this powerful mainland People's Republic of China with its 650 1 yard 1000 inhabitants? Is it yesteryear endangerment that Europe herself, witting of together with surprised yesteryear the astonishing successes of our era which are showtime to elude her, has now, after a voluntary self-appraisal embarked upon a feverish piece of work of construction which is underway despite its ain problems?
Accordingly, sentiment, reason, self-interest together with inwards the lastly analysis survival, impel Africa to unite if she wishes her phonation to live heard inwards the councils which volition determine our planet’s fate.
Defining this objective, is to grasp ipso facto the importance of what is at stake, go aware of the complex nature of the existent facts behind the Africa of today together with to all intents together with purposes withdraw stock of the difficulties to live overcome if our ideal is to succeed together with to triumph.
We must firstly, equally Africans, create an appraisal of this Africa on the march. We must realize the route travelled inwards the recovered freedom, together with and so hold inwards measurement together, over the remaining distance to live covered, which volition live the determining factor inwards our progress inwards this presently unsafe world, unsafe because it is so total of pitfalls.
U.S. President Ronald Reagan together with President of Republic of Cameroon Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo. Date 26 July 1982
We must withdraw the indispensable precautions for ensuring every endangerment of initial success. We must, equally is ever the illustration with Africans, opened upwards our hearts inwards frank, loyal together with brotherly discussion. We must obtain the consummate back upwards of all concerned, gratuitous from whatever thought of ulterior motive, of whatever distrust, that deadly toxicant which corrodes whatever together with every organization.
It is, I experience persuaded, no betrayal of our ideal of unity to say regretfully that the Africa of today, 1 time so united inwards its determination to live free, reveals its divisions to the entire world; at to the lowest degree inwards the at nowadays gratuitous territories. There is no escaping the fact that such schisms, fifty-fifty if non necessarily hostile, have got tended to diminish our next together with have got saddened our friends, those who had organized faith inwards us together with hoped that our appearance on the international scene would withdraw inwards its wake, together with the seal of our solid union, the message of a novel world where hatred together with opposition create non exist, where friendship together with honey are cultivated.
At this juncture, it is only natural - together with I hope you lot volition allow me to create so briefly - to withdraw a appear at our nowadays relations.
No project design for African construction tin live envisaged, withal brief, whilst, with of us, next door to ourselves, other Africans, our brothers, are soundless whimpering nether the yoke of the most backward type of colonialism, its dorsum to the wall, profiting from the collusion of those who create non forgive history for taking its normal course.
How tin 1 finally verbalise well-nigh African Unity without a thought for the southernmost corner of our continent where 1 of the most saddening tragedies imaginable is beingness played out? Whilst the conscience of the entire world is involved inwards this, together with constitutes a challenge to human rights, it is to a higher house all a nameless disgrace together with insult to the dignity all Africa's sons.
But inwards actual fact, how create nosotros appear to the world? In spite of a strained volition to unite, how different are nosotros really! Differing cultures bequeathed yesteryear our quondam colonial rulers, each State differing inwards the way it obtained its freedom, differing inwards its economical construction or inwards the institutional organisation of our Nations. Differing also inwards the diverse friendships nosotros have got made which cannot assist but influence our behavior or our way of viewing things.
CAMEROON. Yaoundé. State visit. French President Georges POMPIDOU discussing with the Cameroonian President Ahmadou AHIDJO during a reception inwards the presidential palace, on his foremost official trip to Africa. Feb 9th, 1971. yesteryear © Guy Le Querrec
As is unremarkably inwards such cases, nosotros have got had different approaches to the fundamental problems of the hour; nosotros have got had an imperfect or wrong vision of the internal province of affairs of our neighbours. We have got fifty-fifty had on occasions misunderstandings. We have got also been impatient or too eager to help, for right or wrong reasons.
In short, all these factors have got estranged us from this basic virtue nosotros telephone phone tolerance, without which neither cohabitation nor cooperation are possible.
The hard facts of today’s Africa oblige us so to withdraw each other equally nosotros are, to hold this firmly inwards hear together with attempt to sympathise each other.
Raising such questions, fifty-fifty inwards this prefatory fashion for which I inquire your indulgences is to touching upon the essential problems involved.
The regulation of political unity is a concept that is both precise together with wide-ranging which, inwards actual fact, cloaks diverse realities. It tin live anything from the institutional type to uncomplicated articulation consultation together with including treaty arrangements. Apart from this, inwards such matters, nosotros have got the demand for all our intelligence, vigilance together with caution. In no other sphere create nosotros so much demand to beware of the haste together with enthusiasm which are the natural products of our nowadays comradely gatherings.
Modern Africa has after all provided us with a broad attain of experiences for some years now, equally differing equally they are also instructive, either of groups of purely African States on regional basis, or of African States with other non-African States. Our continent is inwards fact traversing at the nowadays fourth dimension a flow of intense growth. In deciding 1 time together with for all to build this Unity, allow us give this evolution the endangerment to piece of work together with save our peoples from the unavoidably baneful consequences of acts which, fifty-fifty though inspired yesteryear our goodness will, could live traumas to the normal progress of such evolutions. Nature together with events are stubborn: they create non easily yield to exterior disturbances without difficulty.
We must watch things on a larger scale, taking inwards everything of a similar nature that is beingness undertaken on our planet. Precedents abound. An intelligent inspiration which cannot impairment the originality to which nosotros are so deeply attached together with which nosotros have got to offering to the world. Agreed equally nosotros are upon the fundamentals the inquiry remains of the cast to live given to our Unity.
Firstly together with to a higher house all things, basic alternatives are involved. We must pick out betwixt political principles, nosotros must also pick out betwixt economical policies. In to a greater extent than technical fields, cooperation appears simpler.
Now, to live realistic vis-à-vis the political aspect that Africa presents, which I have got just sketched in, the organisation that nosotros tin give to African Unity has to live a highly flexible one.
It seems to us that whatever stiff cast of establishment would live premature at this stage. And so, for the moment, allow us have got neither Federation nor Confederation. In our opinion, this volition involve making a consummate suspension with everything presently existing.
What has to live similar a shot institutionalized is the periodical coming together of all the African Heads of State. Its undertaking would live to weigh upwards experiences, determine upon alternatives, harmonize our policies, standardize decisions made on the main affairs of continental importance or which require a mutual stand upwards to live taken before international opinion. Naturally, laid upwards equally it would live for Africa together with Africans, this Conference would only contain Heads of State of African Governments.
The proof of such Unity would primarily consist inwards the demonstration of our unusual action, together with especially inwards the international forums. It follows that, 1 time the stand upwards nosotros withdraw inwards summit conferences is coordinated together with agreed upon, nosotros have got to laid upwards on an official basis, institutional if necessary, the African groups which are often formed solely for consultative purposes within the different international bodies, within UN, specialized or other organizations.
But 1 time again, if all this is to live durable, nosotros have got to concur upon sure basic principles. We must withdraw each other for what nosotros are. We must recognize the equality of all our States, whatever they live together with whatever their size or population; nosotros must withdraw the sovereignty of each together with every one, its absolute right to be equally a sovereign province inwards accordance with the volition of its people. This implies absolute abide by for one's neighbour; this implies abstaining from intervention inwards its internal affairs from encouraging or trying to maintain covert or overt subversion.
Even to a greater extent than on the economical than the political level, African Unity volition live our salvation. In the human face of the activities of the combined together with gigantic concentrations that be these days or are beingness established, which of our countries is capable of defending its interests unaided? Dependent inwards full general upon fluctuations inwards world prices, our economies are struggling upwards the arduous gradient of evolution together with industrialization. The realization that nosotros are amongst the outcasts of what nosotros telephone phone the developing uncommitted nations is to withdraw to a greater extent than than ever dwelling theatre the demand for us to live organized together with united.
It is obvious that the amount total of our products, primary equally they may be, constitute a considerable component of the total world consumption together with that the phonation of a grouping similar ourselves volition have got a different band together with carry a different weight.
Ahmadu Ahidjo
Admittedly, I am non forgetting that sure of our States have got already started to laid upwards on a purely regional footing organizations of an economical nature.
Nor am I forgetting that a number of us who have got subscribed to an Association with extra-African economical organizations recognize the short-term benefits to live derived inwards the initial stages which are peculiarly critical for our economy.
This is non the house where nosotros wishing to dot our policies.
The truth is that nosotros have got to project design ahead together with withdraw a long term perspective. We are convinced that the different experiences inwards this field, equally inwards whatever other, are only stages on the arduous together with hard path, the halt of which nosotros shall only attain after patient efforts. What nosotros demand is perseverance starting yesteryear broadening together with harmonizing the concentric circles already existing. We have got to attain the ultimate stage.
In this field, Africa, dissimilar similar experiments that have got been launched elsewhere, is good placed. It is only at the showtime of its industrialization. It tin accordingly at 1 stroke avoid the pitfalls incurred yesteryear sacrifices, hard to accept, requiring us to renounce specific merchandise routes or markets which have got to appointment been closed or protected. On the contrary, coordination inwards our plans for evolution tin assist States to specialize inwards industrial production together with avoid, within the same economical expanse that has been created, the installation of competitive activities.
President Ahidjo shaking hands with Prof. Victor Anomah Ngu
All of this postulates cooperation betwixt the existing regional unions together with the evolution of economical activities to the scale of a continental. This implies to a higher house all a alter inwards mental attitude together with the determination to obtain, here, amongst ourselves together with on improve atmospheric condition what nosotros oft import from abroad on unfavourable terms of trade.
Experience has proved how hard it is to attain a rapid political integration. And so, inwards guild to hold opened upwards the possibilities of such an organisation for economical cooperation, the latter could live embodied inwards a separate treaty.
Inspite of the outposts soundless remaining hither together with there, decolonization has won the day. Now nosotros embark upon some other peachy battle which volition go out its grade upon the 2d one-half of the 20th century: the economical liberation of the developing countries of the uncommitted world.
This is just what was realized yesteryear the 17th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations when it turned its attending to the possibilities of an International Conference on Trade. It is only natural so that Africa should also mobilize together with prepare her forces: truly, she has a lot at stake.
Our continent tin claim that it has made a major contribution to the prosperity of the world, non only with its raw materials but with the sweat together with blood of its sons, enriching other parts of the world where colossal fortunes together with gigantic agricultural together with industrial powers have got since been built up.
What nosotros are claiming at nowadays is non an illusory together with impossible redress of the past, but a fair remuneration for our primary products together with the stabilization of prices. What nosotros demand is a readjustment of the terms of merchandise which are only detrimental to 1 side, ourselves. It has got to live understood - inwards understanding moreover with our other partners amongst the developing nations - that nosotros are determined no longer to allow this province of affairs go along unchallenged.
Finally, this era inwards which nosotros alive has shown that our relations, inwards spite of our goodness volition together with want for unity, have got non ever been unclouded. This organisation nosotros shall have got laid upwards would live speedily threatened yesteryear disintegration if it does non at the same fourth dimension render the mechanism for settling the differences which tin arise amongst its members. There are examples inwards this sphere upon which nosotros tin depict to our mutual benefit.
Ahmadou AHIDJO (debout), president of Cameroon, President of the French republic Georges POMPIDOU together with Jacques FOCCART, General Secretary for the African communities together with for African & Republic of Madagascar Affairs. On the left, Yvon BOURGES secretarial assistant of unusual affairs. Mercredi 10 février 1971. yesteryear © Guy Le Querrec
Judicial bodies are already inwards existence, such equally the International Court of which our States are members. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Conciliation Commission could live laid upwards to withdraw cognisance of our internal disputes together with give an initial ruling.
Differences which the Conciliation Commission has been unable to settle would live brought before the International Court of Justice at The Hague.
There also remains the affair of cooperation inwards spheres other than the political together with economical ones which I have got just touched upon. There be within the groups already installed specialised organisations for defence, carry or telecommunications. Failing a merger of these which at the nowadays fourth dimension seems hard or simply premature, nosotros could envisage a periodical consultation betwixt direction or execution boards so equally to attain subsequent harmonisation together with unity.
In this way, nosotros shall initiate inwards all fields a unopen together with progressive cooperation amongst ourselves, piece of cake but effectual, towards the achievement of a Unity. This volition have got solid foundations since it volition have got given the fourth dimension for the different experiments inwards progress to mature together with come upwards to fruition, unaided these would atomic number 82 to the inevitable tabular array of destiny.
Your Excellences,
There are 2 schools of thought, springing out of 1 civilisation that has been stamped with the hardness of steel yesteryear out together with out mechanisation, are gripping the world similar the 2 inexorable jaws of a vice, threatening to asphyxiate it; nay, pound it, pulverise it even… Does non the entire globe alive at nowadays inwards perpetual fearfulness at the sight of this heaven glowing with the ominous flashes that denote that, the total annihilation, is henceforth within the attain of human being together with his whims? What a unusual irony, that matter, which all of a abrupt discloses to us, yesteryear dint of our struggle to disintegrate it, that nosotros are imperceptibly sliding downwardly the gradient of our ain self-destruction.
That is why Africa must evidence before world opinion. That is why the phonation of Africa has got to live heard, the phonation which proclaims inwards appealing tones its honey for mankind, which reminds us that the finest emotion on globe is non simply that aroused yesteryear the clash of arms.
After much suffering, travail together with patience, Africa at lastly takes her house at the household unit of measurement table. It is the fourth dimension to tape our regret that empty seats await those who are soundless detained live the Foreigner.
But nosotros are already filled with hope yesteryear the conviction that shortly they volition live nowadays equally good us together with with us to build Africa, our motherland.
May God enlighten us all, together with may the fruits of our piece of work live such that they are hailed live the generations to come upwards equally a major contribution to the edifice of a world inwards which our continent shall have got its select together with rightful place.
On Dec 6, 1973 Yaounde - Heads of province of 5 African nations to encounter the Chat Lake Chad. L to R: Jean Bedel Bokassa of CAR, Niger's Hamani Diori; Ahidjo, General Yakubu Gowon of Nigeria together with Chad's Tombalbaye - inwards Yaoundé, Centre.
REUNIFICATION AND POLITICAL OPPORTUNISM IN THE MAKING OF CAMEROON'S INDEPENDENCE
Martin Z. Njeuma
Introduction
Effective business of British Republic of Cameroon yesteryear British authorization required a cast of governance with which the Cameroonians would comply willingly, rather than coercively. This imperative led to the indigenization of the colonial province through the adoption of the scheme of indirect rule. The post-colonial state, too, embraced indirect rule, albeit inwards a modified form. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 corollary of this procedure of colonial together with post-colonial province construction has been a redefinition of mightiness relations at province level. It has also had important repercussions at the fabric level. This newspaper is a study of indirect dominion inwards the North-West Province of Cameroon. The nowadays analysis adopts a multidisciplinary approach focusing on questions of political economy, which complements E.M. Chilver's analysis of indirect dominion inwards the same portion betwixt 1902 together with 1954 (1963).
Since 1916 when the British together with French partitioned High German Kamerun, the reunification of Republic of Cameroon has been an of import political issue. In modern times many politicians have got risen together with fallen depending on their science inwards treatment the implications of reunification. The dot is that the real survival of Cameroon, inwards terms of national integration together with harmonious development, depends largely on a profound understanding of the role that the bespeak for reunification has played inwards Cameroon's political history. The history of the reunification motion has been recounted elsewhere from many perspectives (Ardener 1967; Johnson 1970; Kofele-Kale 1980; Bayart 1989). It is the operate of this newspaper to highlight how reunification affected the evolution of an independent Cameroon. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 major hypothesis is that reunification conditioned how the principal political actors perceived independence.
Already yesteryear 1894 the Treaties setting upwards the entire international frontier of High German Kamerun had been signed with Britain together with French Republic respectively (Hertslet 1967; Rudin 1938). However, the political configuration of Kamerun changed all of a abrupt betwixt 1914 together with 1916 when the allied forces of Britain together with France, with assistance from the Belgians, ousted the Germans together with partitioned the country. The partition Treaty gave Britain 1 quarter together with French Republic 3 quarters of the territory together with inhabitants, including the of import towns of Douala, Kribi, Garoua together with Yaoundé. This fact, from the start, made French influence preponderant inwards Cameroon.
Reunification was a want to homecoming to the High German territorial frontiers before the First World War. This want varied inwards strength from 1 component of the dry soil to the other (Fanso 1982). In the predominantly Moslem due north no local together with self-sustaining motion emerged to struggle for reunification. There was picayune involvement inwards reunification because religious together with linguistic solidarity over a broad expanse bred permissive habits towards frontier regulations. In contrast, the struggle for reunification was strongest inwards West Republic of Cameroon together with the side yesteryear side French territories because the European powers were keen to protect European investment together with sources of revenue inwards the portion against native traders who ignored the frontier restrictions.
The campaigns for reunification were interlinked with those for independence but at that spot were essential differences inwards lastly objectives. For example, equally a slogan to win political back upwards at the United Nations (UN) together with mobilise the masses inwards Cameroon, reunification overshadowed both the demand together with the didactics for independence. Thus the notions of personal liberty, political democracy, national freedom, cultural self-expression together with economical development, which were ideas concomitant with independence, received less attention. To laid about with, reunification was advanced equally a solution to deadening frontier restrictions together with harassments which disorganised traditional activities inwards the political, economical together with cultural fields. For this reason, the Anglo-French frontier presented a important target for the primary resistance movements. By far the strongest challenge to the frontier's existence was the imperative to remain Cameroonian together with to restore the total Cameroonian identity fifty-fifty nether a scheme of dual governance. During the mandate flow some attempts were made to assuage the ill-effects of the frontier on the population inwards both wood together with savannah regions, but these did non create it plenty to trim down the call against a divided Cameroon.
The Cameroonian voices for alter became organised after the Second World War when the European powers, Britain together with French Republic inwards particular, accepted the regulation of transfer of mightiness to Cameroonians. This determination laid the phase for several Cameroonian leaders to emerge together with distinguish themselves yesteryear forming political parties. There was picayune that was original inwards their actions equally they were either imitating or beingness prompted yesteryear politicians inwards the metropolitan countries. The raison d'être of these parties was simply to compete with 1 some other to supersede the outgoing colonial rulers. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 sort of free-for-all political careerism was installed.
Georges POMPIDOU together with Ahmadou AHIDJO, president of Cameroun.
Behind Pompidou: Jacques FOCCART, General Secretary for the African communities together with for African & Republic of Madagascar Affairs. Mercredi 10 février 1971. yesteryear © Guy Le Querrec
Political consciousness had non developed evenly all over the dry soil but had its fullest impact around the capital, Yaoundé, together with the coastal regions where the Douala peoples were prominent. Initially, rapid progress inwards political participation came to rely greatly on Douala elite leadership (Derrick 1989) which had demonstrated peachy political astuteness inwards the human face of large-scale High German expropriation of land. The Douala foremost entered contemporary politics before the Second World War, equally members of the Jeunesse Camerounaise Française (Jeucafra) inwards answer to Hitler's bid to find Germany's colonial empire. At that fourth dimension the French authorities sponsored Soppo Priso to atomic number 82 Jeucafra (Joseph 1975; Zang-Atangana 1989: 75).
However, when the High German threat was over together with Jeucafra dissolved, Soppo Priso turned around to demand liberty together with human dignity for all Cameroonians. He was aware that the grade of suppression of political liberties nether colonial dominion was such that the French authorities would non tolerate unwelcome political actions. Recourse to the number of reunification seemed the most convenient strategy that camouflaged his existent ambitions. He was familiar with how the number of reunification amongst the Ewe inwards Togoland had been favourably received at the United Nations Councils, had drawn attending to, together with advanced, the territory politically. Since Republic of Cameroon was non legally a colony but a trust territory of the UN, he pose forwards reunification equally the cornerstone of his newly formed party, the Rassemblement Camerounais (Racam) inwards 1947 (Zang-Atangana 1989: 78).
In doing so, Soppo Priso hoped to locate the legal battlefield exterior Cameroon, inwards the United Nations He used the United Nations to challenge French assimilation policies inwards Republic of Cameroon inwards low-cal of the strong anti-colonial lobbies inwards that world torso (Gardinier 1963). However, the stumbling block was the Cold War that polarised political views (see Langhëë inwards this volume). Though relatively moderate inwards its full general political orientation vis à vis France, Racam was considered revolutionary.
However, the United Nations had picayune effective power, together with the Council of the Trusteeship held that it could only create recommendations to the administering powers together with could non oblige them to obey its decisions. Indeed the danger was that since the issues of Cameroon's political evolution could non live settled straight inwards the UN, inwards Republic of Cameroon itself the bid for reunification roughshod into the category of revolutionary politics together with anti-French activities. As expected, the proponents came nether heavy intelligence surveillance, together with were to live combated together with extirpated inwards the same way equally communists.
An early on grouping moving-picture present of the Federal Government inwards 1962. Back row from left to right: Ekangaki Nzo (Foreign Affairs Deputy Min.), Jean Akassou (without portfolio), Sadio Daoudou (Armed Forces), Eteki Mboumoua (Education), together with ET Egbe (Deputy Justice Min.). Front row from right to left: Victor Kanga (Economy), ST Muna (Transportation, Mining, P & T), Ahidjo (Head of State & Gov.), Charles Ako Awana (Territorial Admin, Finance), Betéyené (Foreign Affairs) together with Simon Tchoungui (Health). - In Yaoundé.
However, the thought of reunification was differently expressed inwards East together with West Republic of Cameroon inwards parallel with differences inwards concepts of independence or political change. In East Republic of Cameroon radical nationalism was ranged against the French together with forcefulness was freely used. Reunification was a revolutionary thought together with only radicals adhered to it. As the leading radical party, the successor political party to Racam, the Union des Populations du Cameroun (UPC) took upwards the banner inwards 1948 with reunification high on its agenda (Joseph 1977; Um Nyobe 1989). It did not, however, define or give whatever content to reunification but assumed that its audience had a mutual understanding of its message. In West Republic of Cameroon the bogey was Nigerian sub-imperialism; but inwards the early on days at least, reunification was invoked to solve local problems together with preceded the formation of locally based political parties.
In the political wake of the Second World War, the UPC's advocacy of 'immediate reunification' ought to live seen to a greater extent than equally a strategy than equally a programme of action. Firstly, equally for Racam, it was a ploy to acquire the United Nations to allow reunification before independence, which would permit the political party foremost inwards advocating that platform to carry the twenty-four threescore minutes flow inwards the struggle for power. Secondly, reunification was expected to neutralise both French together with British influence inwards Republic of Cameroon to the territories' advantage. It was reckoned that the 2 powers would compete with each other for a novel hegemony inwards a reunified Cameroon, together with that the Cameroonians would live able to dictate their ain terms of co-operation.
The UPC used the political arguments for reunification to constitute mutual the world betwixt politicians of East together with West Cameroon. Furthermore, they ignored the international frontier together with went ahead to create together with win supporters for the UPC inwards West Republic of Cameroon (Um Nyobe 1989: 83-84; Joseph 1977: 188ff; Zang-Atangana 1989: 272). Such trans-frontier activities gave the political party the reputation amongst the population of constituting the existent opposition to colonialism. However, their strident criticism of the French provoked the French authorities to forcefulness the leading political figures to declare whether or non they wanted French participation inwards the evolution of Republic of Cameroon next independence (Joseph 1977: 248). As long equally reunification remained the virtual monopoly of the UPC together with was expressed inwards what were considered revolutionary terms, opponents of the UPC entrenched themselves inwards the French army camp equally an piece of cake way of furthering their political careers.
As the 1960s approached, both French together with British colonial diplomacy accepted that independence was inevitable together with that French Republic together with Britain should seek to channel the independent States into structures such equally the French Community together with the British Commonwealth. Thus independence was gained but within the western capitalist alliance. This did non coincide with the UPC's vision of independence. The political party distrusted an independence which depended on the goodwill of the colonial powers. The outcome was that the pursuit of reunification became entangled inwards a ruthless confrontation betwixt the UPC together with the colonial powers. The entire resources of the State were ranged against the UPC, reducing it to a slaughterhouse inwards less than 2 years. The autumn of the UPC took the steam out of the reunification movement.
In West Republic of Cameroon reunification entered political party politics equally a outcome of political events inwards East Cameroon. The thought at foremost won adherents because populations were split yesteryear the frontier together with also East Cameroonians were nowadays inwards several principal towns. The latter had taken upwards permanent residence after the First World War or had emigrated to avoid the oppressive French indigénat system.
These migrants roughshod into 2 categories. The foremost were the High German trained elites, mostly from the Douala together with Yaoundé regions together with residing inwards Buea, Tiko, Victoria together with Kumba districts. An of import link was R.J.K. Dibonge, a Douala yesteryear birth, who had served inwards both the High German together with French administrations. Retired inwards 1947, he returned to withdraw upwards permanent residence inwards Buea inwards 1949. He proceeded to utilisation his political experience to build back upwards for reunification together with to hold this number inwards focus inwards West Cameroon. The 2d category was composed of traders, mostly Bamileke together with Bamum. They exploited a dynamic commercial traffic across the frontier, a primal aspect of which was the existence of relatives together with back upwards systems on both sides of the frontier. One of import figure was Joseph Ngu of Kumba, a successful human being of affairs who used his wealth together with influence to host meetings that promoted reunification together with to hold upwards a current of petitions to the UN. Both Dibonge together with Ngu had been active inwards creating the French Republic of Cameroon Welfare Union which promoted the thought of reunification. This type of grassroots linkage strengthened trans-frontier ties. The thought spread through individual initiatives, diffused together with unstructured channels, together with non through a political platform with a commutation source. Hence, its enemies could non easily kill it.
The foundation of the Republic of Cameroon National Federation (CNF) inwards 1949 yesteryear the West Republic of Cameroon political elite created a wider forum for the French Cameroonian Welfare Union to win back upwards from the indigenes inwards the political struggle for reunification. However, despite formal commitment to reunification, the CNF focused more, if non entirely, on the internal issues of West Cameroon. Their leader, Endeley, for instance, saw a brighter futurity inwards pressing for workers' rights, representation inwards the Nigerian legislative organs together with reform of the 'Land together with Native Rights Ordinance' rather than inwards 'reduction of frontier difficulties'. This unclear stand upwards on reunification led the 'French Cameroonian' activists to suspension away to cast the Kamerun United National Congress (KUNC).
The KUNC was born inwards Kumba where pop political options centred around reunification. The novel political party combined anti-colonial demands with a dynamic stand upwards on reunification. In low-cal of the UPC back upwards of these demands the KUNC welcomed the latter's fiscal together with logistical support. However, piece pushing reunification to the fore of West Republic of Cameroon politics, collaboration with UPC activists ever bore the threat of a UPC takeover. As it was, the UPC members introduced novel forms of patronage together with authoritarian leadership that presaged novel forms of domination.
If West Cameroonian politicians learned whatever lessons at all from the flow 1948 to 1952 when the UPC was the primary promoter of reunification inwards both East together with West Cameroon, it was that neither 'immediate reunification', nor only 'reunification before independence', were inwards West Cameroon's long-term interests. This was reflected, for instance, inwards Mbile's about-turn inwards back upwards of the farther integration of West Republic of Cameroon into Nigeria. He founded the Kamerun People's Party (KPP) to struggle an election on this platform. In 1953, the leading political figures inwards West Republic of Cameroon regrouped around Endeley's Kamerun National Congress political party (KNC) together with placed reunification equally an ultimate but non an immediate goal. Indeed, the immediate destination was the antithesis of reunification, i.e. regional status within Nigeria. Rejection of reunification seemed to attain a peak after the KNC's resounding victory inwards the 1954 election inwards West Cameroon. However, the reaction was immediate together with a substantial faction of the political party broke away inwards 1955 to cast a novel party, the Kamerun National Democratic Party (KNDP). Its leader, John Foncha, brought reunification dorsum onto the platform of mainstream West Republic of Cameroon politics.
Foncha, similar the Fon of Bafut, envisaged East Republic of Cameroon equally fire, because of the civil state of war that raged there, together with Nigeria equally water. He abhorred the violence inwards East Cameroon, but judged that it would live short-lived together with that reunification would soundless live possible. He so built a broad political platform so that yesteryear the showtime of 1959, 'immediate reunification' equally a slogan to mobilise the masses against imperialism had lost its savour. The UPC had been banned inwards West Republic of Cameroon together with its successor, the One Kamerun Party (OK), had non been able to withstand the massive opposition to its policies on reunification. Reunification had been couched inwards revolutionary language, together with represented a unfamiliar political civilization to the average West Cameroonian whose attachment to the dominion of police force was strong. The UPC together with OK leadership had wrongly thought that the West Cameroonians' lack of special attachment to French Republic would bolster upwards their ain efforts against France. Ironically, the closer East together with West Cameroonians tried to piece of work together, the to a greater extent than they were pushed apart yesteryear linguistic, cultural together with political differences cultivated separately for over xl years nether French together with British rule.
1959 was a decisive dot inwards the political history of French together with English linguistic communication speaking Cameroons. In West Cameroon, Foncha defeated Endeley inwards the elections of Jan 1959, elections which were also a prove of the popularity of Foncha's create of reunification. In East Republic of Cameroon the authorities passed from André-Marie Mbida to Ahmadou Ahidjo, but without solving the problems of widespread terrorism together with strong French involvement inwards the country's affairs. Reunification at nowadays depended on Foncha together with Ahidjo but neither had been inwards at the outset of the idea; they had simply picked it upwards equally a convenient slogan but had never bothered to piece of work out a programme.
President John F. Kennedy meets with President of Cameroon, Ahmadou Ahidjo, together with others inwards the Cabinet Room of the White House, Washington, D.C. L-R: Cameroonian Ambassador to the United States, Jacques Kuoh Moukouri; President Ahidjo; Minister of the National Economy of Cameroon, Victor Kanga; unidentified; US Ambassador to Cameroon, Leland Barrows; Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams; Under Secretary of State, George Ball; President Kennedy; US State Department interpreter, Edmund S. Glenn; Deputy Director of the Office of West African together with Malagasy Affairs, Donald Dumont. Circa thirteen March 1962 Photographer: Rowe, Abbie, 1905-1967.
The imminent halt of United Nations trusteeship inwards East Republic of Cameroon inwards Jan 1960 forced both leaders to consider reunification together with give content to what had been only an electioneering slogan. The nationalists inwards each State knew picayune or zippo of each other. They had faced different problems inwards their history. In these circumstances, each leader gave reunification a pregnant appropriate to his ain internal atmospheric condition together with political goals. Ahidjo was never excited well-nigh reunification, together with so played downwardly its structural implications. His political programme dealt exclusively with East Cameroonian politics. But the 1 thing he did that made all things possible was to insulate reunification from political party politics. This was achieved yesteryear getting the East Republic of Cameroon Assembly of Deputies to approve a motility inwards September 1958 accepting reunification with West Republic of Cameroon whenever the latter was ready (Ahidjo 1964). From this together with other statements it tin live seen that reunification was never an imposition from East Cameroon. In fact, Ahidjo together with the East Republic of Cameroon population were largely indifferent to it because the ultimate cast of independence of his component of Republic of Cameroon had already been decided yesteryear the halt of 1958.
In West Cameroon, the political leadership was nether peachy force per unit of measurement area to define reunification inwards concrete terms since reunification was at the top of the political agenda. However, this instead led to much tension together with political polarisation. The dominant issues were on the 1 hand, association with Nigeria, advocated yesteryear Endeley's political party with the tacit blessing of the British authorities, together with on the other hand, secession from Nigeria together with reunification with East Republic of Cameroon advocated yesteryear Foncha's party. It was to a greater extent than often than non understood that the victor inwards the elections would proceed to negotiate the terms of spousal human relationship with either Nigerian or East Cameroonian leaders.
Foncha's political party won the election yesteryear fourteen to 12 seats, receiving over one-half the pop vote. Immediately several basic problems arose. Firstly, the victory gave the West Republic of Cameroon authorities the constitutional mightiness to pursue reunification. Secondly, Endeley (and the British) ceased moves towards the farther integration of West Republic of Cameroon into Nigeria. Indeed, reunification became for the foremost fourth dimension a State to State affair. Foncha had fought the elections on a platform of secession from Nigeria together with reunification with East Republic of Cameroon exterior both the French Community together with the British Commonwealth. He could, therefore, scarcely count on British co-operation. Moreover, the British authorities had expected Endeley to win the election inwards the belief that the West Cameroonian elite would rally to protect their British civilization together with values. When Foncha won, the British feared increased widespread hostilities together with so they maintained unopen links with Endeley's opposition political party inwards the hope that it would render the necessary residual and, perhaps, really create a come-back to power.
The British authorities decided to deed fast to kill reunification together with refused to sanction the 1959 election results. Foncha, they claimed, had won the elections on parochial together with vague promises to the electorate. They observed that reunification had go so unpopular that none of the successful politicians had explicitly canvassed for reunification. Indeed, Foncha's political party had ceased to advocate reunification inwards world and, instead, stressed secession from Nigeria followed yesteryear a flow of trusteeship before independence. The British authorities could non withdraw hold some other full general election immediately. The democratic solution was to utilisation the United Nations to organise plebiscites inwards the British Cameroons to determine the people's wishes on how to halt British trusteeship. However, this went awry when the referendum limited the choice to gaining independence either yesteryear joining East Republic of Cameroon or yesteryear maintaining their connectedness with Nigeria (see Chem-Langhëë this volume).
Throughout 1959 British officials increased force per unit of measurement area on Foncha to abandon reunification. They organised several meetings inwards West Cameroon, Nigeria, Britain together with the United Nations. Under the spell of the personalities of Endeley together with Mbile, they minimised Foncha together with failed to withdraw cognisance of the soaring popularity of the KNDP after the 1959 elections, together with Endeley's waning fortunes amongst the leading politicians. There were signs that Foncha was willing to abandon reunification provided that the British extended the flow of trusteeship together with stopped insisting on an fifty-fifty to a greater extent than unpopular choice for West Cameroonians, the Nigerianisation of Cameroon. Nevertheless, the British employedmmuch arm-twisting at the United Nations to line upwards western together with anti-communist representatives to block Foncha's bid to create secession the 2d inquiry inwards the British-inspired plebiscite.
However, the to a greater extent than the British together with Endeley tried to force Foncha towards immediate reunification, the to a greater extent than he resisted by, for example, imposing political party land of study on his followers to win the plebiscite. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 farther effect was that Foncha drifted irretrievably into the hands of Ahidjo together with his French allies. While this had been foreseen, what was non expected was that the people would follow Foncha. Foncha's dilemma was how to withdraw hold his constituency intact piece winning back upwards from Endeley's followers. Foncha's solution was to transform the concept of reunification into 1 of federation. At this fourth dimension federation was an attractive catch-word which seemed to guarantee autonomous evolution inwards a unified Cameroon. Thus yesteryear unification Foncha meant a loose federation of States:
Pompidou`s see 1971
Joining the Republic of Republic of Cameroon way federating with the Republic of Republic of Cameroon inwards a novel federation to live formed similar a shot after the plebiscite. In this federation, the Republic of Republic of Cameroon together with either the British Cameroons equally a whole or Southern Cameroons volition come inwards equally members on equal terms... (Foncha to the Special Session of the House of Chiefs - Kamerun Times 22/12/1960.)
The novel formula also bore the seeds of devastation for British policy inwards West Cameroon. It was a constitutional formula which was based on the regulation that negotiations for a federal constitution were a affair for the ruling parties together with eventually for the East together with West Republic of Cameroon governments to piece of work out the details. It claimed an equal phonation for West Republic of Cameroon inwards the making of the 'new federation' piece preserving the West Republic of Cameroon identity. The loose federation formula allayed the fears of the doubting West Cameroonians well-nigh the absorption of their State together with people inwards reunified Cameroon. Under this scheme they felt they soundless had a endangerment to save their much valued British heritage together with at the same fourth dimension pursue West Cameroon's specific needs for independently attracting unusual assist for development.
However, the British, along with Endeley together with his followers, did non perceive the potency of the federal formulation used yesteryear Foncha. Indeed, Mbile's together with Endeley, equally leaders of the Republic of Cameroon People's National Congress (CPNC), continued to struggle a losing battle based on the before excogitation of reunification equally an extremist together with vague notion. The outcome of Endeley's weak create showing was that Foncha, equally premier of West Cameroon, at nowadays felt confident to negotiate reunification, or the specifics of federation, with Ahidjo single-handed, without foremost seeking full general consensus inwards his party, the KNDP, allow lonely amongst the population of West Cameroon.
However, the years 1960 together with 1961 saw a steady erosion of the thought of reunification equally a loose federation. On the 1 st Jan 1960 East Republic of Cameroon became a sovereign State, together with a fellow member of the United Nations. There was no prior understanding on the formulation of a federal constitution with West Cameroon. The United Nations had ruled out separate sovereignty for West Republic of Cameroon together with imposed the choice betwixt independence yesteryear joining Nigeria or yesteryear reuniting with the Republic of Cameroon Republic. Hence, equality of status betwixt East together with West Republic of Cameroon inwards subsequent negotiations was rendered impracticable. Unwittingly, West Republic of Cameroon had stayed behind the tide of argue together with mutual sense; henceforth the electrical current moved resolutely against federalism. Also, civil strife caused much insecurity at the fourth dimension East Republic of Cameroon gained independence together with the necessity to co-operate closely with French Republic to stabilise the regime did non augur good for a loose federal formula.
Political opportunism, cut-throat competition betwixt West Cameroonian politicians together with the threat of an immediate British withdrawal dealt the lastly blow to the thought of a loose federation. Foncha together with Endeley remained at daggers drawn before together with after the plebiscite. Dirty politics was the guild of the twenty-four threescore minutes flow together with only the presence of British safety forces imposed some restraint. It was sure enough non inwards Foncha's political involvement to involve Endeley's political party closely inwards the procedure of federalising the spousal human relationship betwixt East together with West Cameroon. Foncha feared that the opposition inwards West Republic of Cameroon would pose a wedge betwixt him together with Ahidjo. Accordingly, Foncha restricted the articulation East together with West Republic of Cameroon constitutional discussions to the 2 governing parties.
However, this did non go unchallenged fifty-fifty within Foncha's party. His deputy, Augustin Ngom Jua, led a faction of the KNDP who felt that Foncha had gone too far inwards isolating the opposition on a affair that concerned all West Cameroonians. Opposition to Foncha's leadership both within together with exterior his political party was so strong that Ahidjo passed from beingness a negotiating partner to an arbitrator betwixt disputing West Republic of Cameroon politicians. Thus the fact that Foncha could non dominate politics inwards West Cameroon, equally Ahidjo had done inwards East Cameroon, was a serious handicap to equality inwards whatever constitutional negotiations. It left Ahidjo equally the unmarried strong human being inwards the political life of Cameroon, gratuitous to apply his ain interpretation to the federal notion.
Four months after the referendum results inwards favour of reunification betwixt East together with West Republic of Cameroon became known, Ahidjo summoned the Foumban Constitutional Conference (Johnson 1970: 169-185). The Conference was to verbalise over together with concur on a federal constitution which would bind all Cameroonians with effect from the 1 st Oct 1961. It offered 1 lastly endangerment for the protagonists of the loose federal system. But the fact that it was Ahidjo who had chosen the timing together with setting of the Conference, fixed the agenda, together with summoned the delegates, made the coming together to all intents together with purposes Ahidjo's Conference.
The commutation number at the Conference concerned the nature of the commutation authorities together with its human relationship with the province governments. Ahidjo was unwilling to withdraw suggestions which weakened the dominant spot he had already acquired inwards the constitution of the Republic of Cameroon. Only a constitution with a strong commutation authorities was acceptable inwards watch of electrical current political unrest together with threats to national sovereignty yesteryear Ahidjo's political opponents (Johnson 1970: 180). He farther insisted that national involvement should withdraw precedence over sectional interest.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 major work which destabilised the West Republic of Cameroon delegation was the fact that they were seeing, for the foremost time, Ahidjo's constitutional bundle for a strong commutation government, with only residual powers for the federated State. Overwhelmed yesteryear 'brotherly sentiments', the West Republic of Cameroon delegates ignored their embarrassment together with agreed to examine the proposals on the spot. As if farther to humiliate them, the West Cameroonians were obliged to encounter inwards separate sessions from the East Republic of Cameroon delegates for the 5 days that they were inwards Foumban. Under such circumstances at that spot was no serious bargaining. There was too picayune fourth dimension together with understanding was expected immediately. Coming so shortly after the referendum campaigns, the West Cameroonian representatives approached the deliberations at the Conference from established political party positions together with relied too picayune on experts. Moreover, at that spot was consummate unanimity inwards the East Republic of Cameroon delegation for a strong commutation government. In many ways, then, the Foumban Conference was used to persuade the protagonists of a loose federation to withdraw a strong commutation authorities for a united authorities which was already a fait accompli .
Romanaian leader Ceausescu and Ahidjo
Ahidjo's actions were predicated on the readiness of French Republic to participate inwards the socio-economic evolution of the federal Republic. Republic of Cameroon was 1 of France's most of import trading partners inwards Central Africa, with long-range economical prospects. Since World War II, Republic of Cameroon had received huge French investments. At independence French Republic had a relatively large colony together with controlled the economy. The UPC challenge to French dominion had necessitated a direct French armed forces build-up inwards the territory. The novel Republic of Cameroon authorities largely depended on French assist to maintain stability together with peace (Bayart 1979: 240). Also, Ahidjo had signed cloak-and-dagger armed forces together with intelligence pacts with French Republic which would increment reunified Cameroon's dependence on France. French Republic subsidised the Republic's budget yesteryear over 70% together with for the most component ran the educational system. Hence, it was unthinkable for the ruling East Cameroonians to cutting the umbilical cord with French Republic so shortly after independence, no affair how much force per unit of measurement area was brought from West Republic of Cameroon together with anti-imperialist elements inwards the country.
The British left West Republic of Cameroon beingness unwilling to subsidise what they saw equally a financially weak state. The Foncha authorities never undertook enquiry into the economical issues to prove the contrary. This point, to a greater extent than than whatever other, worked against delegates fully pressing their illustration for a loose federation since they had to determine how their ideas were to live financed. The weakest dot inwards favour of the loose federation at the constitutional 'negotiation' was so economic.
Aminatou Ahidjo, fille of the foremost president Ahidjo
Nevertheless, the constitutional debates scarcely touched on economical issues. Too much fourth dimension together with travail was spent on political problems; trying to avert a totalitarian regime together with what appeared to live French neo-colonialism. Indeed, the debates were carried out inwards an economical void, peradventure because it was felt that 1 time political issues were resolved all the ease would follow on. This neglect is surprising since at base of operations was the thought that reunification would serve equally a catalyst for rapid economical development. Apart from the unfavourable Phillipson study (1959), at that spot were no studies available to enable West Republic of Cameroon participants to create an accurate appraisal of the economical potential of West Cameroon. On the contrary, all believed that West Republic of Cameroon was a fiscal liability together with the constitutional arrangements had to withdraw this into account.
L'arrivée de S.E. M. El Hadj Ahmadou Ahidjo, Président de la République de Cameroun, à la 53e session de la Conférence internationale du Travail, Genève, 17 juin 1969.
In summary, nosotros have got seen that reunification was a strong political forcefulness which seriously affected the evolution of Cameroonian nationalism from the halt of the Second World War until Oct 1961. It provided the leitmotif to attract co-operation betwixt politicians inwards East together with West Republic of Cameroon throughout the period. The concept of reunification developed from vague slogans to precise political structures bringing together East together with West Republic of Cameroon inwards either a loose federal or a strong commutation government. The latter construction was finally adopted on the 1 st Oct 1961. Cameroonians have got since lived nether the unitary scheme irrespective of their colonial together with cultural backgrounds. The achievements so far registered constitute 1 of the themes of Cameroon's contemporary history.
SOURCE:http://lucy.ukc.ac.uk/chilver/paideuma/paideuma-REUNIFI.html
Photo-source https://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&ALID=2K1HRGMACLY
Pompidou`s visit
http://www.fonlon.org/
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