THE PROPOSED RELOCATION OF CDC HEADQUARTERS TO YAOUNDE---A TRAGEDY, TREACHERY OR AN ACT OF ECONOMIC GENOCIDE.

{Each time, when it concerns certain national issues especially the erosion of the rights of West Cameroonians, we hear sanctimonious sermons about the need to avoid wars. Are wars not part of human civilizations?  Has Cameroon not been fighting wars since 1993?} Albert A. Motale

 By Albert A. Motale (Sang'a Rijiase)

The proposed relocation of Cameroon Development Corporation’s (CDC) Headquarters from Limbe (South West Region) to Yaoundé (Center Region—Capital city of the nation) by President Biya’s government will have predicable and predictable consequences and outcomes like all other Southern Cameroon financial or economic institutions, which were dubiously relocated to East Cameroon, and failed. While this paper is one for keeps and serves as an alert to the Biya regime, which has systematically disintegrated all economic institutions in West Cameroon Region, the author is also affirming his opposition to the proposed grapevine relocation talk of CDC Headquarters away from the South West Region.   Before we take a cursory glance at outcomes of previous West Cameroon institutions that were dubiously relocated to East Cameroon and were later bankrupt by the poorly-trained and ill-equipped East Cameroon managers, it shall be however necessary to capture some key words or phrases material to this write up so as to put things into proper perspective.

Business Dictionary.com defines relocation as `A change in the physical location of a business.

The Corporate headquarters is the part of a corporate structure that deals with important tasks such as strategic planning, corporate communications, taxes, law, marketing, finance, human resources, and information technology. Corporate headquarters takes responsibility for the overall success of the corporation, ensures corporate governance. It is sometimes referred to the Head Office, which is the location where the executives of a business work and where many of the key business decisions are made. Generally, corporate headquarters act as a core where the business is operating. Simply put the engine of CDC shall be relocated to Yaoundé, leaving the carcass in SW. It will also imply that, the Corporation’s taxes, which CDC pays to the Limbe City Council, shall, as a result of the proposed relocation, be paid now to Yaounde. And presently, Limbe City Council is the second richest council in Cameroon (Douala being the first) because of the huge taxes CDC, which is the second highest employer after the government, pays to the council. All that shall be paid to Yaounde which, technically, shall become the seat of the corporation. We need to vehemently oppose this proposed relocation.

The United Nations Genocide Convention defines it as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group."  Economic Genocide is the intentional action to systematically eliminate an ethnic national, racial, or religious group. The word is a combination of "genos" (race, people) and "cide" (to kill). This is what the Cameroon government has orchestrated more than any Region else in Cameroon, but in the South West Region.

Jack Nusan Porter, a Ukrainian American sociologist defines Genocide as, the deliberate destruction, in whole or in part, by a government or its agents, of a racial, sexual, religious, tribal or political minority. It can involve not only mass murder, but also starvation, forced deportation, and political, economic and biological subjugation. Genocide involves three major components: ideology, technology, and bureaucracy/organization. This is what has been happening in the South West Region, folks.

Cameroon Development Cooperation (CDC) an Agro–Industrial estate formed in 1947 for the purpose of developing and running plantations of tropical crops in the Southern Cameroon. From its inception its General and Head Offices are based in Bota, Victoria (now Limbe).  Its principal products include rubber, oil palm, bananas, coconuts, tea et cetera.

     The CDC apart from being the largest employer in Cameroon after the Central Government remains the heart and soul of South West economy and it is the only surviving national asset of Southern Cameroon. Apart from CDC being a rallying and unifying point of every tribe, ethnic nationalities in Cameroon and West Africa, CDC is what mining companies are to South Africa; a source of national pride, legacy and an institution that has touched and transformed the lives of a people, region across generation.

The factors for the localization of Industries: Public facilities or institutions apart from the economic theories taught in schools could be a mixed grill for politics, economics and the BIG MAN syndrome in Africa. The location of public facilities based on the politics of the Big man syndrome, marginalization of a linguistic minority could be a major determinant for proposed relocation of CDC corporate Headquarters or the seating of a power plant and damming of a stream to produce only 6MW of electricity instead of damming for instance, the Mentchum Fall in North West Region; which could have conveniently produced over 100MW and powered 6 regions and even export power at half the cost.

The Big man syndrome in Africa  and the policy of systematic dismantling  and incapacitation  of  any viable socio economies  of Southern Cameroon  that could dictate the relocation of CDC Head Office under any guise  to Yaoundé or the citing and construction of a Deep Sea Port in a region with the least comparative advantage in terms of natural endowment, economic and commercial viability, maritime activities, generation of customs, ports and maritime revenues , job and wealth creation instead of expanding, modernizing  and operationalising  Limbe or Tiko Sea ports sharing sea border with the biggest, largest economy, market in Africa and Cameroon largest trader in Africa is Nigeria

The Big Man syndrome, political propagandists and citizens could argue  and agree that localization of such projects in the Big Man`s land are designed to provide an enabling environment to boost Industrialization or transform  a hitherto enclave and backward region into an emerging economy or at least as a legacy or retiring package  to the Big Man. However, the most docile shall certainly raise red flags if what they possessed (CDC) in the 19^th, 20^th, 21^st Century, is suddenly taken away from them (By President Paul Biya and the Francophone machination) on purely political machinations and power show off syndrome.  The reasons for localization of a public facility might be skewed to favour the big man but the relocation of an Industry or its Headquarters should be based on concrete, cogent security, commercial or economic reasons. To wit, a corporate Headquarters might relocate because of rising costs at the current facility, better tax breaks in a different location, changes in its target market, security challenges, insecurity of lives and property of company and staff, family, relation and the estate could no longer be guaranteed by the state. Take for example, the AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK headquartered in Ivory Coast, relocated from Abidjan to Tunis, Tunisia in 2003 due to the Ivorian Civil War but has since relocated to Ivory Coast in 2014 after the war ended.   So what are the reasons to warrant the relocation of CDC Head office to Yaoundé – Centre, a region that does not produced or cultivated any of CDC produces if not of politics and economic subjugation of the South West people?

Furthermore, companies could be compelled to relocate their Corporate Headquarters for purely economic reasons and based on current exigencies and dynamics of their trade. In this age of globalization, certain cities or towns have developed and have designed custom made facilities to handle particular trade and commodities. What are the specificities that Yaoundé possess to handle commodities trading and marketing that Fako and South West Region is deficient or not suitable to execute or manage?

What are therefore the push or pull factors, cogent reasons or logic for the relocation of CDC Headquarters to Yaoundé?  Is the Centre or South a rubber, tea or palm oil producing Regions?  Are any serious economies in this modern world governed by Presidential Decrees?  Why has a Presidential Decree not relocated WAZA Park or its Headquarters to Yaoundé or Tibati cattle market from Adamawa to Yaoundé or CAM SHIP from Douala to Yaoundé or University of Yaoundé 1 to Mamfe- Manyu? Or more ambitiously, why has the hydro-electric dam in Edea not been dismantle with the creation of Lagdo dam in the Far North in the same light that Yoke was dismantled with the creation of the dam in Edea?

The proposed relocation of the CDC Headquarters to Yaoundé should be viewed within the framework of the grand design and continuation of the Yaoundé Regime`s policy of structural disintegration, assimilation, exploration and exploitation, marginalization and economic genocide of West Cameroon businesses. It will not only deprive South West of a viable economic and agro-industrial estate an economic and employment opportunity, a large chunk of salary earners, wealth generators, the cream of West Cameroonian professionals, jobs, contracts but  simply an act of economic genocide and final subjugation of the people.

It is a paradox that a regime investing in workshops, seminars, training and sound bites on devolution of power for close to a decade shall still be embarking on a policy of centralizing every SW region’s project in Yaoundé?  West Cameroon is arguably the only region on earth where the fundamental human rights to economic prosperity, right to inheritance  to national inheritance, rights to benefits to natural resources freely given by God, rights to determination of who governs them or localization of national assets, cultural and linguistic identity, culture and to be consulted have been so badly eroded. If I might add, the regime in Yaounde has never been inhibited by the inhabitants of the South West Region because they have been strapped of those rights and reduced to beggars in their own land. What a shame!

The general tendency, or best practice or standards across the world is for governments to create enabling environment for private sectors to be the engine of growth and wealth creation. Research and statistics have shown that Cameroon government has been a bad business manager as it has collapsed virtually all State Agencies and Departments within a generation. Every business that the Government has sought to manage through Presidential Decrees turned into dust. It is even more worrisome that, financial institutions like CAM BANK, National Produce Marketing Board, which were created by Acts of Southern Cameroon Parliament, were relocated and dissolved by a Presidential Decree.  Can anyone begin to wonder why even with the peace and haven of peace mantra, Investors would prefer to invest in Kenya, South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Rwanda and Ghana than to invest in Cameroon where companies could be relocated or dissolve by a Presidential Decree?

ECONOMIC GENOCIDE COMMITTED AGAINST WEST CAMEROON.

1.     In 1962 the Regime abrupt imposition of CFA to replace British Pound Sterling as legal tender of Southern Cameroon was the beginning of the economic disaster and the first step towards annexation, colonization and impoverishing our people. Additionally, about 60% of our rural folks and communities who were unable to change the British pounds into CFA as they were no banks lost all their hard-earned savings.  Other independent African and Asian countries with similar political backgrounds like Cameroon adopted new currency rather than for their leaders to accept the imposition of currencies on them. But Cameroon could not; hence, much of its demise today. It should be recalled that; several British former colonies adopted new currencies including Guinea Conakry.  Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana did not impose the British Pound sterling on Togo land which was a former German territory annexed to Gold Coast and became part of Ghana at Independence; but he introduced a new Currency CEDI to give every citizen a new sense of belonging, equal economic opportunities, leveled playing field and starting point. Albeit what she couldn’t do at independence, Cameroon can still gradually remove itself from the CFA currency subjugation and conjure prosperity for its 20million citizens.

2.     The closure of Tiko, Victoria sea ports, Mamfe, Mbonge, Ekondo, Ndian River ports and transferring marine and sea official activities to Douala.

3.     The closing down of Teachers Training Colleges owned by the Missionaries in Southern Cameroon. It should be recalled that at Independence there were no Teachers Training colleges in East Cameroon. This decision saw the collapse of TTC Nchang, PTTC Nyassoso, Batibo, Fiango and these poorly-conceived decision eventually led to massive shortage of teachers until the Regime had to introduce monetary incentives to revamp the sector.  The closing down of these colleges was designed principally to decimate the academic landscape and reduce the momentum already built by West Cameroon System of Organization.

4.     The abolition of Teachers Training Grade 1 Certificate as an entry requirement into the University of Yaoundé was aimed at reducing the admission of Southern Cameroonians who were mainly Grade 1 Teachers.

5.     The introduction of age limit of 25 years into the University of Yaoundé was another attempt at targeting Anglophones who were mainly Grade 1 teachers and what we considered mature students as Anglophones constituted over 40% of students of the Federal University of Yaoundé (even though they were only 20% of the general population) and were endowed with a galaxy of Academic scholars in every profession and the brain and foundation of Academic staff of CUSS.

6.     The closure of Besong Abang, Bali, Tiko and Weh Airports and relocating all air activities to Douala.

7.     The relocation of National Produce Marketing Board to Douala which is not known to be a cocoa producing region and its eventual collapse and a confiscation of Farmers’ Stabilization Funds left our farmers impoverished with no economic and social support systems, whereas Marketing Boards in other cocoa producing countries compete with National oil companies.

8.     The relocation of CAM Bank to Yaoundé and its closure via a Presidential Decree was like piercing a hot knife into the heart of West Cameroon economic survival and business men as CAM Bank was to Southern Cameroon as CITI Bank is to New York City.

9.     The closure of Government Printing Press Buea and relocation of its staff to Yaoundé.

10. The closure of Yoke Powercam and dismantling of its plants and relocated to East Cameroon was a technical knockout on our march towards industrialization, economic prosperity and development. Till date, industries or factories cannot locate or establish in SW and NW due to the quality and quantity of electricity which are mainly for domestic consumption and cannot support heavy duty machines, equipment and machinery. Pamol the second largest Agro –industrial Estate after CDC generate its own water and electricity.

The proposed relocation of CDC Head Office to Yaoundé and a culture of Fear

The docility of our people has reached a dangerous height, proportion and nearing imbecility. Fear, fear and fear has overtaken our thinking and reasoning. We are even afraid to open our mouths and shout even when beaten by snakes. Whilst other nations and people have a proud history of freedom fighters, human rights defenders, advocates of equity, justice, resource control, political and fiscal federalism, ours has been a history of slavery, bondage and dehumanization, not by a superior human species but by people who are even intellectually inferior to us by every standard and measurement.

All our human rights: including rights to free movement, rights to decent living and prosperity, rights to economic prosperity have all been badly eroded. Within a generation, we have watched like worms, a once prosperous and promising land has been transformed into a waste land and all our national assets, natural resources fretted away and the people enslaved as well.

 Ndian division for instance, the treasure base of the nation, that produces more than 70% of crude oil, has equally been transformed into a natural museum and the largest human prison on earth. We have been reduced to a people with no history, identity, culture with no rights to determine how we should be governed or to benefit from our natural resources or what belongs to us.

The history of SW, by extension West Cameroon and what is going on in Cameroon, reminds me of what happened to Guinea in 1958 under Sekou Toure. SekouToure’s refusal to keep Guinea perpetually under French bondage saw the French dismantling like canopies all their industries, factories, power plants, public facilities, laboratories, schools across Guinea. In this case, what has angered the Regime to be dismantling every national asset in SW region and those they cannot carry the plants and trees elsewhere, they dubiously relocate their corporate headquarters and kill the corporation? Are they still looking at the 1961 Plebiscite results sheets or reading President Biya `s famous speech---I was born a Cameroonian and shall die a Cameroonian---delivered in Buea, which was a subtle call to question the Cameroonians of the South West?

La Republique has been swallowing the rabbit (West Cameroon) and it is now remaining the head (CDC), no noise or reactions except the normal vexatious comments ` Wetin man go do? Wetin our big people dey do wey de no fit talk? Massa leave me make l drink my mimbo` .We failed to understand that, the so-called Big People are working for the regime and not for the people. We keep hallucinating, hoping that someone else shall fight to gain our rights and freedoms. Tough luck!

Each time, when it concerns certain national issues especially the erosion of the rights of West Cameroonians, we hear sanctimonious sermons about the need to avoid wars. Are wars not part of human civilizations?  Has Cameroon not been fighting wars since 1993? Is Cameroon not currently engaged in a war against Boko Haram? How many wars has Europe, USA fought? Is there any nation on earth that has fought more wars than Britain? Why did Cameroon not surrender Bakassi without a fight?   We should be advised that, the Germans subjugated our people to seize those lands they established those farms. Our forebears fought the Germans with all they had to resist the take-over of our lands. Many of them were hanged, executed or killed in public. It is on their sweat and blood these farms were established. It was our parents who were conscripted under the German Force Labour policy to construct and build those farms from a virgin tropical forest to what we see today.  PAMOL AND CDC ARE NOT THE PROPERTY OF THE REGIME. A TENANT CANNOT AND NEVER BECOME THE LANDLORD.

Any Child Who Is a Coward Can Never Inherit His Father’s Property.

Since Cameroon Journal published the story, there have not been any rebuttals from the regime nor a retraction of the story. True to our nature, it is only Cameroon Journal who has even had the courage to raise the issue on social media. Our people will be quick to comment copiously and with passion on issues of other countries but become reptiles or worms (REPTILES DO NOT SPEAK) on matters that affect their own survival, identity and rights as citizens of a nation. In other climes, the first reactions would have come from the CDC workers themselves, Labour organizations, followed by terse statements issued by the local political authorities, or elected representatives, Stakeholders, Civil societies, Elites warning the Regime of such a vexatious and sheer provocative attitude that has been ceaseless since Independence. The regime has since then adopted deliberate policies of economic genocide, discriminatory programs and provocative actions, to dehumanize and enslave West Cameroonians.

What is going to play out is the normal divide and rule tactics by the regime. When oil exploration and exploitation started in Ndian, West Cameroonians felt it was a Ndian problem and President Ahidjo`s response to Hon Nwalipenja’s constant protests on resource benefits in broken English (Nwalipenja! Oil!!!Oil!! Oil! Na Ya papa Oil?), became a comic relief in Bars rather than form a united front to push back Ahidjo’s resources aggression. When Marketing Board was relocated to Douala, West Cameroonians felt it was a Kumba issue and affair. When Yoke electricity plant was dismantled and stolen, it was a Muyuka affair. When Cam Bank was relocated and destroyed, we felt it was the civil servants and Business men affair.

When our roads were criminally neglected, abandoned and left in a dangerous state of disrepair and it became like abandoned land mines, they were used to mock at us to define our social status and backwardness.  Where are the SW Chiefs who were fighting and falling over each other to declare motions of support to the Monarch, to call for early elections? They have taken 33mycine and gone to sleep. Where is SWELA? They can only issue a statement describing the event as `unfortunate`. Where are the so called Elites and educated class? They are too busy monitoring events in BREXIT and US Elections? Where are the lawyers? They are busy protesting on a new law that will criminalise rents defaulters. Where are the Diasporans? They are busy researching on Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump or who can best rule USA.

 Unfortunately, the regime and its propagandists are benefiting from a people whose docility and dead political consciousness and awareness is one of the lowest in Africa. The regime is conscious of the imagery ancestral rivalry between the SW and NW and it is exploiting it to the fullest.  Our so-called elites have become political archeologists instead of political architects and are constantly emphasizing on the minute differences between the NW and SW instead of what unites us and our impending economic genocide and extreme marginalization and dehumanization as a people. The regime will soon turn the CDC matter into a purely Fako matter.

Let our people start to advice themselves.