Changing an entrenched political system with deep-seated, rhizomic national and international special interests, is always a long, hard, and bruising endeavor. In order to bring such change about, a group has to develop what I here call a protest imagination. A protest imagination is a way of perceiving the struggle for social and political transformation which begins from the premise that making such change is hard and takes a very long time. It therefore begins with a very long term vision and plan, studying and engaging in different means to effect the change sought. It was this very imagination which John Fru Ndi lacked when he thought that the change he sought in Cameroon could be achieved in a short time. When that did not happen, he became part of the government. The leadership (or should I say leaderships) of the Southern Cameroon struggles lacks this imagination and it does not bode well for the future of the movement. There is much tussling for turf and power in the groups but one hardly finds a long term vision and plan. Some of them think that this thing will be resolved in just a couple of years or even less. The idea that this may take ten to twenty years or even more is not part of their imagination. Their vision for the future of Southern Cameroons is even more fuzzy.
However, if one looks at any such struggles around the world, there is hardly any that has achieved its objects in just a few years. The struggles have often been protracted but means have been developed to always keep the struggle alive. People have planted crops, children have gone to school. hospitals have been built, people have bought and sold things: in all this, they have always known that they are in a struggle and the goal sought is always clear. I see South Africa as a good example of this. Life did not stop for Black people in South Africa because they were fighting against apartheid. The fight was carried out in the means of life. In fact, life was lived as a struggle until freedom was won.
The lack of protest imagination among Southern Cameroon leaders has led them to rely mainly on just a couple of tools, lacking vision as to how daily life may happen in the midst of seeking their vision. It is a deplorable state of affairs. The thought leaders of the movement have some hard thinking to do.
However, if one looks at any such struggles around the world, there is hardly any that has achieved its objects in just a few years. The struggles have often been protracted but means have been developed to always keep the struggle alive. People have planted crops, children have gone to school. hospitals have been built, people have bought and sold things: in all this, they have always known that they are in a struggle and the goal sought is always clear. I see South Africa as a good example of this. Life did not stop for Black people in South Africa because they were fighting against apartheid. The fight was carried out in the means of life. In fact, life was lived as a struggle until freedom was won.
The lack of protest imagination among Southern Cameroon leaders has led them to rely mainly on just a couple of tools, lacking vision as to how daily life may happen in the midst of seeking their vision. It is a deplorable state of affairs. The thought leaders of the movement have some hard thinking to do.
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