Prof. Emmanuel Yenshu Vubo, Political Sociology lecturer, University of Buea, evaluates the 40 years of existence of Cameroon Tribune newspaper.

Cameroon Tribune is celebrating a well-deserved forty years of existence - a ruby jubilee indeed. The newspaper has so evolved through several stages that it has caught up with others in format, style and content. When it took over from ‘La Presse du Cameroun’ as official government newspaper, it reflected the political environment of the times. It excelled as the mouth piece of the regime and monopolised both the space of public opinion and authorised voices.

It thus served as the tool for ideological orientation by being the only platform for political expression while excluding all others within its editorial framework as the government excluded other newspapers. As such, it could be faulted for having served at some time as the instrument of political manipulation and undemocratic practices.

The positive thing was that it gave equal space or nearly so by running two editions in the two official languages; such that there was enough space for coverage by journalists in both languages. In an unintended manner, English-speaking journalists could represent and reflect the aspirations of Anglophones and, very often, were a rare dissenting voice in a monolithic regime.

Progress has since been made in “de-politicisation” as Cameroon Tribune has become less of a crude mouth piece for government while extending the scope and variety of issues treated; the more so as the ruling party has created its own news organ to express its views. This has left Cameroon Tribune to be more of State property meant to inform on government issues while treating questions of the economy, politics, society and culture.

On the other hand, the layout is much more modern today as it was just two decades ago. The paper has also moved from a weekly and bi-weekly to a daily. That is great. On regret is that there is a fusion into one edition dubbed bilingual. This sorts of overshadows issues in English. Cameroon Tribune cannot sacrifice the English language on the altar of bilingualism. In the way it is, the newspaper does not promote bilingualism -  if that is understood as the promotion of the two languages.

The current format promotes readership in French than in English. Ways should be sought to overcome this handicap. That said, Happy Birth Day, Cameroon Tribune!