Cameroon's National Integration

And they call it National Integration.
What kind of disease or syndrome is it?

It cuts across all sphere of national life.
Uninspiring, unpatriotic, untrustworthy,

Treacherous and light-fingered leaders
Use it to ruin and steal the country;

And sell the national heritage to
Commercial bidders.

Is it some kind of an unknown fever?,
Disease, syndrome or just eyewash,
Use to conceal the reality from the

Silent majority by the vocal minority?
As a parasitic and horrendous midday horror,

It thrives thanks to the conspiracy and,
Collusion of the different arms of government.

Because of it, the weak in spirit,
Bury their future;
Others mourn for a lost past,
Lament for a disastrous present,
And agonize over an unknown future.

In the face of missed opportunities,
Ignored chances and abandoned vision,
A true tale of misplaced priorities,
Lost hope, unfulfilled expectations,
A chronicle of a nation going astray.

The big question citizens ask is:
Where did we come from?,
Where are we heading to?

The combined team of civil servants,
Administrators, traditional rulers,
Technical advisers and politicians,
Continue to use it to keep the nation,
In complete darkness and total disarray.

Today there is a near utter disregard,
For excellence and a disdain for quality.
Mediocrity is celebrated daily by,

This combined team as:
Panel beaters, fence sitters, praise singers,
Idol worshippers, bootlickers, hand clappers,
Pretenders, post holders, con men,
Hit squads, sycophants, corrupt judges,
Charlatans and the regime’s men etc.
Take a close look at the National

Integration mirror.
If this mirror is honest enough,
Pictures and images of looting,
Pillaging, swindling, siphoning,
Plundering, and pilfering of the
Nation’s coffers as well as,
Lies telling, corruption, tribalism,
State terrorism, vandalism, harassment,
Unlawful detentions and injustice etc,
Will amongst others be reflected on it.

National Integration is like escaping from,
Gendarmerie harassment only to be shot
Death by the discharge from the police gun.
Its victims cut across the national divide:
Professions, religions and cultures etc.

But its most valued targets are:
Jobseekers, file chasers, civil servants,
Travelers, students, contractors, pensioners,
Businessmen, buyam-sellams, hawkers,
Kam no go, settlers, graffi, the 12th province,
Les biafrais, les anglos, frogs, bamenda,
Opposant, les ennemis dans la maison etc.

National Integration understands and,
Speaks only French in some state institutions,
Parastatals, the army and the police.
My sphere of influence cuts across all
Public facilities and even beyond.

The landmark of actions carried out,
With it as the subterfuge can be seen,
And felt through: discrimination, exploitation,
Obstruction, assimilation, annexation, tension,
Injustice, under development, window dressing,
Dress rehearsals, giving a deaf ear and
Turning a blind eye to the reality.

National Integration means the judiciary and,
The legislative surrending their rights and,
Power to the executive.

Citizens of one of the nation forced to
Play second fiddle as assistants and,
Must not have any thing doing
With certain ministerial posts.

National Integration means original
And authentic version of government’s texts,

Appearing in French.
National Integration means Anglophones
Are compelled to learn and speak French,
With the reverse not true when it comes to
The francophones having to learn

And speak English.
With the present horde of pretenders
And swindlers,
National Integration is a devastation
Of the nation,
It is a threat to national unity.

Its consequences on the nation abound,
And cut across all walks of life.

The young, the old, male, female,
The disabled, the handicapped, the clergy,
Jobseekers, civil servants, pensioners,
Business men and the common man are,
Convulsing, choking and suffocating,
Or asphyxiated by National Integration.

Thanks to it others have become
Bedmates with non communicable diseases,
Like: hypertension and diabetes.
Stroke, heart attack, heart failure and,
Multiple organ disease bears its signature.
Anger, frustration, depression and,
Even death and suicide are some of,
The outcome of its handiwork.
The powers that be are non chalant and,
Disinterested in National Integration.
Going by their past actions and activities,
One wonders if the powers that be,
See any significant role of National Integration,
In the transformation of this nation.

Let’s break away from the bondage
Of the past.
Let’s look at the conceptions and misconceptions,
About our country and ourselves.

Let every citizen be willing to change and,
Reinvent themselves.
Let’s collectively and creatively think of
A way to make a way to make the nation,
A country all of us can be proud of.

We, as individual families, must lay
The foundation of: honesty, probity,
Integrity, honour and consideration
For others in every child.

We, the downtrodden, must together, actively
Rebuild our nation and set it on the
Path of righteousness.

We, as a people must ask our leaders,
The right questions, relating to the problems
Of our society, based on our intimacy and,
Identification with the society.

We expect the powers that be to
Stop paying lip service to the existence of
National Integration.

We look forward to a government that
Will see National Integration as an instrument,
For improving every aspect of nationhood.

We demand, as of right, a better and improved
Standards from the powers that be.
National Integration must be made
A public property.

National Integration must be an assemblage
Of bright ideas and solutions to the problems;
That confront the people and not
The other way round.

By Mofor Samuel Che