What does it gain another country to destabilize another sovereign nation? What does it gain another media house to paint black or better still anticipates a civil war in another country through its agenda setting? These are the questions that looms in mind when one reads the caption of one of America’s newspapers The Washington Post written by Siobhan O’ Grady on May 30th 2018 and titled “Africa’s next civil war could be in Cameroon”.
Cynthia Efopa
In the turbulent Central African sub-region, Cameroon has stood the test of time, fighting threats from all angles be it diplomatic, political, security tough often delivered as the queen’s gift wrapped in packages of merry making. This has not relent the efforts of Cameron in making its stance known when her territorial integrity is threatened.
The government of Cameroon has habitually taken to the rostrum to clarify national and international views on the current situation in the North West and South West Regions. Circumstances of operations and the rules of engagements of troops charged to maintain peace and order in the said regions have been elucidated, yet the newsrooms of some media houses pregnant with a hidden agenda keeps derailing the masses with accusing and fake news stories aimed at setting and fuelling unrest in the regions as well as channelling public opinion in an adverse manner as per the unitary goals of the government.
The Washington Post took time to sight Agbor Nkongho, as saying ‘we are gradually, gradually getting there”. What credibility can be given to a newspaper that is biased in reporting? As the aforementioned individual was part and parcel of the group who kindled the crises on grounds of corporatist claims, and transformed their claims to a separatists’ movement even after their corporatists’ demands were met. An individual who benefited from presidential clemency after been behind the bars for charges of instigating violence amongst youths. An individual who already had a pre constructed idea to drag the country in to the pangs of violence. Another fake source they biasedly deemed resourceful was John Mukum Mbaku a university professor in the United States who mentioned in a dump founded manner “the government is shooting down defenseless villagers, and many have decided to defend themselves and are fighting back”, he went on… “The fact of the matter is, if you don’t speak French, you cannot survive in the country”. All these false allegations disseminated by The Washington Post can only be groomed in the objective of destabilizing Cameroon’s peace and unity.
Cameroon remains a sovereign and unitary state jealous of handling its affairs with partners of good fate, the wilful interferences in its domestic affairs by incompetent persons and the prediction of a day dream civil war from forces of doom is not welcome.