Fortunately, in Cameroon, it would go into the anals of history as the year during which our pleasant surprises, compared to the unpleasant, were such that the relationale of more celebrations than regrets can hardly be questioned.
There was much that kept minds pondering, especially as concerns football and the humiliating performances of our national team, the Indomitable Lions at the South African World Cup tournament; the soaring rate of accidents on our roads, and the outbreak of cholera which claimed hundreds of lives in the Northern parts of our country. But these could hardly have eclipsed the striking socio-economic and political events that took place in the country and ushered in pride to Cameroonians and other Africans.
As member of the international community, Cameroon with the rest of the United Nations Organization regretted the negligible progress made by regions in pursuit of the New Millennium Development Goals, but appreciated the progress made at national level. During the September UN General Assembly, Cameroon pledged to step up efforts to attain its Objectives, as spelt out by the World Body.
On our continent, the post electoral disturbing trend in the Ivory Coast, besides other geopolitical skirmishes caused many to ponder over African nations’ democratization processes. But the socio – political events in Cameroon portrayed the maturity other nations would like to boast of in this era of reinstatement of multi-partyism and democratic governance.
Our leaders’ maturity could be seen and felt from the impressive manner in which the commemoration of the golden jubilees of Cameroons Independence and Reunification, and the country’s Defense Forces were planned and effected. Other strides were taken in the handling of the crime wave, the outbreak of cholera and other killer ailments like malaria and HIV/AIDS.
Much was indeed done to give hope to Cameroonians. But the climax of all this, came on 10 November 2010 when the Cameroon Head of State, National Chairman of the Ruling Party, the Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement, Paul Biya, met his compatriot, Ni John Fru Ndi, National Chairman of Cameroon’s leading Opposition Party, the Social Democratic Front, S.D.F for unprecedented talks in the interest of the nation. This act portrayed not only the political maturity of the two personalities, but also their concern for the sustenance of the peace that reigns in their country, Cameroon.
As the world talks peace, political stability and progress, no one doubts that the ingredients of these can only be guaranteed through respect of the norms of democratic governance and efforts to embrace them fully.
This explains why, the creation of an independent body to handle the country’s elections is today considered one of the most significant steps taken toward the democratization of our electoral system. Its importance and effect on the democratization process, however, depends on patriotic use of ELECAM’s powers by citizens.
After his meeting with President Paul Biya, the first in 20 years since the reinstatement of multi-partyism in the country, Mr. Fru Ndi told the press he and the President, held useful talks in the interest of their country’s and that such dialogue would continue. What a challenge to party militants who are sometimes, tempted to be more loyal to their political associations than to the State and its institutions!
As the years come and go leaving us with pleasant memories which range from the commemoration of independence anniversaries to the creation of educational and developmental infrastructure, we face the challenge of sustaining these as viable assets for sustainable development, and not relegating them to gadgets of selfish politicking.
