? Many Cameroonians have risen to the status of prominence but quite a few are celebrated and/or proudly identify with national colors ?

As a sovereign prince can only be celebrated for his probity and good sense, may I be permitted to convey meaning to my assertion with truth, reason and good sense.

To start off, my country, ? the all Africa in one ? is without fear of contradiction one of most endowed countries on the Dark Continent. Beyond the geological scandal which characterizes her sub-soils, the talent and intelligence of her people are a force to be reckoned with and a remarkable resource that could spur the country’s development and growth. As these people set out to do just that, showing prove of intelligence, excellence and resilience, some have risen to prominence and a great lot are but their own very shadows. It therefore saddens my heart to affirm here that despite a reservoir of talented, intelligible, knowledgeable Cameroonians in every sector and field of life, only a few catch global eyes, are celebrated and in rare cases do they identify with national colors.

Dear readers and curious minds alike, a great many truth can explain the above. And who with good faith could mention them all without a most unsupportable fatigue. I sought to make my point clearer with brief, glaring examples, which I consider to be, tips of an iceberg, as the list of such cases is so long that it could fill the pages of a thriller novel. You therefore have the leisure pace to transpose this arguments to whichever sector of the economy you please.

Celebrating our own heroes requires that we officially acknowledge and recognize the genius in them, what they are or have been best at and in which they have shone with distinction. It is getting them to be flag bearers, ambassadors of the country’s colors, the trade mark of a nation and most importantly examples to emulate and inspiration for the young.

As I paused to seek the few many truth in this regard, a biblical verse was first to catch my attention. Mathew 13:57-58 (KJV) and it reads;

“And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, a prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and his own house “

“And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief”.

Without the pretence of being the best interpreter of bible verses, in my humble understanding and opinion, both verses pose a serious problem that is recurrent in my country.

The first poses the problem of celebrating your very own ? prophets ?, that is; heroes, great minds, leaders, great men and women in all works of life. I did mention earlier that a few had risen to prominence and are never celebrated be they in domains such as politics, economics, literature, science, sports, arts and culture etc. the list of such fallen yet forgotten heroes is long. The second verse on its part clearly indicates that those who don’t belief in their prophets benefit little from whatever miracles they will perform. And Christ indeed performed the least miracles in his very hometown.  

Explained in other words, it only puts forth the following relevant question: of what use is a person’s talent/intelligence to a country that does nothing to recognize or even belief in its value? A country, that doesn’t belief in the power, strength and the creative capabilities of its own people. When you don’t celebrate or value your own heroes and great minds …., you reap not the fruits of their expertise as others who have chosen to hail them, will do. A glaring example is that of a prominent Cameroonian in the name of Dr. Ernest Simo, a graduate in electrical engineering with a doctorate in Electrical Engineering at the University of Birmingham, in the US. He often modestly underlines that he contributed to the chip which generated the bank card, visa card and other microprocessors that the world know today. Another important figure is Arsene Tema Biwole, 25, a researcher in Nuclear Physics (plasma physics) and founder of a formular that helps deflect nuclear turbulence. He, like Dr Ernest Simo, works at the US Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He received a grant from the Italian Embassy to pursue studies in Nuclear Science at the Polytechnic University of Turin. He has expertise in computer science, nuclear proliferation, nuclear engineering, and digital fluid dynamics, among others. Let us not ponder a lot on who benefits the most from the genius of these great minds, for it is obvious who does.

The forgotten father of independence, Ruben Um Nyobe has never been put to the pantheon of the fathers of independence with Nkrumah, Lumumba, Keita, Nyerere and others. Rather, the banality of his grave contrasts in an astonishing way with the man’s greatness. Many like him need to have their memories resurrected and those still alive turned into spotlights.

Culture is what you have left when all other things that define your origin and identity are lost. Neighboring Nigeria is noted for her film and music industry worldwide. Who doesn’t know of or can’t relate to the Africa Magic Channel and all its variations, show casing every second of the day a product of the Nigerian film, music, and arts landscape? Priding at the same time a people and a culture. Today they are celebrating their heroes’ home and abroad, magnifying their prouesses to capture global eyes with such award winning ceremonies as the ? Viewer’s Choice Awards, ?. If you don’t celebrate your heroes, no one will. My country has way over 200 ethnic groups each with a history, a culture, a way of existence. This is enough content to grace all cultural jamborees home and abroad, including film and music making, yet …

Secondly, the African brain drain has over the past decades followed the logic of a wider migration movement, drifting from a primarily temporal purpose, at least in its intention (young graduates received State scholarships and were expected to return home to contribute to their country’s development), to being permanent ( migrating with no real purpose or intention of returning). This gets me to explain why some leave for greener pastures and when they make it, they don’t wish to identify with the country’s colors or even return home.

At first, young graduates received State scholarships and were expected to return home to contribute to nation building. Cameroon for instance required that all students benefitting from government sponsored scholarships sign a ten-year pledge. However a good number have systematically derailed from this fundamental imperative as many have changed nationality and repatriation strategies at any price are proving to be ineffective. Government does not attack the root causes of emigration and priority seems not given to retaining brains that are fleeing. Globalization has gradually opened national job markets, while encouraging greater standardization in curricula and diplomas worldwide. A good number of Cameroonians have benefitted from this through personal educational projects, professional prospects and other possibilities on offer to them. Every person with an intellectual and or physical capability (talent) is first and foremost a vital human resource in the world today, and if a country does not invest and exploit the potential of its talented citizens, other countries will. Such resources require an enabling environment in which to evolve and prosper, should their full potentials be exploited. Aspiring and daring Cameroonians have found such conditions elsewhere as not only are these foreign developed countries attracting skills needed by their job market but they equally offer more saleable and conducive working conditions in virtually every profession. The French national team is a perfect illustration having in the midst of its players the famous Mbappe K. and Samuel Umtiti who are Cameroonians from origin but have chosen to wear and fly foreign colors.

Many talented Cameroonian athletes have been lost, not to death in this case, but to waiting arms of a foreign nationality. The recent cases of abscondment in Australia only add to the long list of such abaring situations. The million dollar question is: why the multiple change of nationality and abscondment?

Our sports men and women, beyond talent and the love for the nation (patriotism), only demand a set of interrelated conditions (enabling environment) such a legal, organizational, fiscal, informational, political, and cultural, that positively impact directly or indirectly on their performance in a sustained and effective manner. Without which, it becomes rather difficult for such actors to thrive and aim for excellence. Despite that, we note with pain in the heart, the amateurish management of sports in Cameroon which is more than ever discouraging sports men and women, pushing many to abscond during international competition or to accept the offer of a change of nationality.

May I equally be permitted to state here that these athletes may not necessarily suffer any form of what I term, ? patriotic deficiency ? ( the lack of feeling of love for one’s fatherland) On the contrary, they are so full of it, testified by Cameroon’s double Olympic triple jump medalist, Francoise Mbango Etone, (now a French citizen) whom at the 9th world athletics championship in France, put up a spectacular performance that left everyone indifferent and after which she said in an interview ? …….no word could better express that feeling of being proud to be a Cameroonian ?. She had done so with a hairdo with national colors. Marie Josephe Fegue, a weightlifter and Cameroon’s first Commonwealth Games gold medalist since 2002, in a radio program aired on Amplitude FM in Yaounde-Cameroon said the following;

? …Cameroon disappointed me squarely, despite my best efforts, everything I did, managers, supervisors, coaches and others lied to me ?. ? … I couldn’t take it anymore ? she further added. And till date, she hasn’t been given any warranty regarding her premium. Thomas Essomba and Blaise Yepmou M. are boxers who absconded in 2012, were granted asylum and began training for UK championships.

Many of our talented youth and great minds have often expressed total dissatisfaction at the way officials have treated them with disregard for their career and many others in various domains thrive in similar difficult working conditions. In as much as they set out to fly high their country’s colors in yonder country lands, so should their country reward them bounteously for a job well done by offering them a serene environment in which to showcase their talent. They could have their enthusiasm at returning home revived if government could go beyond rhetoric and laudatory slogans such as ? your country needs you ? to offer them more appealing working conditions.

Thirdly, in my country, it is disheartening to know that the great numbers of billionaires aren’t business men, rather some unscrupulous workers of the public service whose wealth never corresponds to the salaries which they earn. The raison d’être is resumed in the following two words ? corruption and embezzlement ?. Through this, these bandits with white collar with no iota of shame decide to ruin the lives of a great number who only demand to have decent jobs and better living standards. The few rich getting richer while the poor languish in ceaseless wants. How can creativity, ambition, zeal and innovation thrive in an environment where dreams meet with the high barricades of ego and greed of a few. When meritocracy has made way to mediocrity many great talents see their enthusiasm dampened as they are robbed of the bliss that resides in hoping, willing, and achieving. Countless have drowned in the Mediterranean or died in the Sahara, heading for greener pastures. It therefore becomes easily understandable that a person, who goes through the ordeal of deprivation from the vital elements of existence and engages such tremendous effort to succeed, will only identify with his enabling environment and not the opposite.

It’s often said that “Something or someone gives you a push up the ladder while others halt at a lower rung”. This takes me to my next talking point which is about mentorship. Mentorship is a process for the informal transmission of knowledge, social capital and psychological support perceived by the recipient as relevant to work, career, or professional development. This is a relationship in which a more knowledgeable person (of great relevant knowledge, wisdom, or experience) helps to guide a less experienced person. It is a learning and development process having significant behavioral, motivational and career benefits such as: inside information, education, guidance, moral support, inspiration, sponsorship, etc.

In my country, mentoring isn’t so much a common practice even more so when such ideal as “youths of today, leaders of tomorrow” is not given the attention it deserves except in the mere rhetoric of campaign propagandas or in grooming the young na?f and ignorant to be blood suckers and partisans of governing with or by the black art. The supposedly “Senior Staff or mentor”, most of them gone-passed their prime, selfish and secretive of their knowledge and knowhow, have consistently barred the path of progress to aspiring talents, not willing to give most of them a push up the ladder. Rather, aspiring talents are perceived to be more “career threatening” to their posts of responsibilities. Most of them dread the whole idea of “students becoming masters”. And that is why only a few “real mentors” are revered for grooming aspiring talents in the art of professional, behavioral, motivational and career benefits. With an unequalled greed and constant sarcasm, in constant denial to pass-on the “baton” to the next generation, they are quick to tell of youths, how “inexperienced” they are and that they are not prepared to take-on posts of responsibilities. My question therefore is, how do you expect a highly ambitious and aspiring talent simply demanding a push up the ladder to thrive in an environment where his entreaties meet with systematic rebuke?  How do you ask of him, to identify with such “home” mal practices when he has finally met with the opportunities he sort for elsewhere? In a scenario where each and every one can be the corner stone on which the building should firmly stand, Rwanda today has the record of diasporans heading home as Paul Kagame has opted for the recognition of the role the diaspora can play to help push forward progress and development goals thereby engaging diaspora community in the implementation of development policy.

“The envious man grows lean at the success of his neighbor. He shall never be enriched by envy”.

My country is destroyed by a cankerworm that chops off the sprouts of growth, excellence and success. It is called “envy”. This is a feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possession, qualities, or luck. It is a darker wish, a perverse pleasure and a malicious joy of seeing someone fail or suffer in a venture. Though every religious and ethical system condemns envy in my country, our people increasingly find hard to celebrate the good fortune of another person. Rather they’d go the extra mile to orchestrate your downfall. It is common practice to hear someone travelled abroad, not even to the knowledge of a so called best friend, aunt, uncle, sisters, brothers, cousins etc. just because of the dreaded effects of the malicious joy of having someone fail or suffer, and setting out to make sure that is happens. How many of our most renowned artists, sportsmen and women, business men, family members etc. have been killed by their “friends” or “neighbors”? How many have gone from grace to grass simply because someone somewhere isn’t pleased about the simple fact of seeing them excelling in their domain? How can young aspiring youths excel in such an environment? How would anyone identify with a society that has labelled itself with envy? That is simply how low in spirit we have become.

Conclusively, mindful that my content isn’t inserted here with ill intention, and is rather guided by objectivity, I will very much understand if some throw out against the assertion. Your opinions are highly welcomed on a subject matter which I consider wide, and which can be debated with passion.

Thanks for reading.

Nyuytifo Emmanuel