Monday, April 14, 2014

The Cameroon Embassy in Washington DC gets a Service Facelift

By Jackson W. Nanje
    SCNC brand of politics is bad not only for Cameroon but for their organization. Lies and distortions are the hallmark of this group and one wonders how members of this group sleep at night after they've continuously engaged in tarnishing the spotless image of the Cameroon Embassy in Washington DC in their continuous search for dirt. And characteristically, when they dig for dirt and can’t find, they dump dirt in their quest to tarnish the good image of the embassy. Recently, they have used the very emblematic image of the Embassy of Cameroon in Washington DC as their camping ground in their avid search for dirty news. The question one is forced to ask is---why is it that the SCNC has never published or written anything positive about Cameroon or the embassy? Why must they always dramatize news about Cameroon? Is it that nothing positive comes from Cameroon? Or, SCNC is just a Dirt Master?
     The Embassy of Cameroon in Washington DC has received a tremendous facelift in the provision of services to its clients, which was the primary area of discontent for most Cameroonians. Cameroonians in the US were unable to see the rationale why the embassy personnel still adopted the crude and not-so-friendly method when it served its clients. In Cameroon, there is hardly a system of organization; but in the USA, a country with the largest service industry in the world, mediocrity cannot be tolerated in any business which comes in contact with clients (customers). Over the years, Cameroonians in the United States of America have heavily criticized the Washington DC establishment for its ineptness in the delivery of service to all and sundry. And like any other government agency in Cameroon, serving tax payers, the Cameroon Embassy should be prepared to accommodate negative criticisms targeting any of their shortcomings---and, when they do things correctly like the public expects of, and demands from them, they should equally receive a good dose of praises. Such is the journey I am about to embark on---to praise the Embassy of Cameroon in Washington DC for its renewed commitment, to serve the public or for turning the several criticisms into positive reinforcement. This fabulous service facelift by the embassy is the most disturbing news to the SCNC group, which would rather prefer a disorganized embassy to enable them continue in their dirty business of soiling the image of our beloved fatherland, Cameroon. In this document, we are going to take an in-depth look at the activities of the SCNC, and how the group uses the demise of the Cameroon Embassy and other Cameroon government agencies as a heyday for its asylum cases. Whenever there’s dirty news the SCNC uses it as a good pay day for them. Obviously, any time the SCNC receives good news about Cameroon it is bad news for them since they only prefer dirty/bad news to present to asylum judges, to demonstrate how bad the country Cameroon is, and why the judges must grant their client asylum papers to flee from that “bad” country, Cameroon.
     It was on Sunday, January 13, 2013 that the investigators of Nanje School of Creative Thinking wrote their heavy critic of the embassy under the caption---“Cameroon Embassy in Washington DC and its Problems: What must be done to fix these Problems?” In that article, the investigators examined and outlined the age-old problems at the embassy and made recommendations for the embassy to arrest them. Immediately following that article, an avalanche of criticism ensued from Cameroonians, especially those resident in the United States, who have been victims of hostile treatment from the embassy’s personnel, who, for reasons unbeknown to many, were deafened by the numerous calls to change their infirm method of doing business. Preceding this report, many Cameroonians have rendered extended courteous testimonies to our embassy for being a newfound place to do business with its Cameroonian clients. The consternation expressed by Cameroonians at the renewed assurances from our embassy in Washington DC is worth mentioning here. We have appended some notable testimonies below, to attest to the new efforts that the embassy has put in place to change the dreaded situation of the past:
“Great Transformation of Customer Service at the Cameroon Embassy---A culture of criticism that makes no allowance for praise is a decrepit culture. For years, if not decades, gory stories of rudeness were told about the staff of the Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon in Washington, D.C.  Indeed, each of us must have had one or two negative experiences dealing with that embassy.  The crassness and crudity of some embassy workers, if not officials, had become legendary so much that the shameful stories were whispered in crowded party halls from ear to ear. 
Yes, the criticism of the embassy was fierce and destructive but misdirected.  It was also never really "critical" until one Mr. Jackson Nanje undertook a different approach last year in which he constructively dissected the problems afflicting the embassy and offered suggestions for improvement.
To be sure, I do not know whether Mr. Nanje’s powerful "critical criticism" somehow influenced the transformation that is currently taking place at the embassy, especially in the Consular Section that issues visas.  For months friends and acquaintances have been recounting the sudden transformation they experienced in customer service at the Washington embassy.  To my pleasant surprise, I heard the words: “it is a pleasure to call the Cameroon Embassy.”  I could not believe my ears and asked: You say what?! 
 Even the boldest amongst us dreads dealing with unpleasantness.  I must confess that I very much dreaded calling the embassy because I did not know who would take the call at the embassy’s end of the line.  Yes, the voice was never warm; it was always cold, no matter how nice one pretended to be.  As a defense mechanism, I always preferred instead to adhere to all requirements for an entry visa; (a) a valid passport; (b) two copies of visa application with two 2 x 2 passport size photographs on which background; (c) travel itinerary; (d) copy of yellow fever vaccination card; (e) bank statement if applicable; (f) $145.00 (now $124.00) money order for application and visa fees; (g) and a self-addressed and stamped return envelope (by Federal Express, Priority, or other form of mail that can be tracked).    
 Yes, the Consular Section of the Cameroon Embassy has been transformed into an American institution as it ought to have been all along.  It took the staff of the Consular Section barely one work day to process my visa application.  This, I must confess, is a new normal; and, I hope it will be sustained through time.  I mailed my passport and visa application on Tuesday afternoon; it reached the Consular Section on Thursday morning; and on Monday afternoon the mail man delivered my passport to me at my home in Georgia.
I am elated, even beyond elation; because I take great pleasure in learning about the successes of people as well as institutions.  I cannot, therefore, withhold my admiration for an institution that has made great effort to reform itself and it is palpably succeeding.  We must give praise and encouragement to the Embassy of the Republic of Cameroon and spread the good news all the way back to the Fatherland so that Ministries and other government offices might aspire to emulate the work of the Consular Section.” (Professor Emmanuel Konde, ASU, Albany, Georgia)
Even though some Cameroonians do not still think that praising the embassy for getting things right, is a worthy exercise, others have reacted to such emails rather disappointingly. Below is one such email of the iconic Herbert Boh (former Cameroon Radio and Television news anchor), who educated a certain Mr. Sam Etongwe of the need to encourage the good work of the embassy personnel even though they are paid to serve.  
Change at Cameroon Embassy: celebrating mediocrity! ---“Sango Sam, Our people say "smol-smol catch monkey" in recognition of the fact that Rome was not built in a day and that it is bits of tiny change that ultimately lead to big change. 
Staff, including even those of the Cameroon Embassy that we may "love to hate" need praise (another word for "thanks") even for the smallest service rendered, whether or not they are paid to do their jobs.
Our children need that same motivation when they score well in one class, even if we pay their school fees and expect them to do no less. We expect praise from our supervisors at work, even if we are paid to do our jobs.
The round of praise (thanks) that forum members have extended to Embassy staff is not to say "no improvements needed". On the contrary, it is to say that they are now headed in the right direction.
We praise Sango Yesus Christus even if He cured only a few people of physical infirmities; even if He prevented only a few prostitutes from being stoned to death; even if He changed water into wine at only one wedding; and even if He raised only a few from the death of the body while He walked the earth... and if He, too, was only doing His work of Messiah and Christ the Savior.
Change is a spirit. We can make it infectious by praising (thanking) those who embody it. If we don't thank them, we crush the spirit of change. 
No phrase is more deserving than to say "thank you", and that includes even if thanks is exaggerated or misplaced.”(Boh Herbert)
     Today, March 31, 2014, the lead investigator of Nanje School of Creative Thinking, Det. Jackson Nanje, had a rendez-vous at the Embassy of Cameroon in Washington D.C. and I am overjoyed at the re-organization that has taken place at the embassy. The staff members at the embassy had taken a stockpile of all the problems and following the instructions of the ambassador, they have embarked on a rigorous work ethics, that has transformed the old laid-back culture which had held them hostage, to a proactive and courteous way of conducting business with its clients. I am truly thrilled! But before I detail what has changed at the embassy, let me first outline some of the issues (complaints) that were raised in the January 13, 2013 Investigative Report (http://www.nanjecreativethinking.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-cameroon-embassy-in-washington-dc_27.html) by Nanje School of Creative Thinking: (a) poor customer services at the embassy; (b) high visa fees; (c) poor website; (d) delays in processing passports; and (e) competence issues.     What has the embassy done to address these highlighted problems? Permit me, before I explain the transformational changes at the embassy, to address why I think the SCNC brand of politics is bad for Cameroon.
      The SCNC is a group unknown to most Cameroonians in Cameroon. About 98% of Cameroonians have never heard of the group. The group exists not only because of its much purported liberation agenda, to free Southern Cameroon from the claws of La Republique (their francophone brethren), but it exists mainly as a money-making organization whose members owe their allegiance to it because it once upon a time helped them in securing their immigration status oversees at the expense of tarnishing the good image of our beloved fatherland, Cameroon. Truth should be told about this group; it only exists on the internet and, if you deprive its members of internet connection, the group ceases to exist. There are no females in the group; they do not meet anywhere; they are a cyber-fear-mongering group, which turns any good news into a bad one. And where there is no news, they create one and turn it into dirty news item. The few members that constitute this group dramatize and fabricate newspaper articles all because of their schemes to present such falsehood in front of judges for asylum cases for their clients and for which, they are paid handsomely. Preserving the image of our country is the least on their minds.
     When the Cameroon Embassy embarked on retrofitting their Massachusetts Avenue office in downtown Washington DC, they moved into a temporal structure owned by Howard University and signed a two-year lease agreement pending the completion of their structure in Massachusetts Avenue. By the time the two-years were up, the retrofitting of the Cameroon Embassy was not yetcomplete, however, Howard University insisted on using their building. Cameroon Embassy was forced to make an emergency decision to vacate and they relocated this time to 3007 Tilden Street NW, Washington DC 20008, where they are presently until such time that their building on Massachusetts Avenue shall be ready and opened to serve  the public again. These are the facts surrounding our embassy which the SCNC members in Washington D.C have totally obfuscated for one single purpose---to sell a negative image of our beloved country for which, every right-thinking Cameroonian should be very discombobulated to accept such gross misrepresentations and disrespectfulness from these SCNC miscreants. In the letter they addressed to the public describing the embassy’s dilemma, they accused the Ambassador and the Treasurer of being unable to pay the embassy bills and that is why they were kicked out of the building. So untrue! So contemptible and a mark of low-down-dirty-shame to SCNC for these dirty lies!
     And every time they have succeeded in their mischaracterization and misrepresentation of any of our government agencies, they use such negative information to boost their asylum cases, which they often present to judges when they untruthfully represent their clients. The wrongful information they post on the internet about Cameroon affects all Cameroonians whether it be for job interviews or at the airport when in transit. A Cameroonian is looked upon as a corrupt individual; thanks to these SCNC display boys, whose singular goal is not to fight for their so-called liberation from La Republique du Cameroon; rather, its goal is to use their so-called disguised cause to generate funds for themselves. Take for example, it costs a little over $2000.00 (1,000.000fcfa), that is, $1500.00 (750.000fcfa) for application fee and $500.00 (250.00fcfa) for SCNC identification card for each candidate that they assist in processing and in filing asylum cases on their client's behalf. And ever since they embarked on falsehood they have amassed more than $10.000.000.00 (5billionfcfa) through the processing of more than 5000 applications for asylum, mostly in Washington D.C. Their rotten business or scheme is quite a profitable venture that they will do everything to keep it dirty; and they usually become extremely ruthless to anyone and someone like me who stands in their way to make blood money. Yes, it is good to help fellow Cameroonians; however, that should not come at the expense of tarnishing our country's image, which they do with complete malice aforethought or by fabricating lies about Cameroon in their quest for dirty money. This must stop! This is the reason why they rushed to the media to misrepresent the regrettable difficulties our embassy was having with its lease agreement. I will admit that the former Embassy Communication Director, Mr. Richard Nyamboli (now retired), did not do a good job at passing on concrete and important information such as the one described above to its clients. We are hoping that his replacement, Madame Michelle Esso, will write-off all the wrongs by reaching out to the embassy’s clients in a timely manner, so they can get firsthand information before it gets to the SCNC rumor mongers. This report has mentioned some helpful suggestions to Madame Esso, below.
SCNC links the Cameroon Embassy with the Florence Igwachu Healthcare Fraud case
     The SCNC group will stop at nothing to tarnish the impeccable image of the Cameroon Embassy and of the country even where there is no connection between the embassy and the dirty news. Florence Igwacho is the alleged notorious bandit who has been accused and held in jail for defrauding the US government of $75m in healthcare billing. Since the alleged victim, Florence Igwacho is from Cameroon, the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is obligated to speak to Cameroon authorities at the embassy about her. This is usually a routine investigative practice which investigators must conduct. In this case, the FBI has to check information about Florence from the home front. Just as we have stated in this report above, about the damaging credibility of the SCNC, if it cannot find dirt, it will do everything possible to dump dirt. This is what they are doing now to link Florence Igwacho’s alleged dirty hands with the impeccable image of our Cameroon Embassy. This should not be allowed to happen folks, under no circumstance.
     The SCNC members reported in the Cameroon Journal the following: 
a)      The FBI has gone to interrogate the embassy because the embassy has been helping Florence Igwacho to illegally transfer her ill-gotten wealth to Cameroon. So untrue!
b)     That, they (SCNCers) have tried to reach officials at the embassy for questioning but they will not return their numerous calls. Fruitless to return their calls because, not only are they not journalists they will misrepresent the information.
c)      They further insinuated that, due to the alleged marriage between the Cameroon embassy, the treasurer, and the healthcare lady, the treasurer has disappeared from the embassy premises because he is evading the FBI. Lies!
     Here is another erroneous investigative story they ran on April 8, 2014 http://www.cameroonjournal.com/Cameroon%20Amb.html. This is your SCNC folks! As a lead investigator of Nanje School of Creative Thinking, I took the arduous task to find out if the allegations levied against the embassy and its treasurer were true. Their first lie, about the treasurer’s disappearance was debunked when I knocked at the treasurer’s door at the Cameroon embassy and he answered, and asked me to come in. He is quite a friendly and pleasant gentleman, contrary to the undignified figure the SCNC would want us to have of him. I then asked the treasurer if he was aware of the statements out there about his disappearance from the embassy premises, made by the SCNC folks of Cameroon Journal. He answered in the affirmative. As the conversation continued, he simply told me that he has been in his office throughout the alleged period and that, contrary to the erroneous information the SCNC folks of Cameroon Journal have been reporting, I have been here in my office daily, doing the country’s business. The treasurer further explained that they have tried several teaser schemes that could put him into trouble with the government but he will not fall for their useless traps. He concluded by stating that he thought they would have given up by now.
     Let me address the issues that have been reported in the Cameroon Journal article link above. They rightfully reported that the FBI or any investigative agency cannot discuss on-going criminal cases for obvious reasons. They also reported about their failed attempts at unsealing the lips of anyone at the Embassy of Cameroon, to speak to them about the on-going Florence Igwacho’s investigations probe. Furthermore, they also did not succeed to get information from their private source who serves as their link or liaison to the ambassador. Based on their own testimonies above, which they have informed us of their inability to get any information from the FBI, private liaison source, nor the Cameroon Embassy on this matter, prudent and good journalists, which they claim to be, should advice that, accusing and linking the Cameroon Embassy to fraudulent issues without written statements from verifiable sources is not only poor taste but that which continues to portray The Cameroon Journal as a gossip paper or an unreliable source for important news item. If the Cameroon Journal must establish itself as a credible news-worthy source, it must have seasoned trained journalists, knowledgeable on the issues they intend to report on, understand the law and, they must always verify their sources. And more importantly, the Cameroon Journal must move away from gossips to stay credible.
               The New Cameroon Embassy in Washington DC
      Like the title of this article suggests, it is apparent that the Cameroon Embassy in Washington D.C has had a facelift.  And as one Professor Emmanuel Konde who once had a not-so-friendly date with the embassy a year and a half ago, described the service facelift as “a new normal.” New normal in the sense that their new approach to customer service nowadays is the way things ought to have been at the embassy. But nonetheless, despite the lateness of this new normal, it has been embraced by most Cameroonians other than members of the SCNC, who would prefer bedlam to normalcy. The transformation or new normal is similar to what took place in England in 1822 when Sir Robert Peel, serving as Home Secretary, transformed the British Police agency by submitting a bill in parliament, which led to the passage of the first Metropolitan Police Act in 1829, establishing the British Police as an Elite Police Force in the world, a departure from bad policing which characterized the British Police force. My visit to the Cameroon Embassy in Washington D.C more than a year later after the scathing indictment of the embassy’s previous nightmarish approach to service to its clients, gives me the liberty to put behind the ugly stories of the past about our embassy and to warmly shout at the top of my voice, the familiar stories of policy transformation. Alas! there is a complete transformation. So, what has really changed at the embassy?
     In the old embassy, located on Massachusetts Avenue, the building did not only have a very poor airflow system; it was not a clean atmosphere to behold. I see why the retrofitting of the building is taking longer than it ought to have taken. A date at the Cameroon embassy then required one to take his/her blood pressure pill in anticipation of the battle ahead with the embassy staff that were often extremely rude and impolite to everyone, regardless of how nice one were to them. But today, things have changed for the better. The personnel are very friendly and well-organized. You cannot just get up and walk to the embassy without previously scheduling an appointment with the embassy personnel you intend to see; you will be turned away at the lobby if the lobby attendant finds out that you did not have an appointment scheduled for that day.  The lobby attendant keeps a log of everyone who is scheduled for appointment each day and, when your name is not on the list, you will definitely be turned away. No more altercation between the staff and the public because you can never come in contact with the embassy if the lobby attendant does not release you with a pass to proceed towards the electronic door to the fifth floor where the embassy is located.
     We are therefore encouraging Cameroonians that in order to maintain this new normal at the embassy there must be some adherence to the required protocol by pre-scheduling an appointment. If we respect the protocol as demanded of us by officials at our embassy as well as we should, the problems of the past at our embassy may have just been put behind us forever. We should all courteously make the effort to book our required appointments and respect the office of the Cameroon Embassy once we set our feet in the building. If we do not respect the building, who will do so for us?
                       Visa fees, requests for appointments and Passport Renewals
     In the past, the Cameroon embassy three-month visa fee was the highest when compared with any Central or West African country. The idea of the Cameroon government reciprocating what the American government charges Cameroonians who travel to America did not make any sense because there is not much of an intrinsic gain that Americans get when they travel to Cameroon. However, there is a lot to be gained by Cameroonians when they travel to the United States of America. The reciprocating argument that Cameroonian government authorities often advance as a reason for the high visa fee is lame.
     Much to the credit of the embassy, since we rendered the critic of the high visa fees and they responded by reducing the fees from $145.00 to $124.00. Even though the fees are still too high, we should give them credit for reacted to our clarion call for a reduction of the fees by $21.00. Even as we congratulate the embassy for this positive move, we are hopeful that it will continue to search for visa parity equivalence over time in order to avoid further squabbles with the vexing public.
     Our country’s government does better when they listen to critics, proposals and recommendations for improvement and act on them; but they annoy the public when they ignore their cry for change from them. The public who expect changes from the Cameroon Embassy through the Cameroon government must establish better channels of communication and respect for public servants, who, in the most part, do not get paid well enough for the selfless hours they provide to the public if they expect their grievances to be sufficiently addressed.
     Stories of wonderment have been told severally by Cameroonians about the renewed and increased commitment by the embassy staff to reduce the wait time in processing visas on passports. Visa applicants wait less than one week to receive their passport unlike the disorganized system which characterized the long and uncertain wait time in the past. When I asked the Consular Officer, Mr. Gervais Bindzi to what Cameroonians owe this miraculous revival, he told me that they have implemented the recommendation that we suggested by bringing in some university interns who have helped to reduce his workload. The interns arrange the passports from the time they are received on a first come-first serve basis. The Consular Officer in the most part instructs the interns, signs and seals the passports before sending them to the mail room for postage. I watched them carry out the processing of visa quite efficiently while I was there.
     Passport renewal was another bone of contention. The embassy is still working very hard to reduce the long delays since they still have to send the passports to Cameroon to complete the biometrics imprints on the passports. For sake of cost reduction, and to avoid long delays, I still urge the embassy to find ways to establish passports here in the United States to avoid the long delays, rather than to continue making them in Cameroon. The technology exists here, in the United States and there is a department of Special Branch of Police at the embassy to enable this to happen. Whatever the case may be, the usually three-month wait period is no longer the case. We also believe that for reliability purposes, the Embassy must contract the services of DHL, FEDEX or UPS, to use their services in transporting official government documents to Cameroon and pass the cost of transportation, if necessary, to bearers of the passports. I am very sure Cameroonians can trade long delays for expediency and efficiency.
     The reason why Cameroonians constantly critique agencies of the Cameroon government is because they yearn for solutions to long standing problems and also, to help our civil servants who are ever so dedicated to work but lack some working tools. Cameroonians must take liberty to criticize when things are not effectively executed and, should be ready to provide solutions or recommendations. In our previous write-up, we rated the services at the embassy and the performance of the ambassador a C; however, after looking at the transformation that is taking place at the embassy currently, we are indeed generous in our grading system to give to both a B-plus. There is still work to be done and we must all rally behind the embassy and the ambassador to help fix or seek solutions to any problem(s) that may arise. Meanwhile, we should ignore the antiques of the SCNC group as much as possible.
     Nanje School of Creative Thinking had also criticized the Ambassador on competency issues because we’d concluded that, he too, like his predecessors has been unable or reluctant to address the concerns of Cameroonians despite the nearly 2billionfcfa the embassy receives from visa applicants every year from Cameroonian Americans. The ambassador has responded to the critic by addressing the numerous problems Cameroonians face in the United States. The transformational changes at the embassy are as a result of the astute leadership of the Cameroon ambassador, His Excellency Joseph Atangana Foe. We are sincerely hoping that these changes should continue to manifest so that Cameroonians can continue to have songs of praise about the embassy on their lips. We must however caution the embassy that now that the relationship between Cameroonians and the embassy is getting better they must encourage an outreach program to continue to improve on the relationship. To do that, the communication crew at the embassy, led by Madame Michelle Esso, must do the following:
a)      Link the communication strand with Cameroonian cultural forums, alma maters and other social media groups such as Facebook, to provide firsthand information directly rather than for them to get information from unverifiable source(s) that would lead to Cameroonians casting aspersions about their ineffectiveness.
b)     In addition to (a) above, the embassy must also encourage an outreach program in which the ambassador should dispatch members of his staff to annual Cameroon festivals, to communicate issues about the embassy and Cameroon to Cameroonians as well as listen to concerns that Cameroonians may have. This is called Embassy-Community relations.
c)       When the embassy is linked to Cameroonian forums, it gives the embassy information about the very important activities of its citizens, and, it may find a better way to advise the government of the important role that Cameroonians in the diaspora are playing vis-à-vis nation building.
     In conclusion, while many of us shall continue to speak against the SCNC for its negative presence in the Cameroon socio-political landscape, we applaud the Embassy of Cameroon for the positive initiatives it has embarked on, which has helped to reduce the worries of most Cameroonians in the USA. In addition, we hope that this newly-found romance between the embassy and its clients is not only for a moment stay; but something which should also radiate to other government agencies in Cameroon. Finally, Cameroonians must understand that, when we write in absolute condemnation of the diabolic acts of the SCNC, it is not to spoil the party for them; at one point, we must strike a balance between individual gains (derived from SCNC) and collective gains (protecting the image of our country, Cameroon).
    I cannot conclude this write-up without expressing my dissatisfaction to some of our Cameroonian brothers in Washington DC Metro Area who think that our embassy is a place they can go and stroll looking very unpresentable in their attire. They go to our near faultless and spotless Cameroon Embassy building on 3007 Tilden Street looking like farmers from CDC, Mokondange, with slippers and shorts and worse off, without making any appointment but are let in by friends who work there.  For the embassy to continue to be efficient in the delivery of service, Cameroonians in Washington DC Metro Area must respect that office by following all the necessary protocols. They disrupt the flow of services to others when they walk into without making prior appointments. This must stop.

     (1) SINGLE vs. MUTIPLE ENTRIES: SINGLE-entry and MULTIPLE-entry visas for all visa types may be granted by the Embassy of Cameroon in Washington, D.C. The decision to grant SINGLE-entry or MULTIPLE-entry visas to travelers going to Cameroon will be made as deemed appropriate by the Embassy of Cameroon.

     I want to bring the highlighted paragraph above, curled from the Embassy website 


Friday, February 28, 2014

Martin Luther King, Jr.: A Synoptic Account of How the Peaceful Warrior Discovered a Method of Social Reform that Changed America

                       2014 * Black History Month Tribute * 2014
                                                                   
Prof. Emmanuel Konde


Martin Luther King, Jr.’s opposition to the injustice perpetrated on African Americans was conditioned by the system of racial segregation and discrimination into which he was born in the southern United States.  This abhorrence derived its ethos from personal experiences during his early teenage years, which he recounted rather movingly in his autobiography. In as much as King’s economic life was relatively comfortable compared to those of many blacks anywhere in the country, this gave him no reason to adjust to the degradation that Americans of darker hue were subjected to by their white brethren.  His rejection of racial injustice, as he explained it, was due “partly because the separate was always unequal, and partly because the very idea of separation did something to my sense of dignity and self-respect.”   
This sense of dignity was imparted to Martin by his father, whom he fondly called “daddy” and about whom he wrote admiringly in these words:

 The thing that I admire most about my dad is his genuine Christian character. 
He is a man of real integrity, deeply committed to moral and ethical principles. 
He is conscientious in all of his undertakings.  Even a person who disagrees
with his frankness has to admit that his motives and actions are sincere.  He
never hesitates to tell the truth and speak his mind, however cutting it may be. 
This quality of frankness has often caused people to actually fear him.  I have
had young and old alike say to me, ‘I’m scared to death of your dad.’ Indeed,
he is stern at many points.

That the environment in which people are nurtured partly determines their consciousness cannot be denied, and this was abundantly obvious in King’s character—especially his uncompromising stance against injustice that was given concrete form by his upbringing.
King’s upbringing, combined with the revolutionizing Western education he acquired at Morehouse College and beyond were instrumental in shaping his outlook. It was at Morehouse, particularly during his first two years, that skepticism crept into King’s mind and unshackled his body from fundamentalism. He could at that stage see the disjuncture between what he had learned in Sunday school and what he was learning in college.  As a result of the new knowledge acquired at Morehouse, King could not see the point of congruence between the facts of science and religion. This intellectual transformation in the young King also brought about in him a revolt against the emotionalism of Negro religion—the shouting and stamping, which he did not understand and found embarrassing.
Rev.Dr. Martin Lurther King
King had grown up very conscious of the variety of injustice in American society.  He had learned early in his life that racial injustice and economic injustice were inseparable and had, in his late teens, observed firsthand how economic injustice operated while working at a plant that employed both blacks and whites.  It is there that he came to realize that poor whites were exploited much the same way as blacks.)
Unlike many of the unlettered black preachers who preceded him to the pulpit, and even among his contemporaries who collaborated with him in the struggle against the evil of racial segregation, few were as well versed in Western ideas as King.  His education had prepared him intellectually for the role that destiny crafted for him.  To this end, he contributed his own lot by making the necessary effort to further explore and acquire knowledge of the political, social, religious, and economic ideas that made the West.  At the propitious moment this knowledge became handy, and King adeptly applied it to the task of combating a social system bent on dehumanizing his people, with the dual-aim of changing both the people and society.  
walter Rauschenbusch
King’s intellectual quest for a method to eliminate social evil began in earnest in 1948, when he enrolled at the Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania.  At that juncture King undertook serious study of the works of the great Western social and ethical philosophers, from Plato and Aristotle down to Rousseau, Hobbes, Bentham, Mill, and Locke.  One particular book that left an indelible mark on his thinking was Walter Rauschenbusch’s Christianity and the Social Crisis.  This book provided him a theological basis for dealing with the social issues that he had some personal early experiences of.  Although King disagreed with Rauschenbusch’s superficial optimism concerning man’s nature that ensued from the nineteenth-century ‘cult of inevitable progress’,” he still felt that “Rauschenbusch had done a great service for the Christian Church by insisting that the gospel deals with the whole man—not only his soul but his body; not only his spiritual well-being but his material well-being.”

    
Gandhi
        Gandhi’s method of non-violent protest, which involved a variety of techniques—fasts, general strikes, boycotts, mass marches, and massive civil disobedience—revolved around the concept of Satyagraha, derived from the words Satya and agraha.Satya refers to truth that equals love, and agraha means force.  Satyagraha means “truth force” or “love force”.  King found the concept of Satyagraha, which Gandhi defined as “the vindication of truth not by infliction of suffering on the opponent but on one’s self,” profoundly significant. 
        As King undertook deeper study of Gandhi’s philosophy, his skepticism about the power of love gradually dissipated and for the first time the potency of Gandhi’s philosophy in the area of social reform became clearer.  King had previously reached the conclusion that the ethics of Jesus could only be effectively applied in situations involving individual conflicts, especially the “turn the other cheek” philosophy and “love your enemies” philosophy.  After reading Gandhi, however, King realized that he had been utterly mistaken.  In Gandhi’s emphasis on love and nonviolence King discovered the method for social reform that he had been looking for.  This brought to a close King’s search for a method of social reform that combined both intellectual and moral satisfaction.  He had failed to get this from the utilitarianism of Bentham and Mills, the revolutionary methods of Marx and Lenin, the social contract theory of Hobbes, the ‘back to nature’ optimism of Rousseau, and the superman philosophy of Nietzsche.  In the nonviolent resistance philosophy of Gandhi, however, King finally found it. 

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Milestones of the Origins and Evolution of the SW-NW Divide


By Emmanuel Konde

1884
Establishment of German Protectorate over the Wouri Estuary
No Anglophones
1922
German Kamerun became French and British League of Nations Mandates
No Anglophones; no Anglophone Problem
1940
Cameroons Youth League (CYL) founded by Cameroonian students in Nigeria: P.M. Kale, E.M.L. Endeley, & J.N. Foncha, with Nigerian lawyer E.J. Alex-Taylor as patron.
CYL Motto: “Unity and Cooperation.”
Nationalist cooperation
1944
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) founded by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. E.M.L. Endeley and P.M. Kale
Nationalist cooperation.
1945
Nigerian Richards Constitution provided for two southern Cameroons Native Authority representatives, Chief Manga Williams of Victoria and Fon Galega II of Bali, to serve in the Eastern House of Assembly (Enugu). Cameroon mandates converted to United Nations Trust Territories under French and British administrations
Nationalist cooperation
1949
Cameroons National Federation (CNF), founded by E.M.L. Endeley, sought a separate regional status for British Cameroons
Nationalist cooperation
1950
Conflict within the CNF, R.K. Dibongue and N.N. Mbile split
Kamerun United National Congress (KUNC) founded by Dibongue and Mbile.
The Ibadan Conference (British Cameroons to have 11 elected members in the House of Representatives ( Lagos ) and the Eastern House of Assembly ( Enugu )
Nationalist cooperation
1952
The McPherson Constitution provided for an electoral college system and the division of Southern Cameroons into six districts, five of which were to have two seats and Bamenda three seats as follows:
Bamenda : J.N. Foncha, S.T. Muna, V.T. Lianjo
Kumba: N.N. Mbile and R.N. Charley
Mamfe: S.A. George and N.N. Foju
Nkambe: J.T. Ndze and A.J. Ngala
Victoria: E.M.L. Endeley, P.N. Motomby- Woleta
Wum: J.C. Kansen and S.N. Ndi

House of Representatives ( Lagos ): Endeley, Muna, Ndze, Kangsen, S.A. George, and Mbile
Council of Ministers ( Lagos ): E.M.L.Endely, Minister of Labor
Eastern Regional Executive ( Enugu ): S.T. Muna, Ministed of Works
Nationalist cooperation
1953
*The Mamfe Conference. Southern Cameroons petition Lord Oliver Lyttleton, British Secretary of State for the Colonies, for a separate and autonomous legislature. Dispatched to London on May 28, Endeley hand delivered the petition to Lord Lyttleton.
*Kamerun National Congress (KNC) was founded in June through a fusion of Endeley’s CNF and Dibongue’s KUNC to form the first indigenous political party
* Lancaster House Conference. Endeley, Kangsen (Southern Cameroons) and Mallam Abba Habib (Northern Cameroons) represented British Cameroons
*Kamerun Peoples’ Party (KPP), founded by P.M. Kale, Motomby-Woleta, R.N. Charley, S.N. Ndi, attended the conference as pro-NCNC delegates.
*Elections in British Southern Cameroons. KNC victory; Southern Cameroons granted quasi-regional status and a House of Assembly; Endeley, leader of KNC, was appointed Leader of Government Business
Nationalist cooperation
1954
*First session of the Southern Cameroon’s House of Assembly, traditional rulers requested the creation of the Southern Cameroons House of Chiefs (SCHC). The British administration rejected the request and KPP accused KNC of responsibility for rejection. KNC’s Foncha strongly favored idea of House of Chiefs.
The first glimmer of the coming of the “Coastal-Grassfields cleavage” occurred in 1954, when Foncha and Jua left the KNC.
1955
*Kamerun National Democratic Party (KNDP) founded by Foncha and Jua, who made the creation of a SCHC one of the major campaign pledges. Fons of the Bamenda Grassfields, a region that had nearly 57 percent of the population, emerged as the most vocal supporters of SCHC. Foncha and Jua, both natives of the region and proponents of the SCHC, exploited the afon in their search for votes.
Sectional divide, the “coastal-grassfields cleavage,” gains momentum as the KNDP is formed and the case for a SCHC is made a major pillar of KNDP’s platform.
1956
· Southern Cameroons Chiefs Conference (SCCC), spearheaded by Fon Galega II of Bali, Fon Achirimbi II of Bafut, and Fon Sehm III of Nso among others, was founded as a precursor of the SCHC.
Supposedly non-political, both the KNC and KNDP understood the power of the SCCC
1957
*General Elections were contested by four parties in March: KNC, KPP, KNDP, and UPC. KNC won six seats, KNDP five, KPP three, and UPC none because it stood opposed to the creation of the Southern Cameroons House of Chiefs (SCHC).
*The London Conference, attended by KNC (Endeley, Galega II, V.E. Mukete, J.T. Ndze), KNDP) Foncha, and Jua), and KPP (Kale and Mbile), met to review the Nigerian Constitution and to deliberate on the evolution of the constitutional process in Southern Cameroons .
A major issue of this election was the creation of the SCHC.

Leader of Government to be called Premier. Commissioner to appoint Speaker of House in consultation with premier and ministers.
1958
KNPD organized anlu in Kom against the KNC and Premier Endeley’s visit used women for political gain. Jua was the brain behind this coup.
The seed of bad blood: Sectional divide about to take concrete form
1959
Elections. Four political parties contested: KNC, KNDP, KPP, and OK (One Kamerun). Endeley’s KNC and Kale’s KPP formed a coalition during the campaign, while Foncha’s KNDP allied with Nde Ntumazah’s OK. The sectional division in Southern Cameroons was complete with these obviously sectional alliances of the major political parties.
· KNDP-OK won with 75,325 votes to the KNC-KPP’s 51,384.
· Foncha became Prime Minister
The ossification of “coastal-grassfields divide” and origins of the politics of suspicion in British Southern Cameroons, as political power gravitates to the politically ill-quipped Grassfielders.
1959-1960

The UN Plebiscite Question, embodied in Resolution 152 XIV of October 16, 1959, read as follows: (a) Do you wish to achieve independence by joining the independent Federation of Nigeria? (b) Do you wish to achieve independence by joining the independent Republic of Cameroon?

Commissioner J.O. Field instructed Foncha to convene a meeting of all Southern Cameroons political parties to discuss the form reunification would take, in it was victorious. Foncha decided to engage Ahidjo in discussions alone, without the inputs of the other parties. Both men in Douala and agreed that reunification would take the form of a Federation.
Only Kale’s KUP, Chief Nyenti’s CCC, and Jesco Manga Williams CIP, argued for a third option: an independent Southern Cameroons.

Before the Anglophone and Francophone delegations met at Foumban in 1961, Ahidjo and Foncha had already decided on what was to be.
1960
· In May, J.O. Field signed the Southern Cameroons House of Selected Members Regulations 1960, which officially instituted the SCHC. The first session of the SCHC met on Sept. 6, 1960 and was presided over by Commissioner J.O. Field.
Distribution of seats by Division: Victoria 2; Kumba 4; Mamfe 3; Bamenda 6; Wum 3; Nkambe 3
1961
· Plebiscite of February 11. KNDP won 233,571 votes against 97,741 votes for the CPNC 97,741.
· Bamenda Conference, June. Representatives of KNDP, CPNC, OK, SCHC, and Native Authorities. Endeley could not attend the conference but sent a letter.
Chairman: J.H. Beeley (Briton)
Legal adviser: B.G. Smith (Briton)
Secretary: J. Dixon (Briton)

· Foumban Conference, July 17-21. Representatives from the Republic of Cameroun led by Ahidjo and those of Southern Cameroons led by Foncha to debate and agree on a constitution.

· Yaoundé Tripartite Conference, August.
Southern Cameroons (led by Foncha)
Rep. of Cameroon (led by Ahidjo)
British Government delegation

Conference sought to sensitize Southern Cameroons government on aspects relating to consultations with the govt. of the Rep. of Cameroun, including the term of office of the President, Education, the Judiciary, and official languages.

Foncha failed to share draft constitution given him by Ahidjo. This faux pas rendered the Southern Cameroons delegation to Foumban ill-prepared and ill-equipped.
1962
· Ahidjo’s Grand National Party, May, June, July. Ahidjo visited Buea to sound the virtues of his single party scheme on the KNDP and CPNC
The idea of the coming of the CNU was already in the works.
1963-1965

· The KNDP Debacle occasioned by the struggle for power between Jua and Muna in Southern Cameroons. Object of struggle was the position of Vice president of the KNDP, since Foncha was prospecting to move to Yaoundé as Federal V.P. after the elections of 1965.
Struggle destroyed KNDP cohesion and revealed Anglophone acrimony. Ahidjo flew from Yaoundé to preside over the Jua-Muna struggle for power
1965
· Jua becomes Prime Minister of West Cameroon. Muna and his supporters were expelled from the KNDP.
· Muna and his supporters founded the Cameroon United Congress (CUC) Party.

1966
· The CNU Party. In June Ahidjo summoned a meeting of the leaders of the KNDP, CPNC, CUC, and the Prime Minister of West Cameroon to form a single party and all concerned--Ahidjo, Foncha, Endeley, and Muna—agreed. In August the various political parties were dissolved, and on September 1 they formally merged to form the Cameroon National Union.

One can hardly argue that the leaders of West Cameroon were oblivious of Ahidjo’s machinations when they willingly dissolved and merged their parties with Ahidjo’s UC.
1968
· Ahidjo appointed Muna as Prime Minister of West Cameroon

1970
· Ahidjo drops Foncha as his Vice Presidential running mate for Muna, and amended the constitution for Muna to simultaneously occupy the posts of Federal Vice President and Prime Minister of West Cameroon.

· On March 20, Ahidjo and Muna were elected President and Vice President by 99.9%
Constitutional amendment was approved by the Federal and West Cameroon Assemblies.
1972
· Demise of Federation/Birth of Unitary State, May 20.

1982
· Presidential Succession, November 6. Biya succeeded Ahidjo as President of Cameroon

1984
· Constitutional amendment of January 25 changed the name of the country from United Republic of Cameroon to Republic of Cameroon

1985
Demise of CNU and birth of CPDM, March 1985.

KUP Kamerun United Party (P.M. Kale, leader)
CCC Cameroons Commoners Congress (Chief Stephen E, Nyenti of Mamfe, leader)
CIP Cameroons Indigenes Party (Jesco Manga Williams, leader) "The problem of power is how to get men of power to live for the public rather than off the public." Robert F. Kennedy

Sunday, February 16, 2014

CAMEROON: 2012 COMMUNICATION STATUS REPORT ON HERAKLES/SGSOC




A Comprehensive Proposal for a Strategic Approach to Communications

Submitted to
Herakles Farms/SGS
                                           By Rev. Dr. Sam O. Esale
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I want to thank Ms. Delilah Rothenberg of Herakles Capital in New York, for making the proposal request, which allows me to express my thoughts on the communications issues encountered by Herakles Farms in Cameroon. I also thank the Oroko Cultural Group in Georgia, the Oroko Cultural Organization in USA (OCA-USA) and DIDECO International Incorporated, for giving me the opportunity to serve as President.  My services as President of the respective groups at various periods in the history of Oroko in the diaspora, give me the privileged insight and understanding of the issues affecting Cameroonians in the diaspora in general and Oroko people at home and abroad, in particular.  
Finally, I thank my wife Pamela and my daughter Gwen, for being the main sources of my inspiration and confidence. This paper would not be complete without their involvement and meaningful contributions.
Thank you.
Sam Esale

                   Table of Contents

1       Executive Summary
2       Background
3       Understanding of current communication issues
4       Examination of different stakeholders
5       Examination of current approach
6       Recommendation of  best practices
7       New program implementation strategy
8       Benefits of new program to Herakles Farms
Executive Summary
The primary purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the author’s understanding of the communication challenges that Herakles Farms/SGSOC, has encountered in Cameroon, since its inception as a Sustainable Palm Oil producing business in the south west region of the country. The author also identifies some of the potential sources of the public relations challenges and offers some candid suggestions in the form of best practices, encapsulated in strategies, to solve the communication problem.
Included in the paper is a detail understanding of the current communication related issues in the region, i.e. negative press, frivolous law suits and court injunctions; a definition of the respective stakeholders and a close examination of constituency characteristics and driving motivations, and an honest appraisal of the current approach used by Herakles Farms to address the prevailing public relations battle and potential problems.
The heart of the document is an expose of a series of best practices based on thoroughly researched communication strategies, tactics and techniques, designed to solve the aforementioned issues and more. The new communication program vision is intended to create a public relations and communication environment that allows the company to connect with all identified stakeholders on a meaningful level. Additionally, the atmosphere created shall serve the company’s goal of Sustainable Palm Oil production, while bringing all constituency expectations and motivations in harmony with the overarching mission of the company in the region.
Finally, the author outlines the features necessary for the consistent implementation of   the new communication program, with minimal disruptions to the current approach employed by Herakles Farms, and concludes by stipulating the real benefits of the new program to Herakles Farms and the affected communities.
                               Background
Herakles Farms/SGSOC (the Company) is a sustainable oil palm plantation enterprise which began acquiring agricultural land leases in the Republic of Cameroon in 2009 and started planting in 2010.  Thus far, the company has land banks of nearly 73,000 hectares of mostly uncultivated secondary forest, in the south west region of the country which spans Ndian and Kupe Mwanenguba divisions. Although the land banks leased by Herakles Farms are of low diversity value, they are surrounded by four major protected areas of high conservation value. These protected areas are the Korup National Park, the Rumpi Hills Wildlife Reserve, the Banyang-Mbo Wildlife Sanctuary and the Mount Bakossi National Park.
In addition to being surrounded by areas of high conservation value, the land banks occupied by Herakles Farms are surrounded by native settlements which vary in size from tiny hamlets to small towns. Based on various unofficial reports, estimates are that approximately 50,000 to 70,000 men, women and children may be impacted directly and indirectly by the Company’s activities in Cameroon. It is also estimated that approximately 35% of the individuals in the region will be employed directly or indirectly by Herakles Farms. Herakles Farms reports that upon full production, the project may create approximately 7500 direct new jobs in the area and about 30,000 indirect employment opportunities in surrounding cottage industries.
While Herakles Farms has the goal of becoming a sustainable palm oil producer for Cameroon and Africa, the company also seeks to maintain a robust commitment to sustainable economic and social development. However, in spite of the Company’s worthy intentions, which are buttressed by positive environmental and social impact assessment results, Herakles Farms/SGSOC has encountered public relations challenges since the Company’s introduction to the region.
 Many of these challenges can be attributed to the woes of a new entrant to an established industry.  There is a natural learning curve which is exacerbated by the manipulation of the indigenous population by third party stakeholders such as local and international environmental groups, protectionist attitudes of existing industry players and neo-colonialism fears within the elite class. Moreover, many of the roadblocks to Herakles highly honorable goal of sustainable agri-business can also be understood from a domestic perspective by considering the economy, level of literacy, socio-political context and the culture of corruption firmly embedded in the psyche of the nation.
From the point of view of a native of the region, educated in Africa, Europe and USA, an entrepreneur, educator and philanthropist, for more than 20 years and one whose father worked for one of the largest agri-business companies in the country (CDC) for 24 years, I am confident that a small number of strategic changes can vastly improve the existing state of communications and the long term viability of the project. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate an understanding of the communication difficulties, identify some of the potential sources of the problems and suggest best practices or strategies, to solve them. The benefit to be accrued by adopting and  implementing the suggested strategies, is the substantial mitigation of potential security and business related risks resulting from negative press, the assurance of a healthy and friendly business environment and a guarantee of the growth and sustainable profitability of Herakles Farms Plantations in the region. 
                  Understanding of the Current Communications Issues
Since 2010, when Herakles Farms started clearing and planting in Cameroon, the Company has been viewed with suspicion, subjected to negative press, taunted by frivolous law suits, been on the receiving end of court injunctions, unfounded allegations and baseless accusations. The rhetoric floating on the Internet and in Cameroonian business and social circles about Herakles Farms has been incendiary and detrimental to the Company’s brand.  Herakles Farms has been regarded as the poster child of American imperialism and a threat to the environment by a significant percentage of opinion leaders in various forums. Below are a few Herakles related headlines from various email groups and chat rooms associated with Cameroonians both at home and abroad which demonstrate the public sentiment towards the Company’s presence in the region:
1.       “An American Business Conglomerate in Cameroon stealing land from poor natives in Ndain division”.
2.       “Sign this petition against Land grabbing in Ndian Division”.
3.       “Who sold 100000 ha of land to SGSOC for 99 cents per ha?”
4.       “High Court  Judge in Ndian orders SGSOC to stop operations in Toko”
5.       “SGSOC hires Blackwater Armed guards to shoot and kill trespassers”.
6.       “Herakles Farms discovers diamond in Rumpi Hills”.
7.        “Herakles Farms/SGSOC to dump nuclear waste material in Ndian Division.
8.       “Land grab deal will wreck havoc in Ndain, disinheriting future generations”.
9.       “Save Ndian & Kupe Mwanenguba from becoming another Sahara desert”.
10.    “Is Paul Biya selling Prime property in Ndian Division?”
11.   “99 years lease, who negotiated the contract?”
12.   “Turning Korup into an Oil Palm Plantation”,
13.   “CPDM/SGSOC unauthorized land deal in the South West region of Cameroon”.
14.   “Fight against Neo-colonialism in Southern Cameroons”.
15.    “SGSOC, an Environmental hazard or a slave plantation?”  
16.    “Our environment in peril, SGSOC will ruin the pristine forests of Ndian and Kupe Mwanenguba. Etc, etc. etc.
These public perceptions can very easily become reality in the minds of poorly educated natives of the affected areas, who depend on the elite media, affluent members of the local community and their sons and daughters in the diaspora for information and direction.
These types of incendiary headlines have been the subject of heated debates and conversations in beer parlors in Cameroon and social media and email groups around the globe. The absence of a reasoned defense from Herakles Farms/SGSOC has caused the embellishments of the naysayers to flourish.
 In all fairness to Herakles/SGSOC, as a nascent entity in the region, it could be argued that perhaps the Company’s silence serves to guard against the risk of releasing confidential or strategic information to the general public for scrutiny. A risk of this type can be mitigated by the development and implementation of a well informed strategy for educating the public on the inherent goodness of the project.
 Additionally, what is important to bear in mind is how the aforementioned negative attitudes may affect management’s ability to run its operations effectively and efficiently, thereby achieving the company’s goals with minimal distractions and damage to the company brand. Now is the appropriate moment for Herakles to build its brand in this emerging market, so that by the time full production begins, SGSOC will have positioned the company ahead of the negative publicity game through brand recognition.  At this stage in the process, one of the focuses ought to be the marketing of Herakles Farms to Cameroonians at home and abroad, as well as to the international community. This is a winning proposition which becomes more cost effective as time goes on.
                                  Examination of different stakeholders
In order to appreciate what is at the heart of this discussion, one has to analyze the respective constituencies or stakeholders related to the project.  Since each constituency has a different set of expectations and needs, it becomes very clear that the problems emanate from numerous sources and each niche has its own set of motivations that elicit the deviant attitudes or behaviors towards the Company, its personnel and its property. Therefore the solution may require a sustained and comprehensive strategy that takes all the stakeholders into consideration, while staying true to the continuous success, prosperity and sustainability of the business. Below are some of the sources of the discontent:
a)       Local indigenous population

This group includes tribal chiefs, local councilmen and councilwomen, farmers and the general population. Generally, they suffer from low levels of education and poverty, but comprise the general labor force of the area. This is not also a homogeneous “voting” block. Most members of the group are easily influenced by more educated or affluent relatives, friends and local business leaders.  Any word from a relative abroad to a member of this group is viewed as absolute truth. This is the most easily satisfied of all stakeholders, but they constitute the greatest of risks if poorly treated. This group can be kind, hospitable and warm, but members of this same group can very easily become the source of all conceivable human problems. Among this population, there is a strong belief in witchcraft, and the men are prone to making empty threats about changing to animals like elephants, when upset.

Primary motivating factor of this stakeholder group: Preservation of ancestral land heritage, gainful employment and the opportunity to move children and grandchildren into a higher social status.

b)      Local elite group

This group consists of educated sons and daughters of the indigenous population - local politicians, government employees, law enforcement, teachers, students and relatives living inside Cameroon but residing outside the region. Members of this constituency consider themselves the “elite”, more affluent and therefore the opinion leaders of their respective communities. They are the influencers. The group is also well respected by the natives. This group is also dependent on financial and opinion leadership from relatives abroad.

Primary motivating factor of this stakeholder group: Preservation of ancestral land heritage and maintenance of social status quo.

c)       Cameroon diaspora

This group lives abroad and is considered the upper crust of the society and is well respected by the indigenous population and the local elite, but mistrusted by the government. This constituency is spread around the globe. Members of the group are organized in Cultural and Professional Associations in Africa, Europe, Asia, Latin America and the continent of North America. In this group one will meet organizations like Cameroonian Students Association in USA, (CAMSA-USA), CAMSA-Canada, France, UK, China, Germany, Spain, BENELUX, Russia, etc. Also groups like Oroko USA (OCA-USA), Oroko Development Foundation, Inc (ODF Inc.), DIDECO, Bakossi Development Association (BAKDA), All Cameroonian Cultural Foundation-USA (ACCDF-USA), Bali Cultural Association and Mankon Cultural Group, in all, there are more than 30 Cameroonian Cultural Groups in USA and more than 200 around the world including Cameroon.   For instance, the Oroko tribe from Meme and Ndian divisions has 4 groups in USA and Canada and approximately 10 more around the world. Each group has its own social network or e-group, and many groups hold an annual conference. The estimated population of Cameroonians in the diaspora is about 1.5 millions and various reports including World Bank, IMF, UNICEF, UNESCO and other academic papers estimate official financial remittances to Cameroon by this group at about 20% - 25% of the country’s GDP. This group has a powerful influence on the thoughts and actions of Cameroonians who remain in the country.

Primary motivation of this stakeholder group:  Preservation of ancestral land heritage and desire to see beneficial development in the native land, yet no consensus exists on methods of development.

d)      Politicians and political parties

Cameroon has more than 200 political Parties but only about 10 of them are worthy of mention for purposes of this discussion. The remaining groups are fringe organizations who lack a clear sense of direction. In Nov. 2011, more that 22 candidates ran against President Paul Biya for the presidency of the Republic. Mr. Biya of CPDM won by a land slide victory of 77%. The ruling party is Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM), with strong organizations all over the world. CPDM is the most organized and disciplined political party in Cameroon, with the highest number of members in Parliament and government.
There is also the Social Democratic Front (SDF), the second oldest political party with a substantial following. Other political parties include the UDC (Democratic Union of Cameroon), UPC (Union of the People of Cameroon), NUDP (National Union for Democracy and Progress, CRP (Cameroon Reformation Party), etc.
 SDF, CRP and SCNC (Southern Cameroon National Conference) are the main political groups opposed to the Herakles Farms presence in the South West region of Cameroon.  These three parties are led by members from the Anglophone regions of the country, i.e. South West (Buea, Mamfe) and North West (Bamenda). SCNC advocates for secession of Anglophone Cameroon and SDF and CRP are sympathetic to the cause for historical reasons. SCNC, with International H/Q in London, is of the opinion that the current state of unity between East and West Cameroon is illegal. As a result, any land deal in Anglophone Cameroon, negotiated by the government is illegal. Both SDF & CRP tend to agree with that flawed position which has no basis in fact or history. Agents of these three groups are therefore on the other side of the debate arguing vehemently against Herakles Farms presence in Cameroon.
Primary motivating factor of this stakeholder group: Consolidation or usurpation of power, influence and financial gain.

e)       National Media
 Besides Cameroon Tribune and CRTV (state owned), all other News Papers, Radio and Television Stations in Cameroon and around the world that report Cameroon News, are influenced largely by Cameroon Diaspora opinion. Social networks and blogs feed these newsrooms with gossips, innuendos and unverified information. It is sad to mention that Herakles Farms has often been the victim of tabloid journalism in these forums or newsrooms.
Primary motivating factor of stakeholder group:  State-owned media is primarily motivated to further the agenda of the ruling political party.  Independent media is primarily motivated by a desire to expose or trade scandals and controversial issues for ratings.

f)        Environmental Groups

This group is largely supported by activists from international organizations interested in environmental issues that include protection, preservation and conservation of natural environment. The group gets the sympathy of local NGOs and some government agencies charged with the responsibility of setting rules and regulations that manage the use of forest, fisheries, fauna and wild life. This constituency is the most intellectual and most vocal of all, in matters related to ecology, eco-systems, bio-diversity, air and water pollution and contamination, and it can easily be argued that this constituency is at the forefront of the negative public relations campaign against Herakles Farms in Cameroon. The same group occupies over half a million hectares of High Conservation Value  land mass with Forest and Wild Life Sanctuaries in the “disputed” region of country, and no tangible benefits to the indigenous population. This group is powerful enough to disrupt the activities of any business entity without attracting too much negative attention to itself. The primary motivation of this stakeholder group is politics and influence.

g)      Industry competitors
There are a multitude of agri-businesses in the South west region of Cameroon, operating in the same industry as Herakles Farms. It seems only natural that the presence of the Company threatens existing industry players. Some of these businesses are large and well established like Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) and PAMOL.  There are smaller holdings by local farmers like Mambo Itoe, Chief Mukete Plantations, Nyamsari & Co.  Njikang & Sons , i-Makia in Manyemen/Nguti , Nanje Estates in Rumpi Hills  and hundreds of other small farmers in  Ndian, Kupe Mwanenguba and Meme Divisions, who want to be major players in the palm oil business and will fight hard to keep their market share or reserve the potential for expansion.  These are the same fellows who would complain that instead of the government leasing vast expanse of land to “foreign investors”, they ought to be encouraging local farmers through the provision of financial grants, loans and other forms of government subsidies including buffer stock and price stabilization.
CARGILL, an International conglomerate based in USA, is also considering going into the palm oil production business in Cameroon. All these large and small players make the competition very fierce in the theatre, and the net result for a competitive edge is mudslinging on the adversary, especially against the “new kid on the block”.  The question then remains: Is it possible to beat the competition by developing a unique communications advantage at this stage in the game? The answer is a resounding, “Yes!”
By simply examining the following laundry list, there is no doubt that Herakles Farms has done everything required by the law in Cameroon and regulations of other international organizations, to operate a sustainable palm oil business in the region...
1)      Herakles Farms is an active member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). RSPO is a non-profit association with oversight on developing and implementing global standards for sustainable palm oil.
2)      Herakles Farms has complied with applicable local and state laws and regulations, including the presentation of the required ESIA Report. (Environmental and Social Impact Assessment Report), and the signing of all applicable Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs).
3)      Herakles Farms has created a  strong community relations department in the region
4)      Herakles Farms is committed to long term economic and financial viability of the impacted area
5)      Herakles Farms is committed to the use of best practices by millers and growers
6)      Herakles Farms is committed to environmental responsibility and a conservation of natural resources and bio-diversity in the area.
7)      Herakles Farms is committed to responsible consideration of employees and of individuals and communities affected by growers and millers.
8)      Herakles Farms is committed to responsible development of new plantings.
9)      Herakles Farms is committed to continuous improvement in key areas of activity.
With all these requirements fully met and commitments made, one would expect Herakles Farms to be operating in a business friendly environment in Ndian and Kupe Mwanenguba. If the aforementioned “Principles and Criteria ensure that certified companies do not harm the environment, dispossess local people or neglect workers rights”, and Herakles Farms has agreed to and complied with every single one of the nine principles, then why is Herakles Farms encountering so much negative publicity from Cameroonians at home and around the world? What is the missing link between Herakles Farms and (a) the local population, (b) the elite (c) the Cameroon Diaspora (d) Politicians (e) the media (f) the environmentalists and (g) the competition?  What is the main contributing factor to this public relations nightmare?

A close examination of the evidence leads to the conclusion that effective communication is the missing link in the puzzle. It is also about building strong and meaningful relationships that go beyond contracts with stakeholders.

However, one has to acknowledge the important role that Herakles Farms’ Community relations management and staff in the impacted region have played, to maintain a decent relationship with the indigenous population or key players in the theatre. Obviously, the community relations team has done the good job of not letting the situation on the ground deteriorate to levels beyond senior management’s control, in spite of the barrage of negative press and misinformation piled upon Herakles Farms, by members of the local and international communities.

Nevertheless, there is always room for improvement. The aim here is to build on current efforts and approaches, by developing and implementing well researched strategies that will improve upon the frayed relationships, resulting from the prevailing domestic and international negative public relations campaign against Herakles Farms. It is in the spirit of Team work and collaboration that management can be able to develop more aggressive sets of techniques and tactics to apply positive pressure on the opposition and take complete control of the message game, while forging a new way forward.
 “If you give people an easy way to connect with one another and with you, around something they’re passionate about, they will beat a path to your door or place of business, talk about you to others and your reputation will grow to precede you”. Nelson Mandela.
This section tells the reader about what needs to take place to change the public’s perception of Herakles Farms in Cameroon.  All stakeholder interests are discussed based on the motivations of each constituency. The over arching objective of these best practices is to bring all the stakeholders together for a common good, while safe guarding the company’s mission and purpose as a business entity operating in a friendly environment. That objective demands the conscious effort to create and nurture meaningful business and professional relationships with all stakeholders in the affected area, without compromising the reasons for which Heracles Farms is in the region.  As a sustainable palm oil producer, we must be in the business of exceeding expectations in every domain. This picture is captured perfectly by the following statement of purpose by the CEO of Herakles Farms;

“The key to sustainable plantation development is stakeholder consultation and dialogue… We believe that developing a sustainable and responsible palm oil industry in Africa is key to food security on the continent…We expect that when complete we’ll move half of families in the economic impact area into middle class…We have lofty social ambitions there”.  Bruce Wrobel, CEO Herakles Farms.



Vision:
The communications program vision is to create a public relations and communications environment which allows the Company to connect with all of its stakeholder groups on a meaningful level.  Additionally, the environment created will serve the Company’s goals of sustainable palm oil production while bringing the stakeholder expectations and motivations into harmony with this over-arching Company goal.  Our vision is to create an environment which elevates the people in the impacted area.
The broad strategy for accomplishing the communications program vision involves an intimate understanding of the needs and motivations of each of the Company’s stakeholders.  There is no assumption that constituency motivations are always honorable. Nor is there an assumption that constituency motivations are always nefarious. The fact remains that to carry out Herakles stated mission these motivations must be understood, synchronized and acted upon.
                Strategy for Key Constituency:
The strategy for approaching the indigenous population involves integrating ourselves into the lives of villagers impacted by Herakles Farms. Considering the projected time frame for this project, it is important to lay a solid foundation at inception.  This means that their concerns become our concerns and vice versa.  This relationship must be mutually beneficial.  The level of knowledge will be accomplished by demonstrating concern in the following areas:        
1.       Primary health care
2.       Education
3.       Children’s sports
4.       Local agriculture
We will use our successes in these areas to create positive momentum in the public relations battle.
Tactics for Key Constituency:
The following details explain the implementation of the strategy for the indigenous group.
·       Primary Health care;

Emphasize prevention and education. Studies show that “prevention is more cost effective and more sustainable than cure or treatment”, when considering health care options. A healthy population is good for business. That’s the main source of SGSOC’s labor force. Perform regular screening and vaccinations campaigns. Mobile clinics, Basic health education related to simple hygiene i.e. clean body, wash hands before meals, clean teeth, clean surrounding, exercise and rest.  Invite the press to publicize these initiatives. Send pictures out for the world to see what is being done for the poor people of the region. Make it a huge PR deal. 

·       Basic Sanitation

Teach natives the importance of maintaining clean living environment and surrounding.  Work with tribal leaders, clan heads or chiefs to set up rural village sanitation contests, where five of more villages will compete for recognitions such as the “Cleanest Town of the Year”. Community organizing team sets criteria for the contest, e.g. all domestic animals behind fences, no littering rules, well maintained homes, compounds and yards, participation in screening and vaccination campaigns, etc.  The award winning village earns a clean water well or pipe borne water system as a reward.  Because they earned the water well or water system, they will work hard to keep it clean or make it work. Next win could be a Health Care clinic, etc. Always place a carrot at the end of mile stone. Invite other groups and businesses to get involved.  Make a big PR deal out of this by getting the media involved

Adopt one or two central location(s) and install a well equipped health care post(s) or clinic(s) for Out Patient Assistance. This could mean working with an already existing outfit(s). Provide necessary support to establishment, e.g. Staff training, Medical supplies, equipment and medicine. Work with local hospitals, health care centers and other relevant NGOs to provide necessary assistance. Where necessary, make a commitment to provide transportation or ambulance services in Emergency situations, to local health care facility. Work with sons and daughters in Diaspora by supporting their development initiatives in this area. Get some good PR every time you reach out.

·       Education

Community Organizers to be actively involved in Adult Literacy Programs. They will work with village volunteers or teachers to teach writing and reading skill to natives. Also team up with other groups like NGOs to introduce micro-finance initiatives. This Adult Literacy Program may include the education of SGSOC employees. Because of new and substantial cash infusion in the area, money management skills must be taught. Make a PR DEAL out of this.

Invest more on the education of kids. That is the main pool for future labor force. Emphasize apprenticeship and teach young boys and girls the value of making things or producing goods by adding value. Adopt a school and show case what importance SGSOC attaches to the education of our youth in Math and Science and Technology. Equip the school with classrooms, benches, computers and internet access, set up a vocational education department, supported by Herakles Farms. This may turn out to be the training center or workshop for the company’s future semi-skilled labor, skilled technicians and engineers, etc. By setting up collaboration oriented curriculum, you enable students to graduate from secondary school or high school with skills, and the school then becomes an experiment, intended to prepare average village kids for entry level tech or vocational jobs. Establish relationships with colleges of Agriculture in the region and let the world know about these programs. Just remember that Herakles Farms will be in the region for decades, so the company needs to build its relationship with the community on a rock solid foundation as opposed to shifting sand. Institute an Academic Competition Program in Ndian and Kupe Mwaneguba and call it “Race to the Top”, for instance. Base the Program on the results of the official standardized tests, e.g. GCE Ordinary Level Examination or GCE Advanced Level Results. Say, the three top schools in Ndian or Kupe Mwaneguba combined with the best results at the standardized tests win an award from SGSOC & Co. That matrix could be used as the fairest yard stick in deciding which school to adopt for any developmental experiment. The same program can be used at the “adopted school” e.g. GHS Mundemba or GSS Ekondo-Titi, to stimulate learning at individual student level or grass root.

Plan and organize Soccer Tournaments at Primary, Secondary and High School levels. This Program will involve almost everyone in the area or larger community and could be used as an excellent PR campaign. This can very well be a collaborative effort with other stakeholders or NGOs and Diaspora. By initiating a soccer tournament SGSOC shows that the company understands the people and has found the “sweet spot between purpose and profit”. Soccer is the most popular sport in the region. Parents, teachers, members of the community and the entire student population are in love with the sport. When Herakles Farms directs some of its effort in this area for just one year, perceptions will begin to change dramatically. A lasting impression will be left when Herakles displays a commitment to local neighborhoods and integrate the rich and the poor, or workers and natives, who may be drifting apart as the economy improves in the area. This is the same approach that Nelson Mandela used to unite South Africa, at a turning point in the history of that nation, by turning Rugby into a true national sport, (watch the movie, “Invictus”, by Morgan Freeman). Great PR deal.

·       Agriculture

Help villagers to improve their crop yield per acreage through the instruction and use of more modern and sustainable agricultural methods and techniques. Help farmers find markets for their produce, by organizing Small Farmers Corporative.  Organize local Agricultural Exhibitions or Fairs, for farmers to show case their crops and win prizes. Collaborate with local government agencies, NGOs and the competition to assist local farmers.  Excellent PR deal.

Work with education officials in the area to include practical agriculture in schools. Test the program in “adopted school”. School can grow crops like yams, maize, ground nuts, tomatoes, green vegetables, etc. for the market. This activity will generate revenue for the school, and will be beneficial for the survival of the generation of children receiving the education. This is another area of great PR campaign. Have schools compete in the region for prizes.
It is important to note that Social Initiatives are not just for PR and conversation. These platforms must be viewed as business development opportunities (BDO), in order to be meaningful and sustainable. Any investment here will pay dividends that will far exceed the time and resources spent in frivolous law suits, bad press and unethical behavior such as bribery and corruption.

     Strategy for Local Elite and Diaspora:
Regarding the local elite, our broad strategy consists of providing an opportunity to rise in social status based on merit by providing gainful employment.  As the Company becomes the premier employer of the region with rigorous training and good wages, there will be a decided shift in public opinion.  Additionally, this constituency will be positively influenced by improvements at the grass root level. 
The best strategy for handling the diaspora is through partnership and collaboration. We must become a part of the community by finding out who they are and what they are doing in terms of:
1.       Aid projects
2.       Development initiatives
3.       Cultural activities
Since most of these groups are registered as 501(c)(3) entities with the US IRS, every donation or contribution in kind can be tax deductible. These organizations meet at least once every year for conferences, conventions, seminars and symposiums, and most of them publish their calendar of major events on their websites or e-groups.  Participation at these events is cost effective and such avenues could be used to deliver Herakles Farm’s message to the public.
Tactics for the Diaspora:
The following details explain the implementation of the strategy for the diaspora group.
As mention earlier, there are political organizations like SDF and CPDM. There are cultural associations like ODF, Inc. BACDA, OCA-USA, Manyu, etc. There are also student organizations like CAMSA-USA, and there are numerous Professional Organizations. These organizations are spread all over the world, with major concentrations in Europe and the USA.  Each organization has its own agenda. But what they all have in common is development and progress as priorities. For example, in 2011 OCA-USA shipped a 40 foot container of school supplies and books to Orokoland. In 2012, Oroko Georgia, shipped a 40 foot container of medical supplies to the same region in Cameroon.  The Bakweri Group from Limbe recently delivered sitting benches and school supplies to schools in Fako division. The Bakossi group from Kupe Mwanenguba has shipped medical supplies and awarded scholarships to underprivileged children in the region. 

Last year a team of medical doctors from around the world worked in Limbe on a medical mission organized in Washington, DC by a group Cameroonian men and women in collaboration with Med-Share USA.  There are several individuals and groups from Cameroon spread all over the world, involved in charity work.  Most of these individuals, professional, political and cultural groups have embarked on similar robust development initiatives inside Cameroon, in the last decade or more. And some have been involved in direct for profit business transactions and development projects in the country.
Collaboration with these groups is cost effective and such platforms could be used to deliver Herakles Farm’s message to the public.
                                 Strategy for Media and Politicians:
The best approach for handling the media is to befriend them and allow them to “work” for the Company.  Message discipline is the key. Take nothing for granted is the best course of action. This group can make or break a business. Work with the press at every stage. Ask for opportunities to showcase development initiatives. This group is hungry for news, good or bad. Let us be the primary source of good news in the region. They need it.

Savvy politicians want good press.  This motivation can be used to Herakles advantage by allowing tribal leaders, councilpersons and parliamentarians to share credit for the Company’s improvements to the area.  By allowing politicians to share credit for the good work, they become invested in the Company’s success. Additionally, regular communications with this group will improve the relationship.


                                          Strategy for Environmental Groups:

“We do consider ourselves environmentalists, it can be done correctly”.
                                                                            Bruce Wrobel, CEO Herakles Farms.

In this arena, Herakles Farms must lead the industry by example.
                 Strategy for Industry Competitors:
Dialogue, understand, collaborate and build relationships, these are the new norms in today’s business environment. Competition is a good thing, because it keeps the company on the cutting edge, through
innovation, creativity and the quest to be the best in the industry. Set the right PR tone and the rest of the crowd will follow. Become a leader in the industry as illustrated in the following examples:

·       PAMOL has neglected to develop the only good road linking Kumba and Ekondo-Titi or Mundemba, Herakles Farms seeks to collaborate with PAMOL for the improvement of the road. This is good for business and it’s good PR.

·       Another example is the partnership with the competition in Research and Development or R&D. For instance, Herakles could collaborate with CDC to sponsor a research program on Soil Science at the college of Agriculture and Agronomy in Ngaoundere, or work as a team on some Pest Control Research Project at the Ekona Research Center.

·       Herakles could also work with PAMOL to sponsor a Soccer tournament in Ndian and Kupe Mwaneguba. These are all great PR opportunities that the company can capitalize on, rather than getting involved in futile confrontations or negative advertisement wars against the competition.

                              New Program Implementation Methodology

·       Create a Full Communication Department with a budget.
·       Visit Cameroon to evaluate real time situation on the ground
·       Set realistic but challenging communications goals.
·       Build and train a powerful and reliable communication team
·       Work with Community relations management in Cameroon to retrain the staff to perform the functions of community organizers.
·       Specify communication channels and emphasize message discipline
·       Establish feedback loops and benchmarks for success management.
·       Monitor progress by constantly evaluating communication strategy against benchmarks.
                      Benefits of New Program To Herakles Farms
·       Improved  visibility, public Image or brand
·       Improved Employee relations and lower turn over
·       Safe, healthy and better business environment
·       Reduced Security Risks
·       Reduced Business Risks and operation costs
·       Reduced Business liabilities in Tort Law related issues
·       Educated work force to maximize efficiency and productivity
·       Healthy work force to maximize productivity
·       Efficient allocation of business resources, i.e. time, man power and money
·       Guarantee more sustainable growth, development and profitability of Herakles Farms in Cameroon
·       Secure the nomination of Herakles Farms, by Cameroon Minister of Agriculture, as the most Sustainable Palm Oil Company in the nation, by the year 2015. That is the goal.
               INFORMATION RESOURCES

·       Herakles Farms Sustainability Guide
·       Camnetwork@yahoogroups
·       Cameroon_politics@yahoogroups
·       Camforums@yahoogroups
·       Oroko-oboso@yahoogroups
·       CPDM-USA@yahoogroups
·       Banabaoroko@yahoogroups
·       Dikome_elements@yahoogroups
·       ACCDF/ga@yahoogroups
·       ACCDF/USA@yahoogroups
·       Dr. Greg Fonsah, PhD.
·       Dr. Emmanuel Konde, PhD
·       Dr. Mambe Thompson, PhD
·       Dr. Augustine Ayuk, PhD
·       Dr. Sakwe Amos, PhD
·       Dr. Elias Etinge, PhD
·       Tata Louis Etongwe, Former President OCA-USA
·       Sango Sammy Ngalame, Former President, Bakossi Group-USA

·       Mr. Jackson Nanje, President Coordinator ODF, Inc.



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