Bilingualism Commission: Who is lying to whom?

To an innocent observer, the recent wave of reforms in Cameroon signals the arrival of a messiah and his gospel. Many ministerial decrees; several commissions; uncountable appointments and what have you.

The National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism is certainly one of the major stories making news in Cameroon as its members are to be officially commissioned by Prime Minister Yang today, Thursday 27.04-20167. 

Some people see this move as a historic decision from the powers that be. But what they do not seem to is the staleness of the whole show. This is a drama acted by the same actors who have been on stage for several decades, singing the same song with the same dance but a different style.

How can we swallow this change when indeed it is not change as such? The majority of the members of the commission are ‘popular’ figures of the regime. May be they are the best! But if they were that 'outstanding' they should not have come after the president and gone before him. Peter Mafany Musonge should still be prime minister if he were that ‘good’. Likewise for Ama Tutu Muna. If these persons have worked with the regime, and yet things remain the way they are, what can we expect from them when they take over the commission? By the way, under whose control is the commission? The president of course.

Cameroon became 'bilingual' more than sixty years ago, and these people have been there, though not from the probably, and English has been trampled upon without them making the difference.

In fact, if anything could come out of this commission, it must first and foremost gain independence. it should not lean on anybody, for he who pays the piper calls the tune. Barrister Nico Halle ought to lead the commission as an independent and outspoken person.

We are saying this in relation to what we see on the stage on a daily basis. Last year a commission was created and put under the ‘prime minister’ to investigate the causes of and propose solutions to one of the most deadly train derailment in the country’s history. The report was to be submitted in thirty days. But after the deadline there was no trace of the findings, unless it did not reach some people.