AFTER THE DEFEAT OF GERMANY, in World War I, the German protectorate (Cameroon) was to be administered as a mandated territory of the League of Nations. Having a lot of security issues to deal with at the time, the League divided
Cameroon between Great Britain and France.
AFTER THE DEFEAT OF GERMANY, in World War I, the German protectorate (Cameroon) was to be administered as a mandated territory of the League of Nations. Having a lot of security issues to deal with at the time, the League divided
Cameroon between Great Britain and France. Northern and Southern Cameroon was given to Britain with Eastern Cameroon to the French. After the failure of the League in 1939 to ensure global peace and the outbreak of World War II, Cameroon was later administered as a trusteeship territory between Britain and France under the supervision of the UN from 1945. The European Nations were now charged with ensuring the smooth functioning of these entities while grooming them towards independence.
1) Southern Cameroon as a Mandated and Trusteeship Territory of Great Britain. 20th July 1922, was the official debut of the British mandate in Southern Cameroon. For specific reasons, the British opted to administer Southern Cameroon as an integral part of Nigeria. She implemented her colonial policy of indirect rule in the territory.
English Speaking Cameronians want their Freedom
Administering Southern Cameroon as an integral part of Nigeria, was due to the geographical location of the territory, its size in terms of population, and the nature of its culture. Also, the economic survey and assessment of the territory were poorly understood by the British. They underrated the mineral and agricultural potential of the territory. To them, Southern Cameroon was not viable enough to sustain itself, thus amalgamating the territory with Nigeria.
As a consequence of amalgamation, Southern Cameroon suffered a border dispute with Nigeria. The massive influx of Nigerians in the Rio del Rey region attracted the Nigerian government to occupy Cameroonian territory. Also, the exodus of Ibos into the territory saw them monopolizing the transport and commerce sectors of the territory’s economy. This however triggered the idea of nationalism among Southern Cameroonians. At the end of World War II, the birth of the KNDP in 1955 strengthened the drive towards the reunification of Southern and Eastern Cameroon.
2) Eastern Cameroon as a Mandated and Trusteeship Territory of France
Akin to the official debut of the British Mandate in Cameroon, the French colonial policy in administering Eastern Cameroon was quite evolving; beginning with Assimilation and then Association. The French colonial policy of Assimilation was intended to transform Eastern Cameroonian natives culturally, linguistically, and politically into French men. According to this policy, France and Eastern Cameroon were inseparable, and French civilization was considered superior. Assimilation involved the turning of Eastern Cameroonians to French men and the integration of their territory into the French state. Eastern Cameroon was therefore viewed as overseas France.
Termination of French obnoxious policies like assimilation, land expropriation, and forced labor.
Their separate existence is a myth. For science, music, sport, etc, Europe uses the same vocabulary. The languages only differ in their grammar, their pronunciation and their most common words. Everyone realizes why a new common language would be desirable: one could refuse to pay expensive translators.
As time evolved, persistent criticism of the policy of Assimilation because Africans (Eastern Cameroon) could not become French because of the wide gap that separated them, led to the adoption of the policy of Association. The policy of the Association, therefore, recommended close collaboration between French rulers and the indigenous elites of Eastern Cameroon. It meant respect for traditional institutions with a readjustment of French laws to suit local realities.
It was noted that both policies did not envisage the independence or self-administration of Eastern Cameroonians. The French economic policies at the time aimed at exploiting the territory for the growth of metropolitan France. More attention was given to cash crop production for the development of the French economy, with little or no interest made in food crops. Also,her Labor policies were hurting. The French introduced forced labor known as “presentation” for the construction of railways and roads so she could transport primary products from plantations. The exploitative policies of France in Eastern Cameroon led to the rise of nationalist ideas and thus the formation of indigenous political parties like the UPC.
3) Independence Struggle in Southern Cameroon and French Eastern Cameroon.
Haven suffered from the colonial policies of Indirect Rule, Assimilation, and Association, the spirit of independence and the idea of self-governance started relatively timid in these Cameroonian territories.Independence Struggle in Eastern Cameroon The attempt to transform Eastern Cameroonians into French men marked the beginning of early pressure groups and political parties. Created in 1948 and pioneered by Leonard Bouley, Reuben Um Nyobe, Abel Kingue, and Felix Roland Moumie, the UPC was a genuine indigenous radicalism group that stood against French rule in the territory. Its objectives included; Immediate independence of Eastern Cameroon.Immediate reunification of Southern Cameroon and Eastern CameroonEnd of French interference in the domestic affairs of Eastern Cameroonians
Termination of French obnoxious policies like assimilation, land expropriation, and forced labor. Higher prices for cash crops produced by the natives. Initially, the UPC adopted a pacific (peaceful) approach in the pursuit of its objectives. Nonetheless, the reaction of the French colonial administration to the party’s call for independence was hostile. This was because the UPC objectives clashed strongly with the policy of assimilation and the French desire to keep its colonial empire intact.
After the proclamation of the plebiscite results, Southern Cameroon and the Republic of Cameroon had tomeet and discuss the terms of reunification. This meeting was scheduled for July 1961. In preparation for such a meeting, a conference was held in Bamenda in June 1961. Bamenda Conference of June 1961.
The Bamenda Conference was attended by delegates of KNDP, CPNC which is a merger of KNC and KUP, OK, House of Chiefs, and Native Authorities. The conference aimed to agree on matters related to the form of the state, presidential election and term of office, state symbols, judiciary, education, official languages, and a lot more. At the end of the conference, the following agreements were arrived at; That there would be a weak Federal government in which the President
would have only ceremonial powers with full executive competence exercised by the State Prime Ministers. A bicameral Federal structure was recommended. The Southern Cameroon House of Chiefs would be maintained.
The term of office for the President would be five years and renewable twice.
The post of President will rotate with some key ministerial positions reserved for Southern Cameroon.
That Southern Cameroonians would have a dual nationality
In July 1961, came the Foumban Conference where the terms of renunciation were to be discussed. Foumban Conference of July 1961.
The Foumban Conference was described as the peak of negotiations between Southern Cameroon and the Republic of Cameroon. In attendance were delegates from Southern Cameroon led by J N Foncha, and those from the Republic of Cameroon led by President Ahmadou Ahidjo. In the heat of the deliberations, Ahidjo called for a federal structure and argued that a confederation would be too loose while a unitary state would weaken the socio-cultural differences of the two entities. Foncha on his part advocated for decentralization that would give the states greater autonomy and control. After five days of deliberations, the Foumban
Accord which gave the basis for the Federal Constitution was signed.
Among other issues, the following was stated; The President was to be elected by universal suffrage for a five-year term of office renewable indefinitely.
The President was to reserve absolute executive competence with the power to appoint and dismiss state Prime Ministers and Federal Ministers.
There were to be three governments ( a Federal government and two state governments)
There were to be four Assemblies ( a two-state Assemblies, a Federal Assembly, and a House of Chiefs for Southern Cameroon)
English and French Legal Systems were to be preserved pending harmonization.
The CFA franc became the legal tender of the Federal Republic of Cameroon
5) Problems of Reunification and rising Awareness for Political Freedom by Southern Cameroonians.
The Foumban Constitutional Accord of 1961 marked the beginning of the Southern Cameroon conflict. Her delegation led by J N Foncha had proposed a loose federation in the bid to preserve the cultural heritage of both parties. The failure to achieve this resulted in a Francophone political, economic, and cultural domination of Southern Cameroon. This also created a gradual feeling of marginalization, discrimination, and treatment as second-class citizens. As a major effect, there was a decline in the power of the Southern Cameroon government to the advantage of the federal authorities. Also, the call for Federal form of governance. The new Constitution changed the name of the country to the United Republic of Cameroon establishing a one-party system. The bicameral federal structure was replaced with a unicameral Assembly of 120 seats. The House of Chiefs was abolished and the new Constitution established the Speaker of the National Assembly as the successor to the President. These were however the fundamental causes of the Southern Cameroon conflict.
7) The role of the International Community
The UN, Great Britain, and France have played a significant role in the Southern Cameroon conflict. First, the acceptance of Britain and France to administer the territory in two different spheres resulted in the emergence of a Francophone and Anglophone identity. This was the main problem as the Southern Cameroon conflict can be traced from the partition of the territory in 1922. The UN on her part failed to provide a third option during the Plebiscite of 11th February 1961, which could have resulted in an independent state of Southern Cameroon.
8) The Role of the Present Day Government.
The Role the Biya’s Regime on Southern Cameroon conflict has played little or no optimistic impact on the crisis. Rather, they have fueled the conflict with an incapability to designate an independent electoral board for the management of elections in the country. Key ministerial positions are occupied by French Cameroonians. Also, the government can appoint legislative personnel into the Upper House of Assembly, making her incapable of resolving the conflict.
End Remarks.
It should be noted that, the main cause of the Southern Cameroon conflict debut in 1922 with the partition of Cameroon between Britain and France. In the Foumban Constitution Accord of 1961, was heightened by the rejection of a loose federal form of governance during the Foumban Conference. It was later accelerated with the change of the Federal Constitution in 1972 by President Amadou Ahidjo. J.N. Foncha and Southern Cameroonians match of Independence in New York a rotation of the Presidency between the two states was rejected. This problem was further aggravated in 1972 with the modification of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Cameroon.
6) Cameroon under the Leadership of President Ahidjo, and the 1972 Constitutional Development.
Comments
adamgordon
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miaqueen
Thanks for sharing 🙂