thoughts.bolap.infoHenri-Paul Bolap | Senior Governance Specialist. Public Speaker. Writer.

Henri-Paul Bolap Senior Governance Specialist. Public Speaker. Writer. Menu Home Thoughts Books Articles Interviews Services Biography Contact Search for: Long live the Federative African Republic of Fako (FARF)/Vive la république fédérative africaine du Fako (RFAF) October 29, 2017 English , Governance Cameroon/Cameroun , Fako Henri Paul Bolap For at least one year now, the république du Cameroun/Republic of Cameroun” is experiencing some turmoil, due to social upheaval in its so-called Anglophone” Regions, in the Western side of the country. Many and everything have been said about this crisis, its social, economic, administrative, and political root causes, possible solutions In this paper, I just want to explore future, nationally-rooted possible solutions. For instance and since the name Cameroon/Cameroun” itself seems to be part of the problem, why not rename the country according to its own, historical features, characteristics? Everybody there and elsewhere knows that the name derives from the Portuguese who noticed an abundance of shrimps (camaroes in their language) upon their arrival in the area – especially where the Wouri River enters the Atlantic Ocean. They gave the name to that area and it became Camarones in Spanish, Kamerun in German, Cameroon/Cameroun in English/French. Now that there are not so many camaroes/camarones/shrimps/mbeaatoe (in local, seaside tribes languages)there, my suggestion is for the country to be renamed according to a perennial and impressive landmark that has been and will always be there for millions of years. A unique landmark in the African West Coast, from Cap Town in South Africa to Rabat, in Morocco. This landmark is the so-called Cameroon Mountain/Mont Cameroun” which is locally known as The Fako Mountain”. Therefore, why not rename the country Fakoland” in short or more formally, the Federative African Republic of Fako” or République fédérative africaine du Fako”? Federative Republic because I strongly believe in African unity, which will transform the country into a State among the 53 or so that will make up the African Federal State. Fako” because this is an indigenous name, contrary to the given, Portuguese name the country bears now, which is an insult to our collective intelligence as it shows that people living in the country are incapable of reinventing their own realities. Are proud of bearing a name someone else gave to their country and are proud of it, even though this name is dividing them, among other, deeper issues. This will not be a unique example in History, especially in Africa where Senegal, Gambia, Kenya, Tanzania, the two Congos, neighboring Chad and Central African Republic, etc., bear the names of remarkable landmarks there, be they Rivers, mountains, lakes. Taking from Bantu languages which make up the majority of Cameroonians in its Southern part, a Fako person – woman or man – would be called a Mufako”, long plural Bato-ba-Fako” which could be shortened into Bafako”. That’s the way it goes with Burundi (Murundi, Barundi), Rwanda (MunyaRwanda, Banyarwanda), Kenya (MwaKenya), all predominantly bantu countries,etc Other names taking from the Sudanese of semi-bantu languages from other parts of the country, could be found. From the so-called Anglophone” Southwest and Northwest Regions to Francophone” Littoral and Ouest ones, this linguistic principle is fully understood. Furthermore, the new African Federative Republic of Fako (AFRF) , République fédérative africaine du Fako (RFAF) would consist of 15 States. They too, could be renamed following local landmarks, customs and traditions. For instance and starting with the bones of contention of Southwest and Northwest so-called Anglophone” Regions and their misnamed neighboring Francophone” of Littoral and Ouest Regions, taking from their largely shared History, customs, traditions, languages, tribal unity, they could become Sawa North (Buea), and Sawa South (Douala or Edea) Regions on the one side, Grassfields West (Bamenda) and Grassfields East (Bafoussam) Regions, on the other. Then from Adamawa/Adamaoua (Ngaoundéré) to Nyong-&-Sanaga (M’balmayo or Mfou), other Regions could be renamed Benoue (Garoua) Dja-Ntem – &- Mvila(Ebolowa), Nyong-&-Dja (Abong-Mbang), Lom-&-Kadeï (Bertoua), Sahel Region (Maroua). This move would present the advantage of going beyond different colonial dominations, and affiliations which were forcefully imposed upon the country, and of regaining national pride, showing some creativity in reshaping our country’s identity according to our own perspective. Then cities with an important meaning in our national history such as Buea (first Capital), Douala for obvious historical and present reasons many know about), Yaoundé, Ebolowa (birthplace of the first national independence hero, Lt. Martin-Paul Samba), Boumnyebel (birthplace of Ruben Um Nyobe), Garoua perhaps, Foumban, would become administrative entities by themselves: Douala as the Nations’s Economic & Historical Capital (DCE), Yaoundé (to be renamed Ongola, it’s true local name) could henceforth know as Ongola, capitale nationale” (OCN), and Buea a Historical Capital (BHC). The other cities would become Historical Cities/Villes historiques. Foumban as the place where a national alphabet was invented a few centuries ago could become, together with the Noun Division, a Special Region/Région spéciale du Fombina. Historians would be tasked with identifying other locations, worth of national importance or meaning, and suggest measures to honor them. Just some suggestion from a grassroots, but worried and concerned citizen Leave a comment Le paradoxe des hommes forts” africains July 10, 2016 Français , Governance Henri Paul Bolap A l’occasion du récent vote par une majorité d’habitants du royaume uni d’Irlande du nord et d’Écosse de quitter l’Union européenne, tout le monde a pu voir à la television des images diffusées en direct par différentes chaînes de nombreux pays, prises directement devant le 10 Downing Street, residence officielle des Premiers ministres britanniques. Certaines de ces images pouvaient même permettre d’apercevoir pendant une fraction de seconde l’intérieur de la résidence de l’une des personnes les plus puissantes du monde, héritier d’un Empire sur lequel il y a moins de 100 ans, le soleil ne se couchait jamais. Ces images sont tout le contraire des palais présidentiels des prétendus hommes forts”, si intelligemment dénoncés par le président Obama il y a quelques années à Accra, au Ghana. Des palais-forteresse derrière lesquels se barricadent ces hommes forts”, toujours à la tête de faibles, pauvres et peu démocratiques pays. Palais construits comme si la paix et l’équilibre du monde entier dépendaient de la sécurité de ceux qui y vivent, alors que la Maison Blanche est presque aussi accessible que le 10 Downing Street. D’ailleurs une partie de ce centre du monde est ouverte aux tourists, ce qui ne sera jamais le cas dans aucun des palais-forteresse africains. On comprend par ces deux paradoxes, le fait qu’une démocratie ne craint son peuple que par son vote et doit en toutes circonstances le protéger, alors que ceux qui soit prennent le pouvoir par la force ou la ruse, soit continuent de l’exercer pendant des décennies contre la volonté de leurs peuples, prennent toutes les mesures pour s’en protéger. Ou se prémunir contre leurs alliés circonstanciels, qui peuvent à tout moment devenir des ennemis mortels. Quoi d’étonnant, quand on sait que ceux qui gravitent autour du pouvoir dans les autocraties n’ont qu’un intérêt et un objectif commun avec le tenant du pouvoir: spolier leur peuple de sa liberté, de ses richesses, de son bonheur. Alors et à tout prendre, il vaut mieux vivre en démocratie, parce que celle-ci permet à tout le monde de dormer tranquillement, même dans des palais aux portes pratiquement ouvertes. C’est cela sa beauté, sa force, et la faiblesse des faux hommes forts, pratiquement assis sur des volcans susceptibles...