By DOH JAMES SONKEY IN YAOUNDE
Political Scientist and former Minister, Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle has categorically stated that the upcoming National Day belongs to all Cameroonians and not to a regime or a political party. Speaking to The SUN in an exclusive interview, the renowned political scientist argued that boycotting a national day is tantamount to being ashamed of one’s parents, culture, tradition, farms, cocoa, coffee, food, facilities and fatherland.
To him, participating in national day celebration is not doing any favour to a regime or a political party as some people may claim.
Quizzed to know if it is worth the pains celebrating national unity in Cameroon within the present context marked by socio-political crisis in the North West and South West Regions of the country, Prof Ngolle Ngolle Elvis responded “with a big yes because the national day as a national feast does not belong to the government, party in power, an individual, a region, a linguistic group. It is a day set aside by the state for its citizens to express and manifest their communion with each other, their expression of gratitude for belonging to the national family, for all the security and constitutional protection, for their pride of being born by their father and mother on a given territory, in a given state and for the fact that no other force under God is capable of coming to annihilate them.”
He argued that on such a day just like in a wedding day, citizens ought to put aside whatever problem they are facing and put up a smile for that day because it is just once in a year since the rest of days can be used to tackle problems.
“So when you are sick, troubled or angry, does it make you deny the possibility of showing that feeling of pride towards your fatherland which is everything good about your father and your mother? Prof Ngolle Ngolle wondered aloud.
The political scientist further stressed that quite often, people argue and disagree in other countries such as the United States of America, Britain, France but that has never stopped them from celebrating their national day.
Prof Ngolle Ngolle decried that “It is unfortunate to see that politicians whom I know as men and women of great quality and competence instead of them using the occasion of a national day to teach positive values of the Republic, to teach by the example of citizen participation, are rather opting to boycott under the pretext that they are not happy about one thing or the other.”
He classified the announced boycott of some political parties as a bad example in the political development of Cameroon.