Turmoil - Tacit failure of the systems we rely on for nation building

Nations exist because groups of individuals depend and rely on systems generally accepted by them to rule, govern and give them aspiration for prosperity collectively and individually. The aspirations and dreams of the people of any nation is highly dependent on the systems that they’ve accepted as being the determinant factor or as mathematicians put it K (the constant). These systems are born out of the myriad of things that unite said people as well as the differences that make them feel special. Imbedded in these systems are laws they are supposed to live by, cultural affinity that they’ve become accustomed to from their history, not withstanding the responsibilities they need to assume in order for there to be a road map of sorts from birth to self sufficiency as citizens.

The great systems that exist in the modern day society have not seen major changes to them since their inception with forms of governance like:

• Democracy.

• Communism.

• Socialism.

• Oligarchy.

• Aristocracy.

• Monarchy.

• Theocracy.

• Colonialism.

The aforementioned systems have morphed and some have become extinct, but it is inherent on the people of each nation to especially in modern times determine the solution that best works for them. This has seen many countries with traditionally Monarchial government systems, adopt democracy for the actual governance with the historical echelon left as a symbol of their might in times past. There has also been a blend of several systems in other countries - notwithstanding the ability for certain countries to be administered with colonialism although admonished to resemble democracy (several African countries).

However, when you mention democracy regardless of the circumstances there is bound to be eyes peeled and focused on you. Democracy has, since its adoption in the United States (they aren’t the inventors) to solve their 50 state issues circa 1776 become the most sought after system all over the globe because of how attractive those who experimented with it became this as evidenced by a sharp rise in the success of countries that have genuinely adopted them. However every system has its detractors as nothing is ever perfect; having watched the failure of communism, the fall of empires, as well as the fight against colonialism, it has become evident that; centralized, over decentralized and hive minded systems are not the way to go. Whereas democracy solves almost all issues with regards to power structures and decision making.

What was this solution? People!!! People where to become the system and at the basis, it sounds well curated and thought out; to be fair, It has worked for those who have implemented it efficiently and consistently. The ability for 100 million people to govern themselves by making a few people represent the majority of the population is a miracle that needs a lot of work. No matter what detractors and the shortcomings of democracy portray, there is a sense that this system is the most effective as shown by its adoption all over the world in different forms. Herein lord our issue though, as Cameroonians, we haven’t experienced democracy in all its forms, given with how complacent we are, we are part and parcel of our own problem. Not participating, therefore creating a breakdown in the ability for the majority to effectively be the voice of reason that creates the rules and governs. We have diminished our ability to effectively be a democratic society to the point where we only complain about how the system works and can do nothing now as a collective to change any of it.

Away from that, stands this huge monolith in the middle of all the chaos surrounding us; the question that makes us as a people have trust issues with how we are being governed; which is “what if the system is the issue”, we go further to ask, “what if the system we think we have is meant to make us fail?”. As a kid, growing up under the Biya regime, I have gotten used to the adage “advanced democracy” which as we have alluded to before now could be a “thing”. Like neocolonialism or Demo-monarchies, there could exist an advanced form of democracy. But the further you look into the intricacies of what is being proposed as advanced democracy, the more the complex house of cards begins to fall apart right before your very eyes. You realize that, no matter how the picture is painted you come to the same conclusion; “there is no way we (the people) are part of the democracy in Cameroon”. It gets worst though, because our reliance on the system we believe we are administered under not only goes against it’s on tenets, but has been proven to become a hinderance to the aspirations and dreams of prosperity of those it purports to administer.

In the end, democracy is just a name the “system” we rely on for nation building has been branded to pull the wool over our eyes of how much turmoil we really are consciously being coaxed into imbibing. The truth is we have a system but it isn’t what we think it is, her name isn’t democracy; she is the figment of the imagination of those who seek to oppress us, a combination of the ideologies and cynical thoughts of a select few of us (not by the design of democracy - the people) and a handful of beneficiary nations to make us remain where we are while we lose not only our resources, but our minds and humanity in the process. This is not only evident in Cameroon (although a perfect example), but it is a highlight of the terrible effects of neocolonialism as well as the autocracy and dictatorship that took root and has grown into the fabric of our societies and communities, shape shifting and morphing into the doom that we all are fighting to avoid. The failure we are witnessing today in Cameroon and Africa for the most part, is not one of a system (seeing as we have no systems), neither is it because of the system we choose (seeing as we have no solution oriented system in place), instead it is a failure of our humanity, our inability to love ourselves individually and posses integrity, our inability to rid ourselves of the negative influence of our history - individual and collective history, our individual and collective greed for prosperity at the expense of others, most importantly, our inability to coexist and forge stronger and more sustainable alliances even in our differences.

The failure of the systems we rely on for nation building is the catalyst for the turmoil we live in today, but it is the lack of humanity in each and everyone of us that has made us fail at the thing that we all should be experts of, which is life. Until we reassess ourselves individually and collectively, we will keep falling each step of the way until we inevitably become the splint that lights the fire of our own extermination as a nation, obliteration as a continent and extinction as a species.

ABNC