On July 1, 2014, Cameroon Tribune would have been on for 40 years simply because the adventure-turned-reference has held on steadfastly since July 1, 1974.
It all began as an adventure. Hungry-looking and poorly-paid young men freshly out of journalism school had wanted to produce a newspaper in the way they had learnt in school. In months preceding July 1974, a group of youngsters at the time – Jacques Fame Ndongo, Peter Mabu, Jean Pierre Biyiti, Mouasso Priso Jean Mboudou, Fotso Mabouop, Datchoua Soupa, Etoundi Bibeguele, Atangana Anselme, Jean Ngandjeu, Patrice Nyano, Jenkins Mote, William Esap’ebong, Martin Che, Martin Akwa , Dinga Ambe et al – had been practicing on how to produce a daily newspaper.
For months, they produced tones and tones of unpublished material under the supervision of some French technical assistants and when D-Day came on July 1, 1974 for the two editions, it was a veritable feast, especially as the Minister- Deputy Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic at the time, Francois Sengat Kuoh came personally at about midnight on that day to turn on the machines that have continued with varying administrative and technical fortunes to churn out the newspaper virtually uninterruptedly since that night.
Any survivors of that period – and I am grateful for being one of them having been recruited to join the English language team in 1978 – can speak proudly today about the huge strides that have been made since then in terms , not only of mere space, because it all started with a lean 12-page publication to today’s 32 pages excluding the over-bearing advertorial space, but also in terms of content and the technical possibilities offered by the printing facility, now owned by the newspaper and which, in 1974, was a separate company with which negotiations had to be made for the daily printing of the newspaper.
On this 40th anniversary eve, Cameroon Tribune stands out proudly as an unparalleled beacon in the national newspaper landscape for its rich content and analysis, even if much of the analysis has been in favour of the owners of the newspaper, an ordinary attitude as many will bear with the writers, for, he who calls the piper selects the tunes or even the tones.
Cameroon Tribune cannot be ashamed of having accompanied government in its endeavour to take Cameroonians out of backwardness and underdevelopment as numerous and incisive commentaries have often drawn the attention of government to its failures and shortcomings in several areas in a manner no one else could have done. In so doing, it has creditably fulfilled its mission as an incorruptible watchdog of society and as a check to erring government practices.
In 40 years, there have been major transformations, beginning with human resources which have experienced an extraordinary transformation. From a mere dozen-odd staff in 1974, the staff strength of today is in hundreds with new and varying professional experiences. The early staff members have known varying fortunes, just in the way ordinary life is and in vindication of an African proverb that says not all birds you see fly over you necessarily get to the sky.
Today, some of the early birds are in high governmental positions such as Professor Fame Ndongo and Dr Jean Pierre Biyiti while others are even in the abyss, and yet others are even no longer of this world. And here, we are thinking of Etoundi Bibeguele, William Esap’ebong, Mbu Bayena, Bela Nga, Jenkins Mote, Ferdinand Moudji, Martin Yai, Martin Che, Dominique Tchokonté, Mve Mintsa, Tita’a, Ngoupetso Appolos and all the pioneers of Cameroon Tribune whose anniversary event begin in earnest tomorrow.
