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"WHY THE FRANCK BIYA EQUATION IS DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE''

Franck Biya as a candidate to replace his father? The idea has been gaining ground for more than a year within the seraglio. Moreover, we have recently seen several movements emerge in this direction. If there was no such alternative envisaged within the seraglio, they would have been banned.

Details: Mwalimu Mcmua Kum Paul; 24.Mar.2022; Hits: 3251

There may be elements of truth in the claim that Russia is heading for tumultuous months and years ahead by western design. The final outcome is, however, far from certain as several inter-playing factors are, absolutely, unpredictable.

Details: Frisky Lars; 24.Mar.2022; Hits: 2725

"It's very emotional for me because I see European people with blue eyes and blonde hair being killed." These were the words of Ukraine's Deputy Chief Prosecutor, David Sakvarelidze, during a recent BBC interview about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

It wasn't so much what he said, it was more what was implied; that not all lives have equal value. And that idea -- the belief that some races are superior to others -- is a fundamental principle of racism. It's alarming to me that Sakvarelidze was left unchallenged during his interview.

As a Black, African woman without the benefit of blue eyes or blonde hair, it's been equally emotional to see the number of racist and ignorant comments in the coverage on Ukraine that have passed unchallenged by the interviewers and media platforms that have aired them. CBS, Aljazeera, France's BFM TV and ITV have all reported the invasion in ways that illustrate deep bias, informed by a belief system that screams of an old-world, White-led, order.

ITV News correspondent Lucy Watson on ITV reporting back to the studio summed up the collective hypocrisy and underlying narrative that the Ukrainian war has exposed when she said: "The unthinkable has happened...this is not a developing, third-world nation; this is Europe!"

According to the narrative she believes, "unthinkable things" happen only in "third world nations" (now an outdated and derogatory term, someone should tell her), and that narrative is perpetuated by the type of stories she and many like her, have heard about the continent.

In Africa, it's the stories of conflict in Ethiopia, insurgency in Mozambique, election violence in Uganda, and the recent coups in Mali, Chad, Guinea, Sudan, Burkina Faso and Guinea Bissau. But it's clear that far too many are not paying attention to them because the people in these stories are not rich or from the Global North.

It's the reason why the 'unthinkable things' that happen in places like Africa are typically reported in terms of issues, numbers and trends -- rather than the people, the emotions and the lives destroyed. In Africa our stories tend to offer simplistic analysis that lacks context and nuance, and prioritizes headline-grabbing proclamations, like this one from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres about an "an epidemic of coup d'états" in response to the six coups in five out of 54 African countries over an 18-month period.

These examples have shown us that global media is complicit in perpetuating racist narratives, by not encouraging diversity in its newsrooms and giving an unrestricted platform to reporters and influential spokespeople with implicit biases that are left unchallenged. But rather than dwelling on this, I want to share some of the facts that should make us all rethink the traditional and stereotypical ways we dismiss non-White, non-rich countries and their people.

The traditional world order is undergoing a dramatic shift, driven by Covid-19, China, Russia, and movements like #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter. The new world order is providing an opportunity for the world to rethink the little they know about the rest of the world.

By 2050, Nigeria will overtake the United States as the world's third-most-populous country with a population of 400 million people. That's one reason enough to pay attention. Africa's population is growing rapidly and experts predict it will account for half the world's people growth in the next two decades.

This means that more than a quarter of the world's population will be on just one continent -- Africa. The thought that the world will be overrun by Africans (no blue eyes or blonde hair here) will be an uncomfortable idea for some people, especially if they are unaware of the roughly 125,000 millionaires, 6,200 multimillionaires, 275 centimillionaires, and 22 billionaires that exist on the continent today.

Indeed, a report by the University of Southern California in 2019, highlighted how poorly Africa is depicted in the US. It also revealed that Americans seldom see mentions of Africa or Africans on TV entertainment shows or in the news.

When they do, the portrayals are often negative and stereotyped. According to the report, most mentions of Africa (43%) appeared on national or local news and tended to be 'hard' news stories which often fed the stereotype. After politics (32%), crime received the most mentions (16%), while business and the economy accounted for just 8% of news coverage.

Over 60 research papers, reports, books, academic journals that we analyzed from the year 2000 written on Africa in the media told us that poverty, conflict, corruption, disease and poor leadership were the five frames through which most stories are told about Africa.

This persistent portrayal of a single story is the reason why over the years, Africans have fought back with hashtags like #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou and #SomeoneTellCNN over a 2015 CNN report describing Kenya as a "hotbed of terror," for which it later amended. And organizations like Africa No Filter, which set out to shift stereotypical narratives about Africa, were created. It's the reason why the Twittersphere erupted recently when journalist Alan Macleod put together his greatest hits of racist coverage of the Ukraine invasion -- thank you, Alan!

Contrary to what negative media portrayals might have you believe, Africa actually has some of the world's fastest-growing economies. For example, to most of the world, Rwanda is synonymous with its 1994 genocide. But with an average GDP growth predicted of 6.7 between 2021-2025, it is in the top five of the fastest-growing economies alongside India. Rwanda has been able to attract foreign direct investment and is one of the easiest places to do business in Africa (after Mauritius) according to a World Bank index. This means Rwanda and countries like Seychelles, Mauritius, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Kenya are worth considering as potential destinations for investment, not just development dollars.

Don't ignore the data that shows that there are more than 400 companies that earn annual revenues of $1 billion or more in Africa, or that the second fastest-growing tourism market in the world is right here in Africa.

It's also unlikely that many in the Global North will know any of this because it doesn't fit the narrative both have been fed about non-white, 'third world countries.'

The fastest-growing developer community and tech start-up ecosystem in the world is in Africa. Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania are ranked in the top 20 Global Crypto Adoption Index. This means they have some of the highest grass-roots adoptions of cryptocurrencies in the world. In fact, Kenya has been ranked first in the world when it comes to peer-to-peer cryptocurrency transactions. Given all this digital activity, it is hardly surprising that Africa is one of the fastest-growing markets in terms of venture capital activities and financial technology.

Africa is also regarded as the world's second-fastest-growing and profitable payments and banking market after Latin America, according to this McKinsey study.

The reality is that much of what is happening in Africa today is unexpected. For example, six countries; Namibia, Cape Verde, Ghana, South Africa, Burkina Faso, and Botswana have a higher Press Freedom Index rating than the USA, according to Reporters Without Borders.

But that doesn't fit the persistent image of a broken continent where nothing works, and where its sad, dependent people lack agency to make a change. The truth is there is new dynamic energy and entrepreneurial spirit on the continent which is a story that is largely untold, and its evidenced by the low esteem with which those in the Global North hold us.

It's a story that is hidden because its heroes are neither White, nor do they hail from 'up there.' But from the way the world is evolving, that's not going to matter much anymore. Everyone, including the media covering the Ukraine invasion, should pay attention.

Culled from CNN

Moky Makura is the executive director of Africa No Filter a group working to shift stereotypical and harmful narratives within and about Africa through storytelling and community building. The views expressed in this commentary are her own.

Details: Moky Makura; 12.Mar.2022; Hits: 2596

Will Russians topple Putin as the West hopes?

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I will say that is impossible. Let me explain:

1. Like in classic Democracies where leaders are not taken out by coups or popular dissent, so too are Communists states. Russia is a classic example of a communist state. Never in the history of communist states has a president been taken out through coups and protests. That only happens in weak states that have no stable governing ideology.

2. You may call it a dictatorship and detest it. But understand that communism is also a stable ideology just like democracy. Communists believe in their leader and don’t mind keeping him there for decades. In classic African tradition, for example, when did you ever hear that a traditional ruler was toppled? Yet, villagers are extremely proud of their leader and could let him die in power.

3. Russians and Chinese, for example, have a strong sense of national solidarity and pride. External wars to them is historically viewed as a leadership strength rather than a leadership failure. Today, a few could protest because of Western exposure, but that is not the case now in those communist states that shut down alternative media in times like now.

4. On the flip side, every leader is also concerned about gaining absolute power. Alternative media and platforms were shutdown in America because of the fear of an insurrection in a democracy. It happens too in the communist world. Canada passed a draconian law to suppress its popular Truckers’ protests. That is a democracy. It happens too in a globalized communist world.

5. If approval ratings are anything to consider, then Biden could be toppled instead because he has the lowest approval rating of any African president. Putin, however, has maintained a high approval rating. Russians have endured absolute pain in their recent history. These sanctions are nothing new, especially as they have alternative willing Eastern partners.

Do I think Putin could be toppled? That is wishful thinking, I would say.

Tapang | Freethinker

Details: Tapang Ivo; 12.Mar.2022; Hits: 2361

Anglophone separatists in Cameroon have claimed responsibility for an attack Wednesday that killed seven people, including a senior official and a mayor. Cameroon’s military says the officials were on a tour to raise support against the rebels when a homemade bomb hit their car.

The government said the explosive device hit the officials' car in Bekora village in the Ekondo Titi district of Cameroon's English-speaking South-West region. The government says six officials, including Timothee Aboloa, highest government official in Ekondo Titi, Nanji Kenneth, mayor of Ekondo Titi and Ebeku William, the Ekondo Titi president of Cameroon’s ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement party, died on the spot.

Cameroon's military said after the device exploded, separatist fighters hiding in a nearby bush started shooting.

Bernard Okalia Bilai is the governor of the South-West region. Bilai said several government troops sustained injuries, and a military official died while being rushed to a local hospital by the military. Bilai spoke during a press conference broadcast by local media including Cameroon state broadcaster CRTV.

"All the six occupants of the car died. The other forces of law and order [military] who were in the pickup following the [officials'] car was wounded. One young officer, a lieutenant, was wounded, and he too passed away. So, in that attack we have lost seven persons,” he said.

Bilai said the officials were on a meet-the-people tour of Ekondo Titi. He said during the tour, the officials were expected to educate civilians on braving separatists and relaunch economic activities in their towns and villages. Bilai said the officials were also asking civilians to report suspected fighters hiding in their towns and villages.

Cameroon’s military on Thursday said troops were deployed to Ekondo Titi shortly after the explosion. The military said the troops will track and arrest or kill the fighters should government troops face any resistance from the rebels.

Capo Daniel is the deputy defense chief of staff for the Ambazonia Defense Forces, said to be the largest separatist group in Cameroon.

Capo said separatists regret that one fighter has been missing since Wednesday’s attack. He said no fighter was wounded and none were killed by government troops in the Ekondo Titi attack, as reported by Cameroon military. Capo spoke to VOA via a messaging app.

“This operation is part of our liberation operations to end the Cameroon occupation and rule of Ambazonia territory. The divisional officer is in charge of coordinating Cameroon’s military operations and Cameroon’s occupation of Ambazonia territory. We will continue to battle and resist Cameroon rule of Ambazonia until the last Cameroon military is booted out of our territory,” he said.

Cameroon separatists have been fighting since 2017 to carve out an independent English-speaking state in the majority French-speaking Cameroon. The separatists say their state will be called Ambazonia.

Fighters have vowed to attack any worker sent by the central government in Yaounde to the English-speaking western regions. The separatists say they will continue attacking government offices and staff until the central government withdraws its troops from the troubled Anglophone regions.

The United Nations says the conflict has left more than 3,500 people dead and 750,000 displaced.

VOA

Details: Ayuk Divine; 04.Mar.2022; Hits: 4550

Far from the Russian bombardments on Ukraine, the fear of a popular uprising is gradually spreading to the intelligence services in Cameroon. Indeed, specialized agencies are concerned about the likely fallout from the Ukrainian crisis in Cameroon in a context of socio-political tensions. Indeed, information and analysis notes have been prepared for transmission to the Presidency of the Republic of Cameroon in order to warn of the security risks weighing on Cameroon. More particularly a popular uprising like what happened in February 2008.
At the heart of the concerns of intelligence agencies, the increase in the cost of wheat which will have an impact on the prices of basic necessities, namely; flour, rice, and others. An increase that will bring with it inflation, making people's lives even more difficult.
Indeed, the wheat sold in Cameroon, which is used to make a staple food like bread, is mainly imported from Russia (1st world producer) and Ukraine. Although it produces only 30 to 32 million tonnes of wheat per year, or 4% of world production, Ukraine exports more than 60% of the quantities produced on its soil. As a result, the country is the world's fourth largest wheat exporter. Last week, the costs of wheat, which have been increasing since the COVID 19 pandemic, experienced a new acceleration last week with the first attacks by Russia against Ukraine.
The Matif, which is the essential benchmark for the wheat market on the stock exchange, increased by 40 euros between Wednesday and last Thursday. The price of a sack of wheat rose to 390 dollars (217,800 FCFA) including 80 dollars of freight. For a total of 470 dollars or 258,000 CFA francs. Yet a year ago, prices already on the rise hovered around 165,000 CFA francs. With the war, ships can no longer go to Ukraine to load cargo. International sanctions reduce or prevent companies from doing business with Russia.
In this context, Cameroonian millers who for months have been warning the government about the risks of a wheat shortage are forced to increase prices to maintain their supplies. A solution envisaged on the side of Côte d'Ivoire. The imminent risk in Cameroon is a shortage of wheat. The stocks that currently remain can only last for a period of one and a half months.
Should this be a surprise for the Cameroonian government? No. Because, as early as October 2021, GICAM warned the Minister of Commerce, Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana about the chaotic situation in which Cameroonian wheat importers find themselves. But a few weeks before, IFACO, the main Swiss supplier of wheat to Cameroon, met Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana on September 14, 2021 to tell him about the state of the wheat market in the world and the problems facing Cameroonian businessmen.
Unfortunately, no serious government action has been taken. At the risk of expecting chaos. Now it is the intelligence agencies that are stepping up to prevent a popular uprising.

Details: Ayuk Divine; 28.Feb.2022; Hits: 2171

Subcategories

Biya Article Count: 73

# Paul Biya and his regime

Explore the political landscape of Cameroon under the rule of Paul Biya, the longest-serving president in Africa who has been in power since 1982. Our Paul Biya and his regime section examines the policies, actions, and controversies of his government, as well as the opposition movements, civil society groups, and international actors that challenge or support his leadership. You'll also find profiles, interviews, and opinions on the key figures and events that shape the political dynamics of Cameroon.

Southern Cameroons Article Count: 549

.# Southern Cameroons, Ambazonia

Learn more about the history, culture, and politics of Ambazonia, the Anglophone regions of Cameroon that have been seeking self-determination and independence from the Francophone-dominated central government. Our Southern Cameroons section covers the ongoing conflict, the humanitarian crisis, the human rights violations, and the peace efforts in the region. You'll also find stories that highlight the rich and diverse heritage, traditions, and aspirations of the Southern Cameroonian people.

Editorial Article Count: 885

# Opinion

Get insights and perspectives on the issues that matter to Cameroon and the world with our opinion section. We feature opinions from our editors, columnists, and guest writers, who share their views and analysis on various topics, such as politics, economy, culture, and society. Our opinion section also welcomes contributions from our readers, who can submit their own opinions and comments. Join the conversation and express your opinions with our opinion section.

Boko Haram Article Count: 498

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