Cameroon
Cameroon: Africa in Miniature, Torn Apart
Cameroon presents itself as Africa in miniature — equatorial forests in the south, savannahs in the north, mountains in the west, 250 ethnic groups, two official languages (French and English). This diversity is a treasure but also a source of tension. Since 2016, the Anglophone regions (North-West and South-West) have been at war with the central government in Yaoundé. Paul Biya, in power since 1982, is 91 and holding on.
The Anglophone Crisis
Anglophones (20% of the population) have complained of marginalisation for decades. In 2016, strikes by lawyers and teachers spiralled out of control. Separatists proclaimed Ambazonia. The repression was brutal — villages burned, torture, extrajudicial killings. More than 700,000 displaced, thousands dead. The crisis drags on, dialogue is non-existent.
The Ubuntu Strength: Makossa and the Indomitable Lions
Despite the fractures, Cameroon remains a cultural powerhouse. Manu Dibango's makossa, Mama Ohandja's bikutsi — Cameroonian music has left its mark on Africa. The Indomitable Lions (Roger Milla, Samuel Eto'o) have inspired generations. The cuisine (ndolé, poulet DG) is renowned. Family and ethnic solidarity remains strong, even when the state fails.
« L'enfant qui ne sort pas ignore que sa mère n'est pas la seule à cuisiner »
One must travel to learn
— Proverb bamiléké
Cameroon reminds us that diversity can be a strength or a weakness, depending on whether it is used to unite or divide. Africa in miniature awaits a leader who can bring it together.