Cameroon is a country divided. Like many colonies left stranded after World War I, it has the mixed heritage of France and Britain. As a result, there are many tensions especially with regards to language. Southern Cameroon for example is part of the British legacy and there have been increasing demands for secession from the mainland body.
In today’s world, divisiveness and disunity in the Republic of Cameroon can have a devastating effect both on its political stability as well as its economy. Conflicts all over the world have shown that such an environment is not conducive for improving the well-being and standards of living of the people. With this in mind, it is critical that every attempt is made to unify the two sections of Cameroon’s population - those who speak French and English.
A starting point can be the entertainment industry. Historically, the arts have played a key role in allowing people from diverse backgrounds to accept each other and to see themselves as a united body. The Cameroon Entertainment Awards or CEA is a case in point. For a long time, so many awards celebrations in Cameroon have been dominated by french-speaking artists or Francophone which has been a matter of some concern amongst those who wish to see the entertainment industry promote peace and harmony.
Therefore it was a matter of some pride and hope that the recent Cameroon Entertainment Awards in 2012 also included anglophones in their list of winners not forgetting the Francophone. Such a choice should send a strong message to people in the country that they are one and that segmentation based on language – or indeed anything else is not welcome in Cameroon society. One can only hope that this trend continues forward in the future and is expanded upon in the coming years. Even though the announce date for CEA 2013 is yet to be published, the CEA team are doing the best they can to make sure CEA 2.0 (2013) is an exceeding success.
Can this model of unity and fairness be replicated in other parts of the country and in other aspects of Cameroon’s social life? We can’t say. All one can be sure of is that, if the entertainment industry improves on its record and takes efforts to create a more inclusive atmosphere, it will certainly have an effect on others. After all in a country laden with strife and division, unity is an essential component if democracy is to ever take root. Let us hope this signals a small but important change in Cameroon’s checkered history.
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