Incisive Journalism in Cameroon

Yaya Fonye Odette

Description

Working for Cameroon state-owned Radio in the 1970s and ‘80s meant toeing the official line and learning not to sing out of tune. While the rather scanty private press that existed at the time was subject to prior censorship, a different kind of censorship – self-censorship prevailed at the Radio where topics for commentaries were vetted by the Minister of Information or his delegate. But for Anglophones working in a predominantly francophone environment, once topics were approved, the authorities could not be sure which direction commentaries were going to take as the journalists applied the tactics of ‘bite and blow’, sometimes giving full expression of their Anglo-Saxon spirit of debate and critical analysis as evidenced in this selection of commentaries from the Sunday morning commentary programme, “Cameroon Report” (now “Cameroon Calling”) of the late 1970’s up till 1986. It is a showcase of the irrepressible seed of freedom of expression that Anglophone journalists were imbued with and demonstrated at a time when subjects related to coups d’état, human rights and governance were considered taboo. It was and shall remain the indelible input of the Anglophone character that has had a positive influence on Cameroon’s media landscape.

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 07 décembre 2013
• Nombre de lectures: 19
• EAN13: 9789956791781
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Incisive Journalism in Cameroon The Best ofC AMEROON R EPORT (1978 – 1986)

Edited By Sam-Nuvala Fonkem

Incisive Journalism In Cameroon: The Best of ‘‘Cameroon Report’’ (1978 – 1986)

Edited By Michael Sam-Nuvala Fonkem

L a ng a a R esea rch & P u blishing CIG Mankon, Bamenda

Publisher: LangaaRPCIG Langaa Research & Publishing Common Initiative Group P.O. Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Region Cameroon [e-mail] www.langaa-rpcig.net Distributed in and outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookcollective.com ISBN: 9956-791-17-2 ©Michael Sam-Nuvala Fonkem2014

DISCLAIMER All views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Langaa RPCIG.

The Editor Michael Sam-Nuvala Fonkem is an accomplished journalist who has been practicing uninterrupted since graduating in 1976 from the International School of Journalism, Yaoundé (Ecole Suprieure de Journalisme de Yaoundé-ESSIJY). His professional career which kicked off as a news anchor and commentator at the National Station of Radio Cameroon, Yaoundé brought him face to face with the grim reality of the consequences of refusing to play the role of ‘His Master’s Voice’. Interrogations with the ‘political police’, intimidations, arrests and a 5-month spell of incarceration at the Nkondengui maximum security prison, Yaounde was the price he had to pay for being a free thinker. From 1987 -1990, he taught journalism at his alma mater (now known as ESSTIC) where the authorities believed it was safer to contain him than the Radio but he fell out with the School’s Director and was later sent on internal administrative exile to the Adamawa Province (now Region) as Provincial Chief of Media Monitoring, a post he promptly rejected. During his journey through the wilderness marked by a lay-off from the Cameroon Civil Service in 1998, Sam- Nuvala Fonkem wrote for a number of news publications until he joined the United Nations Operation in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI) as Public Information Officer in 2010.

Contributors

Wilfred Nkwenti Mark Niboh Tatah Mentan Shey Peter Mabu Fai Henry Fonye Luke Ananga Eric Chinje Victor Epie Ngome George Ngwa Ben Bongang Charles Landzeh Akwanka Joe Ndifor Ngobesing Romanus Adamu Musa Vincent Azobi Ebssy Ngum Julius Wamey Sam-Nuvala Fonkem

Dedication This book is for: Mark Niboh, Achidi Difang of the celebratedCause for Concern program of Radio Douala, Fai Henry Fonye, Luke Ananga, Charles Landzeh, Akwanka Joe Ndifor, Ebbsiy Ngum, George Tanni, Sammy Anguh and all the valiant Anglophone men and women of Radio Cameroon who have passed on since the beginning of the fight for freedom of speech. Your legacy is a source of consolation and by far compensates for the thanklessness encountered in the journalism profession in Cameroon.

Table of Contents

1. The C.N.U: Twelve Years After..........................................1 2. Cameroon Report 18/1/81: Wum Farmer-Grazier Problem....................................................................................... 3 3. A chaotic Highway Transporters Union............................7 4. Inhuman prison conditions..................................................11 5. Lay Private Education...........................................................15 6. Health for all by year 2000................................................... 19 7. Catering for disabled persons.............................................. 23 8. Cameroon Nigeria Reconciliation.......................................27 9. The Role of our Parliamentarians....................................... 29 10. Wastage and Mismanagement in Public Health Services........................................................................................ 33 11. Crackdown on Customs Fraud......................................... 37 12. FONADER: Not yet the Farmer’s Bank........................ 41 13. Mount Cameroon Erupts...................................................45 14. President Ahmadou Ahidjo’s Dramatic Resignation..... 49 15. The Task Ahead for President Paul Biya.........................53 16. Biya and the Housing Crisis...............................................57 17. Our Ailing Parastatal Corporations.................................. 61 18. The University as Brain Trust........................................... 65 19. Biya on Housing and Road Construction........................69 20. April 6 Coup Attempt: An Appraisal............................... 73 21. In the Dawn of the Abortive Coup..................................77 22. Reflection on May 20..........................................................79 23. Parastatal Corporations Revisited..................................... 81 24. Chasing Files: A Product of Centralisation..................... 85 25. The Plight of our Farmers................................................. 89 26. The One-shift and Two-shift Working systems............. 93 27. Decentralisation versus Decongestion.............................97

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th 28. 13 Anniversary of the Unitary State............................... 99 29. The Role of Development Committees...........................103 30. 1985 Budgetary Session...................................................... 107 31. MUNA on Bilingualism......................................................109 32. The Concept of Development Journalism...................... 113 33. The Question of Certificate Equivalence........................ 115 34. Harmonising Our Two Legal Systems............................. 119 35. The First October Story..................................................... 123 th 36. May 20 : Our Dream of a New and Great Cameroon..127 37. The CPDM and Civil Liberties......................................... 133 38. Enemies of Democracy...................................................... 137 39. Towards a New World Information Order.....................145 40. Africa’s Five Million Refugees...........................................149 41. Boycotting sporting links with Racist South African.....153 42. The Proposed Senegambian confederation.....................157 43. The I.M.F. Tightens policy towards Third World..........161 44. The Assassination of SADAT: Consequences on Egyptian Politics......................................................................................... 165 45. The North-South Dialogue................................................169 46. Ciskei Homeland: Another stride for Apartheid............ 173 47. Palestinian Autonomy.........................................................177 48. Cameroon’s Position on SADR’S Admission into the O.A.U....................................................................................181 th 49. The 9 Franco-African Summit........................................ 185 50. OAU Deadlock over Western Sahara.............................. 189 51. Foiled OAU Summit Reconvened....................................193 52. Checking the African Dependency Syndrome................197 53. The O.A.U. Drought Fund................................................203 54. The Western Sahara Ten Years After...............................207 55. South Africa: Botha’s Lame Reforms...............................211 56. African Leaders in Europe.................................................215 57. South Africa’s puppet Government in Namibia............ 219

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58. Africa’s Troubled Politics...................................................223 59. Pope John Paul II in Africa............................................... 227 60. Leadership Succession in Africa........................................231 61. Reagan-Gorbachev Summit...............................................235 62. Africa and its Elections.......................................................239

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