Dr. Ndi Richard Tanto Preaches Institutional Bilingualism, says the newly created Commission for Bilingualism and Multiculturalism should promote rather than assimilate Cameroon’s cultures.

Dr. Ndi Richard Tanto, a well-known Peace Building consultant proposes to the newly created Commission for Bilingualism and Multiculturalism to promote Cameroon’s cultures and at the time providing constitutional safeguards that will prevent assimilation of these cultures.

According to Dr. Ndi, Bilingualism in Cameroon is only constitutional but yet to be realized in practice especially within the civil service as English seems to have been pushed to a background position. 

“The constitution says Cameroon should be bilingual. In theory, Cameroon is a bilingual state because the statutes of the state say Cameroon is bilingual but I think in practice it has not been very effective. When you look around especially in ministries where it is stipulated that documents should come out in English and French, you see them essentially in French. The English Language is not used in the Army or in any of our forces of law and order. At times it seems that English has been pushed to the Background” says the Consultant. “I think those who work with the administration; who can be moved from one end of the country to the others should be bilingual so that they deliver services to Cameroonians in the languages that Cameroonians understand” he adds.

However Villagers seem to have their own part of the story. According to Pa Peter Ndi of Tabenken Village of North West Cameroon, Bilingualism in his village makes no sense.

Pa Peter Ndi says “I don’t see myself learning to speak French and English now. I speak the dialect and a bit of English I am OK with it here in the village. In fact you will never hear anybody around here speaking French. May be it will happen in the future.  But I have a son who is the city and I think he needs to know the two languages in order to advance in his Banking Career.

Nevertheless, the propositions of Dr. Ndi are coming in a day before the installation of the newly created Commission in charge of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism in Yaoundé.

Still, many Cameroonians are waiting to see if Bilingualism on paper will soon be a thing of the past in Cameroon.