There is a Hausa proverb that says, “Today is the pupil of yesterday.” It speaks to the deep relationship between the past and the present, emphasising that the present moment learns from, is shaped by, and grows through the lessons and experiences of the past.
This proverb closely mirrors the situation in Cameroon today, particularly concerning the conflict that has ravaged the English-speaking part of the country for nearly a decade. One of the prominent deniers of the root causes of the conflict in Anglophone Cameroon is Mr. Issa Tchiroma Bakari, until recently a key figure in President Biya’s government.
Among some of his notable pronouncements was his outright denial, when he was the Minister of Communications and Government spokesperson, that Anglophones have any problem in Cameroon. According to Colbert Gwain, “During his tenure as Communication Minister and Government Spokesperson, he consistently echoed the regime’s denial of the legitimate grievances in the Anglophone regions. In 2017, Tchiroma initially denied the state’s involvement in imposing an internet blackout on the Anglophone regions, later admitting it was done for ‘security reasons’ to curb the spread of ‘false information.’ He also dismissed claims of military atrocities, claiming ‘the military does not kill,’ despite evidence of violence against civilians. Tchiroma repeatedly referred to Anglophone separatists as ‘terrorists’ and disputed the International Crisis Group’s report on the Anglophone crisis, stating it was based on fundamentally flawed information.”[1]
Now that Cameroon is drifting like a rudderless ship in a turbulent sea, Mr. Tchiroma has jumped ship and is now telling a different story. “In his ‘Open Letter to Cameroonians’ following his resignation,” continues Colbert Gwain, “Tchiroma’s stance has significantly shifted from insisting that the Anglophone problem was a security issue, requiring a firm response, to now being a political problem that requires a firm political solution rooted in the form of the state.”[2]
“To our Anglophone compatriots in the North-West and South-West,” now says a repentant Tchiroma, “I want to speak frankly. The crisis affecting you is not only a security crisis; it is also political, historical, and identity-based. You do not need people to speak for you; you need to be listened to. You must feel, in real terms, that the Republic is also your home, that your voice counts, and that your history is acknowledged. It is by building together, in respect of your specificities, that we will achieve lasting peace. I say it clearly: centralisation has failed. And when our democratic, institutional, and social foundations are strong enough, we will, through a concerted and transparent process, initiate a referendum allowing the Cameroonian people to choose the form of the state that reflects their aspirations.”[3]
Those whom he treated yesterday as “terrorists and secessionists” are now “our compatriots from the Northwest and Southwest (…) who must feel, in real terms, that the Republic is also [their] home, that [their] voice counts, and that [their] history is acknowledged.” What hypocrisy!
Today must learn from yesterday. Tchiroma’s actions and decisions of yesterday have greatly influenced how we see him today. “Beware of the Greeks, even when they bring you gifts,” was a warning the Trojans ignored in history, and their naivety led to their being consumed by those who had posed as friends.
The quoted Hausa proverb implies that we, as Anglophones, must learn from history to move forward wisely. Individuals like Tchiroma, Bouba Bello, and others are fleeing the sinking ship of state that is drifting toward the shore. Their previous insults toward the Anglophones will now turn into flattery because they will soon be knocking on our doors asking for our votes.
Let us not forget that blood is still being shed in our land because of the silence or outright complicity of those who are today claiming to be our friends. In this way, the cited Hausa saying serves as both a reminder and a warning: if we allow ourselves to be flattered into ignoring the bitter lessons of “yesterday,” our “today” will remain an uneducated pupil, bound to repeat the same mistakes.
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[1] Colbert Gwain @The Muteff Factor (formerly The Colbert Factor), “From Denial to Acceptance: Issa Tchiroma’s Stunning Shift on Anglophone Conflict.”
[2] Op.cit
[3] “Open Letter to Cameroonians,” Issa Tchiroma Bakari, justifying the reasons for his resignation from the government.
