The Problem of the Beti People in Yaounde

Onambele Zibi-Notable of the Beti Ethnic Group in Mfoundi

So much headlines have been made this week regarding a supposed Memorandum written by Beti Notables of Mfoundi origine. Onambella Zibi who is claimed to be the author of this memorandum has accused the Head of State-Paul Biya for persistent and consistent neglect towards the Beti people of Mfoundi Division. Their grievances stems from the apparent absence of sons and daughters of Beti origin found in the circles of power in Yaoundé. It is important to note that, Yaounde-the capital city of Cameroon is found in Mfoundi division which is the ancestral soils of the Beti people.

Context

The United Nations and many international structures have a special recognition for indigenous people in the UN Declaration for indigenous people, the UN affirms that all doctrines, policies and practices based on or advocating superiority of peoples or individuals on the basis of national origin or racial, religious, ethnic or cultural differences are racist, scientifically false, legally invalid, morally condemnable and socially unjust. It further states in Article 8 (http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf)

1. Indigenous peoples and individuals have the right not to be subjected to forced assimilation or destruction of their culture.
2. States shall provide effective mechanisms for prevention of, andredress for:

a)      Any action which has the aim or effect of depriving them of their integrity as distinct peoples, or of their cultural values or ethnic identities;

b)      Any action which has the aim or effect of dispossessing them of their lands, territories or resources;

c)      Any form of forced population transfer which has the aim or effect of violating or undermining any of their rights;

d)     Any form of forced assimilation or integration;

e)      Any form of propaganda designed to promote or incite racial or ethnic discrimination directed against them.

This is an indication that even the United Nations is aware of some of the difficulties that Indigenous people go through and the Beti People of Yaoundé are no exception. It will be repetitive to list the problems already highlighted by the Memorandum, but like any other indigenous group of people, the need the government to protect them. Onamebele Zibi acted on behalf of his people who oft suffer from cowardice and double standards. 

Political Game

After the publication of this memorandum, Sons and Daughters of the Beti Clan have been present to give their opinions on the issue. What intrigues me is that, nobody has been able to deny the problems enlisted by the memorandum, rather, they are dissociating themselves from the letter. They are more interested in playing the game of compromise and seeking self-aggrandisement. But this is to be expected in a country like Cameroon where the Mundus Operandi for the power in place is to divide and rule. The game has been so refined that most communities tend to accuse one another for their predicaments, rather than seeing the hand of the regime in place. On many TV talk shows in Cameroon, guest panellist agree to a Beti problem, but uncharacteristically play the blame game amongst themselves. Claiming the problem of the Beti man is the Beti man himself. That is a very clumsy way to look at the problem and will only heighten the deep rooted differences amongst the elites of the Beti people.

Some people even claim that, the Notable-Onamebel Zibi is ethnocentric and is pulling Cameroon years behind. I dare to challenge them to Franz Fanons book-The wretched on the earth. All Cameroonians are first of all members of their ethnic groups before being Cameroonians. We are first of all, Bassa, Bayangi, Bamilike, Beti, Bafut etc before being Cameroonian. And our values, traditions and customs is what makes us a people and unique. So there is no way, a notable from one ethnic group wouldn't want to talk about his ethnicity. It would be abnormal to have expected him to be writing on the problems of the Mankon Man, Bakweri, Douala, Banso etc. In the same light, some have counted the number of government officials from Mfoundi, accusing Onamebele of wishing that they should give them more. This again sounds ironical for those who still think Onambele is wrong. Cameroon has been designed to celebrate appointments than a kilometre of tarred road. Recently the whole of the ocean division was in absolute pump with the appointment of Charles Ndongo and Melom as Managing Directors of CRTV and the Ports Authority of Kribi respectively. So why would the people of Beti not ask for their own share of positions.

The government of Cameroon should rethink its development policy and the protection of indigenous and minority groups. The appointment of Government Delegates after the 1996 Municipal and Legislative elections was a brief, insufficient and inappropriate response to this issue. There are a lot of other methods to protect local communities and bring them into the main stay of national life. This Memorandum is one too many in a series of them coming from the east, adamawa, north and far north regions. The Anglophones too are at the doors knocking. My plea to the Beti people is to close their ranks and ask for their fair share. Then to Onambele Zibi, if he’s the author of this Memorandum, he should stay put and remain steadfast. After all not all blacks in South Africa were with Mandela, neither all Blacks in the US voted for Obama let alone accepted Martin Luther King. Harriet Tubman once said “I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.”

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