Memory Lane (1967): A Loveless African Marriage Is Doing Surprisingly Well

By Donald H. Louchheim (The Washington Post, March 12, 1967)

Douala - When the wedding bells rang for French and British Cameroon in 1961, it seemed to be an unlikely match. For almost half a century, the two central African territories had gone separate ways under totally different colonial administrations.

British West Cameroon, about twice the size of Maryland, had been an adjunct to the sprawling colony of Nigeria. French Cameroon, more than 12 times as large, was a part of France's equatorial empire.

With different official languages and currencies, the economies tied to the needs of different European nations, and with entirely different administrative, political, judicial and educational systems, about the only thing the two territories appeared to have in common was a brief period of unification under German colonial rule, which ended after World War I.

Today, six years after West Cameroon voted to join the newly independent east in a federal republic, the marriage has survived surprisingly well, with a few predictable strains but no major quarrels.

Easier absorption
To be sure, there are increasing signs that the federal formula may be more of an interim measure than a final solution. But it has eased the transition for westerners, allowing them to keep vestiges of a separate identity while cushioning the realization that eventually they will have to be absorbed in their larger and richer partner.

In the past few years, many of the barriers between the two territories have been brought down. The French African franc has replaced the Nigerian Pound in the west, customs levies on trade and commerce across the border have been dropped and the French system of administration is slowly being installed in the west. At the same time, bank notes and some postage stamps now appear with both French and English legends on them.

But the process of integration is still far from complete. And although on a clear day the tiny western capital of Buea, which squats on the lower slopes of towering Mt. Cameroon, is visible from this steamy port city, the commercial capital of the east, the two are still a long way apart.

On the winding road that links the two cities, the traveler is still stopped at the border post of Mbonzie and a bilingual official stamps his passport. Almost immediately the change is apparent as the ubiquitous green louvered shutters of French colonial architecture give way to the stark wood casements of the British, and near Kumba, the only railroad in the west, the road disintegrates into a potholed obstacle course.

"You see," my eastern driver proudly explained, "the English just couldn't build roads like the French. The whole place is a mess."

When we reached Buea, the sentiments were reciprocated. Said a western official, "The easterners, they are just little Frenchmen. They are as black as I am, but they must go to the beach to get a suntan."

In Douala, the Frenchmen and their well-oiled, bikini-clad partners slip into the pool at the Cocotiers hotel after a sumptuous meal during the long midday break. In Buea, Britons work through till midafternoon then gather for tea on the veranda of the unpretentious Buea Mountain Hotel or meet for a sundowner at the dilapidated Mountain Club. Some even wear white shorts and knee socks. And in both cities, the African elites still attempt to acquire these totally different tastes.

In Yaounde, the federal capital, officials from the two territories often need interpreters to communicate with each other, although President Ahidjo recently offered bonuses to government employees who become bilingual.

The Cameroon experiment has been likened to Canada's French vs. English tug-of-war, only in reverse. Despite frequent references in both areas of Cameroon to "our British heritage" and "our French culture," the differences here are not between nations but between systems. The deeply rooted cleavages derive from traditional tribal groupings which are much more analogous to Canadian or Belgian rivalries than the superficial French-English division.

Articulate, British-trained West Cameroonians often voice bitter opposition to what they see as creeping French influence. They point out that economic integration has deprived them of Commonwealth preferences for their produce and has pushed western prices up to the inflated levels that exist throughout French-speaking Africa.

Autonomy Fading
Some complain that Ahidjo's recent move to extend the eastern single-party system into the west marks the beginning of the end of any effective western autonomy. They are probably right. While Ahidjo has bent over backward to encourage bilingualism, his policy throughout has been to bring the west into full alignment with the eastern system.

Defenders of this policy point out that the west represents less than one fifth of the total population, less than one twelfth of the total area and generates only one-tenth of overall economic activity. And they note that the western government, which has been teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, is now dependent on subsidies from the federal center.

Both economically and politically, Ahidjo has let the west work itself into a position where it has no choice but to come under federal and overwhelmingly French umbrella. And when western elections are held at the end of the year under the new national single-party framework, the last major stumbling block to complete integration may be removed.

In Buea, where some officials and politicians have a lucrative vested interest in the maintenance of a separate political system, grumbling will probably continue. But although many loose ends remain to be tied up, Ahidjo appears to have worked his will skillfully on one of colonialism's more ludicrous legacies.

Comments

[Hector]

Nicolas Sarkozy goes personally to Chad to make sure that french journarlists are released.In Cameroon,the "le meilleure élève" doesnot find it necessary to go to the site of the worst aviaton accident in Cameroun's history.This is a president who cares about his citizens.

[Hector]

Nicolas Sarkozy goes personally to Chad to make sure that french journarlists are released.In Cameroon,the "le meilleure élève" doesnot find it necessary to go to the site of the worst aviaton accident in Cameroun's history.This is a president who cares about his citizens.

[paulo laurent]

paul biya is the sadham husein of african
can you imagine how this man hates english-cultured southern camerooninans. he ven accept 5m dollars from the isreali to test a neutrom bomb on them and killed 3000 in a twink of an eye, the world goes unnotice, killing of those he doesnt like is a daily sports.
who will arm the 7m africans in southern cameroons soo, they can atleast defend themselves> some talk of unity. i doubt whether these people knows what they are talking about?

[Ntoko]

What is instructive in this article is that a good five years before the dissolution of the federal republic in May 1972, even a casual visitor to the territory could tell that the federation had run its course, from Ahidjo's perspective, that is. This should have been very obvious to West Cameroon politicians, who, if they really cared about the territory, should have started taking preventive measures. They did not, but instead helped to strengthen Ahidjo's hand.

Today some of these politicians and other revisionists act as if 1972 came out of the blue. No, it did not, and the West Cameroon political class was complicit in that event. And if they were, then it is difficult to argue that Ahidjo's referendum was "illegal"...

[Ntoko]

What is instructive in this article is that a good five years before the dissolution of the federal republic in May 1972, even a casual visitor to the territory could tell that the federation had run its course, from Ahidjo's perspective, that is. This should have been very obvious to West Cameroon politicians, who, if they really cared about the territory, should have started taking preventive measures. They did not, but instead helped to strengthen Ahidjo's hand.

Today some of these politicians and other revisionists act as if 1972 came out of the blue. No, it did not, and the West Cameroon political class was complicit in that event. And if they were, then it is difficult to argue that Ahidjo's referendum was "illegal"...

[Ma Mary]

Ntoko, you are right, except on one fine point. That is, from 1961, West Cameroon was already under la republique's military occupation and the plan was that what would not come with gentle arm twisting would be taken with brute force. BMM torture centers were already established in Bamenda station and Kumba by 1966 and West Cameroonians could hear the screams of people late in the night. When Ahidjo performed his coup d'etat against Jua in 1967, the bushes around Buea well filled with thousands of fully armed battle ready soldiers. The truth is that the French did their work very well.

One thing the writer did not know was that the West Cameroon government was deprived of its right to levy taxes, as the Nigerian customs was taken over completely by la Republique's customs. Therefore the poverty of the West Cameroon government was artificial, imposed by the occupier.

The so called referendum of 1972 was conducted in an atmosphere of absolute intimidation, and there was no public debate of the issue. There were a few voices that protested in hushed whispers. It was well known that Ahidjo had conducted genocide in Bamilike and Bassa country.

Ntoko, you can blame the West Cameroon politicians, but only so far.

[Kemi Bantu]

Is this affirmative stance true ?

have in common was a brief period of unification under German colonial rule, which ended after World War I.

Kamerun was created at berlin in 1885, and British officially take over after 1919

15+19= 34 under German kamerun
1961-1919 = 42 years under Bristish’s rule.

I wonder your addition tools. Don’t rewrite history for a struggle purpose, in a nation legacy the difference between 34 years and 42 years is thin. So any recall from each period are genuine. If I was provocative, I would say that 2007-1961= 46 years after recovering the initial destiny designed in 1885 shaped more our destiny than 42 years. Why are we lamented that one period overwrite another?

I thinks, we must respect historical facts, history never lie.

[Rhonda]

Kemi Bantu, in case you missed it, this article was published by the Washington Post newspaper in 1967, who was definitely not writing for a "struggle purpose" (whatever that means). So I wonder who you are talking to here; the author of the article or the owner of this blog who simply reposted this old article...

[paulo laurent]

KEMI BANTU
YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG, JUST LIKE MY ENEMIES, THE FRENCH-CAMEROUN NEGORES,
TO THEM CAMEROUN WAS ONE BEFORE THE GERMANS, IE 1885, THEN, UNDER THE GERMANS
1885-1919, AND UNDER THEN FRENCH NEGROES,
FROM 1961 TILL DATE.
THE CORRECT VERSION IS BEFORE 1884, THEY
WASNT ANY SUCH A STATE AS CAMEROON, INFACT
PEOPLE WERE LIVING AND RULED BY POWERFULL FONS AND CHIEFS, IN THEIR DIFFERENT VILLAGES. SO IT HAS BEEN SINCE GOD CREATED BLACK AFRICA. THEN IN 1492,
A PORTUGUES ON HIS SAILING ALONG THE WEST AFRICAN COAST, THROUGH THE WOURI ESTRUARY SAW MANY (PAWNS) OR LOBSTERS SOO
HE CALLED THE RIVER RIO DOS CAMEROES.
RIVER OF PAWNS, BEFORE THE, HANNO THE FROM CARTAGE OR TUNISIA IN N AFRICA SAILED HERE TO BUT NEVER MENTION ANY THING, SUCH AS CAMEROES, BUT AFTER HE SAW THE FLAMING ERUPTION FROM MOUNT FAKO, HE CALLED THE MOUNTAIN CHARIOTS OF THE GODS.
NOW,ANALYSIS AS CONCERNING SOUTHERN CAMEROOINANS AND LA REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN, FIRST ONE IS IN WEST AFRICA, THE OTHER IN CENTRAL AFRICA WITH BOUNDARY AT THE RIVER MUNGO.
KAMEROUN OF 1885, WAS NOT MADE UP OF LA REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN AND SOUTHERNCAMEROONS ONLY , BUT A COLLECTION OF TERRITORIES, VIZ. LA REPUBLIQUE, SOUTHERN CAMEROONS, NORTHERN CAMEROONS, CENTRAL AFRICAN REP. TOGO, GABON ETC.GERMAN KAMERUN WAS NEVER A STATE, BUT , A COLLECTION OF TERRITORIES THAT WERE LOOSELY ADMINISTER BY EACH A GERMAN GOVERNOR, JUST AS SOUTHERN CAMEROONS IS TODAY ADMINISTERED BY FRENCH SPEAKING GOVERNORS FRON LA REPUBLIQUE, YOU WONT CALLED SOUTHERN CAMEROONS A STATE YET.SINCE ITS UNDER OCCUPATION, ITS NOT INDEPENDENT. SOO WERE THE KAMERUN OF 1885-1919.
THEN CAME THE ALLIED WAR VICTORY OF 1939
AGAINST GERMANY. AND KAMERUN WAS SHARE AMONGST THE FRENCH AND THE BRITISH
COLONIES AND TRUST TERRITORIES.
IN THEM WERE TOGO UNDER FRANCE, AN EX-GERMAN TERRITORY(KAMERUN) GABON , CENTRAL AFRICAN REP ETC, THEN SOUTHERN CAMEROONS, NORTHEN CAMEROONS WENT NIGERIA
WENT TO BRITAIN,
IN 1945 , THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS WAS FOUNDED, ITS AIM WAS TO DE COLONIZES THESE TERRITORIES, IE GRANT THEM INDEPENDENCE, NOW LA REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN UWAS STILLCOLONY OF FRANCE, IN 1957, WHEN SOUTHERN CAMEROONS WAS ALREADY
GOVERNED BY ITSELF, WITH A PRIME MINISTER
AS HEAD OF GOVERNMENT, A CAPITAL IN BUEA AND 3 AIRPORTS, 3 SEAPORTS, A POWER COMPANY, ETC, LA REPUBLIQUE WAS AT WAR WITH THE FRENCH FROM 1056-1959.
AND AS A SEPERATE COUNTRY, 1 MILLION BAMILEKE/BASSA FROM LA REPUBLIQUE FLED INTO SOUTHERN CAMEROONS, AND STAYED, TILL THEN END OF THE WAR, AND INDEPENDENCE IN JAN 1ST 1960 . SOUTHERN CAMEROONS, ON ITS PART , BRITAIN INSTEAD OF GRANTING FULL INDEPENDENCE,
FELT THAT IT WILL BE HELD ECONOMICALLY
HOSTAGE TO SOUTHERN CAMEROONS, INSTEAD, HANDED THE SOUVERNTY TO ANOTHER COLONZER
COME 1961, INSTEAD OF THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN CAMEROONS,

SOO, THIS NEW COLONIZERM ITSELF AN EX-COLONY OF FRAENCH EXCERCISE BRUTAL FORCE AND MURDER ON THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN CAMEROONS FOR 46 YEARS, WHY?
SINCE THE BRITISH, HANDED OVER TO LA REPUBLIQUE AHIJO IN 1961, AND WITHDRAW ALL THEIR ARMY AND POLICE , SOUTHERN CAMEROONS WAS LEFT NAKED , ARMLESS LIKE A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, OPEN TO ANY RAPIST OR CRMINAL TO VOILATE HER, SOO, HAD FRENCH-NEGROES OF LA REPUBLIQUE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF HER AND , SHE HAD SINCE BEEN CRYING WITH THE WHOLE WORLD TURNING BUT A DEAF EAR, TODAY KIDS, OLD PEOPLE, MOTRHES M ARE BEEING SHUT, BY THESE AGENTS OF LA REPUBLIQUE DU CAMEROUN, AND THE ONLY SOLUTION WILL BE TO ARM , SOUTHERN CAMEROONS FOR ITS RIGHT
FOR SELF DEFENCE.

[Kemi Bantu]

Dear Paulo,

I'am not wrong, we can review the meeting at Tiko with Um and Dibongue in 1951.
Before the 1919 trustee's status, we are one nation and one people.
The all memory is 1885, a step in 1919, another in 1961.

patriot belong to 1885, fractionnist to 1919, CPDM believers to 1961.
Can we expose the whole picture without boundaries on our preferred period?

[Tama]

Kemi Bantu.

In 1884, the Germans signed a treaty with the coastal chiefs, or the Duala chiefs to be more precise. At that time there was no Cameroon "nation". They spent the rest of their time trying to conquer and pacify the territories beyond Douala. You might be surprised to know that Buea which is a mere 45 miles from Douala was finally pacified in...1895, a decade after the arrival of the Germans. Areas such as Mora in the North were finally penetrated at late as 1912, barely 2 years before the outbreak of the World War I. So the far North area of Cameroon barely knew German rule and never had a sense of oneness with the rest of "German Kamerun".

So it is the revisionists who talk of the "Kamerun Nation" that existed before WWI. The sense of identity developed only with the arrival of the French and English, not because they were better, but because events under their rule, such as World War II, helped develop a national consciousness in both French and British Cameroons.

Kemi Bantu, please go beyond the official Cameroon nationalist propaganda and read serious works on the history of German Kamerun such as Harry Rudin's, "Germans in the Cameroons 1884-1914. A Case Study in Modern Imperialism" [New Haven : Yale Univ. Press 1938, 456 pages].

It is OK to support the idea of a "Cameroonian nation" made up of the former British and French Cameroons, but is is historically inacurate to base that support on a mythical "Cameroonian nation" which existed during the period of German colonization. Let's use another more relevant argument but not this one...

[kemi Bantu]

Dear Tama,

All African nation were designed at Berlin in 1885.
The nation Kamerun with his capital Buea is an historic reality.

The base of revamp is history and in another hand cultural background.
I think Dibongue from Tiko or Mbanga are from the same extraction, as a native from Santa or from Bouda.

Terms of meeting between Um nyobe, Ouandie and Dibongue, Foncha in years near 1950 proved that our patriotic thoughts of 2000 are less than those of the past.

The line are:

1 - Accept the whole history
2 –Accept the imput of dual heritage
3 – Remind the real justice, equal opportunity and equal citizenship

[tama]

Kemi Bantu,

One of the advantages of education is that we can go beyond the facade to analyize reality. You say "all African nations were designed in 1885". Really? Was the map of present-day Cameroon or even German kamerun drawn up during the 1885 Berlin conference? No! What the Berlin conference confirmed was the treaty between the chiefs of the "Cameroons river" (i.e., the Duala chiefs) and the Germans. It did not include the territory beyond which was obtained mostly through conquest. So if Berlin is our bible, then the Cameroon nation will actually be the "Douala nation" as we know it today.

Do you know when Buea became the capital of German Kamerun? Was it in 1885 or over 10 years later after the defeat of the people of Buea in 1895?

Sir, that is the history which no one teaches you in school. Again, while the beginnings of the Cameroonian "STATE" (etat) were laid during the German era, there was no Cameroon "nation" during that people. The idea of nationhood began to emerge only under British and French colonial rule.

That, my friend, is the historical reality. however if you want to feed yourself with historical propaganda and revisionism, then that is your choice...

[Kemi Bantu]

Dear Tama,

My concern was that facts proved without doubt that a state name kamerun with Buea as capital exist. Now we can discuss about nationwood, about respect of differencies of the british, french trustees after the german defeat.
I'am not in a denial of a particular period of history, will you agree that history is not static?
Are there any legitimicy to invoke 1885?, to invoke 1919, to invoke 1961 or 1972 for CPDM cronies?
Some people rewrite history as static, pretended that from 1919 to 1961 is a period more important that from 1885 to 1919, or that from 1961 to 2007 don't matter. I think that any one mind believer can argue that his perspective is the sole issue and the only outcome, in my mind that a form of deny.

[Tama]

Kemi,

I agree that history is not static, but that does not mean that all historical periods are equal in importance. The German era is important because it laid the foundation of the Cameroonian state as we know it today. But because German Kamerun was a very transitory and less important period in creating Kamerunian identity, that is why parts of it are today in Gabon, Congo, Chad and Nigeria without anyone losing any sleep. This is because back then the "Kamerun State" was nothing but the German colonial administration governing over a disparate group of ethinicities and regions which did not even know of each others existence.

So from this perspective, when people argue against a Southern Cameroons state EXCLUSIVELY on the claim that it will break up the Cameroonian "nation" that was born in 1885, I say that is an argument that has no historical basis because there was no cameroon nation under the Germans.

That is all I am saying. You are unable to understand this simply argument because you have already concluded that if anyone goes against the myth of the "Kamerun nation" then they must be a "secessionist" and therefore must be challenged.

No Sir, I am simply a Cameroonian who is interested solely in understanding our history in all its complexity. If my historical analysis ends up favoring Southern Cameroons, so be it. But that is not my goal.

By the way, French and British colonialisms are more important not becaus they were better than German colonialism but because it is under these colonial powers that the foundations of self rule and state trappings (parliament, executive, prime minister, cabinet, etc.) were laid, thereby creating those dual identities that now haunt Cameroonians on both sides of the Mungo. That, is the historical fact.

You are free to call for a united Cameroon on the basis of your alleged pan african beliefs but please don't use the German Kamerun argument because it is wrong!

[Kemi Bantu]

It’s amazing that we argue on the conditions of creation of the german kamerun, can we also argue on the conditions of the 1919 trustee’s agreement, the conditions of separate plebiscite of 1960 and 1961, the referenda of 1972.
Dear Tama, I didn’t write on a nation call Cameroon, but on a historical fact: a state named kamerun with Buea as capital, I’am not in a denial of your struggle but I know from historical knowledge that any segment of the history of the land named kamerun are legitimate without any exclusion.

The argument of german kamerun is not wrong, it’s a true historical fact. You pretended that the german episode is resolved, a CPDM cronies can also argue that the 1961 outcome is resolved, can you agree that history is dynamic, why can’t you agree that history.

Sorry for my level in grammar english

[Galabe Elvis]

Anybody - anglophone or francophone who speaks in favor of an illegal referendum by an illiterate president in 1972 is a hater of anglophones b/c that dev't contemplated nothing more than the destruction of the anglophone by enemies led by Ahidjo

[Ma Mary]

Tell us, Kemi Bantu, when you Camerounese intend to conquer those portions of Congo, Central African Republic and Nigeria that were part of that Kamerun map drawn in Berlin. Frankly, we have no interest in your dream, sorry nightmare. That scam worked in the 1950s. It has worn off today. Stop using us to experiment. We are leaving. You fix your Republique du Cameroun. It is amazing the kind of hegemonistic propaganda taught in Camerounese schools.

We (Southern Cameroons) are glad to be united with Africa as a free country.

[Kemi Bantu]

If I understand some logic, the German Kamerun was not an historic fact, It seemed to those who have trouble with history, That repeating previous facts is propaganda. When a logic man read history book, He can discover that a country nammed Kamerun with Buea as capital was not only a propaganda. I our school of thought, we intend to restore that state. The return of the capital in Buea, in time of globalization adoption of english as business official language of the state and kiswahili of panafrican language of administration. The state organization will be federalism in national border, federalism in regional circle and con federalism in continal border, from the bottom to the level, we need to keep the same scheme. As In Nigeria or US, a mandate of 4 ans.
Yes the 1972 was flawed, as the outcome of 1919 truste's agreement was flawed, i don't think that when the 1919 agreement was signed the intention was different referenda in desintegrated areas, I don't think the only non sense and flawed respect of agrement was 1972. If for a blind minded 1919 was not an abuse of position, what about 1972, why british and French refused to organized the referenda with the same constitutencies as receives and with the whole population, why our justice fighters turned away theirs eyes on that initial

[Paul Ballestrasse]

you're article was facinating. Though I secretly think I know a bit more about africa than most folks inthe US I had no idea that the english part had been reunited withthe french. I assumed that it had been grafted on to Nigeria. I wonder if thetwo togos reunited, I'll have to check it out. And the cultural differencesare so great. Even if reunited, I would have thought english impact on a relatively obscure part of the nigerian colony would have been more "Africanized, thereby easier to assimolate. As I said, very good article. Have you done anything on any retention of german words ito any of the indiginous langguages, are there any german relics remaining in Cameruns? I just finished reading about King Njoya's relations with the Germans. A good story on how two very different people were able to get along. The King was a very wise and able ruler to prosper during the imperial scramble. Thanks again

[paulo laurent]

have temi wonder why the presidents of
cameroon only make speaches in french, the government, all speak but french? all the governors of british southern cameroons are all appointed by the president ,who is black-french, and all are his tribesmen? have you ponder why there are no industries in southern cameroons, even the ones that existed, the ports, airports have all been close by the black-french
president?. have yoo ponder why the only refinery in victoria, who rightful name is. had been chand to LIMBE BY THE BLACK FRENCH PRESIDENT, ONLY PAYS TAXES
TO THE FRENCH CAMEROON COFFERS SOO ARE ALL THE LITTLE BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISH, HAVE YOU PONDER WHY , THE
BLACK FRENCH-PRESIDENT CONTROL THE EDUCATION OF 7M BRITISH SOUTHERN CANEROONINAN FOR 46 YEARS, EVEN AS HE AND HIS REGIME DOESNT SPEAKS NOR LIKE ENGLISH LANGUAGE? HAVE YOU PONDERED WHY, SOUTHERN CAMEROONS IS SWARM WITH MILITARY CHECK POINTS, GERDAMES AND POLICE ALL OVER? HAVE YOU PONDER WHY ANY PROTEST BY ENGLISH SPEAKING SPOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS STUDENT
ARE OFTEN MET BUT POLICE/MILITARY KILLINGS. WHERE AS SUCH EVENTS NEVER HAPPENED ON THE CAMEROUN TERRITORY?
HAVE YOU PONDERED WHY. SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS MUST TRAVELL 100 MILES TO DOUALA,YAOUNDE IN THE FRENCH CAMEROON TERRITORY TO BOARD A PLANE TO LONDON OR USA?
REMEMBER SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS USED TO BOARD PLANES IN TIKO AIRPORT IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY IN 1959, AND THEY USED TO SHIP BANANAS TO BRITAIN AND ANTWERO IN 1958 AT TIKO SEAPORT AND VICTORIA SEAPORT.
BUT TODAY THESES PORTS ARE CLSOED BY THE BLACKFRENCH MEN. AND INSTEAD THE BLACKFRENCH
MAN HAVE ERRECTED A NAVAL BASE FOR WHITE FRENCHMEN TO KEEP AN EYE ON SOUTHERNCAMEROONIANS. SOO. IF YOU HAVE PONDERED ALL THESE THINGS, AND STILL THINKS THE CAMEROONS HAD ALWAYS BEEN ONE. I WILL ADVISE YOU TO HAVE YOUR HEAD EXAMINED.

[paulo laurent]

kemi bantu
carry you illetracy to the frenchcameroun audience, weare all of the anglosaxon worldview, and you do not belong here, cause in french ( je pense donc je suis)
thought is killling you guys, facts are what we live and die by. sir.
not what you think.
but rest assured that ( BRITISH SOUTHERN CAMEROONS WILL BE INDEPENDENT BE ANY MEANS NECESSARY)

[paulo laurent]

KEMI BANTU YOU AREA MORON DECIEVING ONLY YOUR SELF, YOU SAID A STATE NAME KAMERUN
WITH CAPITAL AT BUEA IN 1885, AND THAT
IS THE SAME STATE NAME CAMEROUN TODAY WITH CAPITAL IN YAOUNDE,
DO YOU SEE THE DIFFERENCE, (K) AND (C).
THE FIRST COMPRISES 5 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, THE 2ND A FORMER OR PSEUDO-FRENCH STATE
THATS THE DIFFERENCE.

[paulo laurent]

for the information of theSCNC/SCAPO
AND ALL OUR BRETHREN ORGAISATIONS OF THE MAPPING AND PUBLICATIONS DEPARTMENT.

PLEASE CORRECT THAT MAP ABOVE DEPICTING
BRITISH SOUTHERN CAMEROONS, SOLELY BESIDES THE CAMEROUN REPUBLIQUE BY,
1 FIRST DRAW THE AFRICAN MAP
2.INSERT OUR MAP IN IT
THANKS

[Donald Louchheim]

Wow. What a surprise. I never would have thought that an article I wrote more than 40 years ago, and vaguely even remember writing, would be generating comment today. I spent three years reporting on Africa, east, west and south, and Cameroon was one of the countries that I thought had the best chance to become an economically and politically successful independent nation.