By DOH JAMES SONKEY
Political Scientist and University don, Prof Elvis Ngolle Ngolle has categorically stated that neither violence nor secession can solve the Anglophone problem which he traces back to 56 years ago. Speaking to The SUN in an exclusive chat, Prof Ngolle Ngolle declared that “dialogue alone remains the best option.”
He explained that “what is known today as the Anglophone problem is not a problem of today or yesterday but one that can be traced as far back as 1961. Over the years, the common will of all Cameroonians and particularly the powers that be has been to find solutions in a civilized, democratic manner. I think that the founding fathers did their best in a rightful way so much so that even Dr Endeley who was against the reunification finally joined Foncha. ”
The Professor of international relations at IRIC declared that “we are better off being a united country than if we are separated. As you must know, the UN opposed the independence of Southern Cameroons on grounds that we could be a small fish between two oceans; Nigeria and the French Cameroon which can be swallowed up at any time by one of these oceans.”
The Political Scientist further explained that “as patriotic Cameroonians, if there are other issues of equity and justice that have to be addressed, we must in a peaceful manner put it on the table. We should use our freedom in a non-violent and constitutional way to express our grievances. We do not need to go violent for that. History does not accept that part of any nation separates from it, both the African Union and the UN do not accept that and this is why they advise us to fix the problem through dialogue. The situation is even more complex when it comes to Cameroon as a brain child of the UN.”
“When you say you want to secede, you are saying that you don’t want dialogue, you are not a patriot, you don’t want to be a democrat, you are against your forefathers who opted for reunification etc.” He frowned.
Quizzed on the way forward on the Anglophone crisis, Prof Ngolle Ngolle Elvis responded that “there are two things; one, that everyone should accept that dialogue is a good thing, that they want to dialogue with everybody, in dialogue we accept each other as brothers from the same country, dialogue enables you to accommodate somebody you did not like before, dialogue gives room for conciliation and reconciliation, dialogue gives room for common ground, dialogue is one of the most civilized way of solving problems. And the second point is that allow the government to carry out its job of designing policy of good governance, development policy, appointments etc.”