Come HOME – Bushfaller!

Cameroonian story

While growing up back home, most young Cameroonians dream of, amongst other things, traveling overseas (“fall bush”), returning home and helping improve the living conditions in our community.

Generally, many make it overseas, but get sucked away in the very structured and fast-paced nature of life abroad; while others stay back at home and become successful businessmen and women, public servants, etc. However, the “community” our parents built, that we grew up in and planned to improve largely remains the same, if not worse off.

What happened to our plan? What contribution(s) can we make towards improving the conditions of our community? What can we give back to the community that groomed us and provided us the “values” we hold on to now and are trying to pass down to our own children? How can the community benefit especially from those who made it overseas?

Before the current health pandemic and the ongoing political crisis in the North West and South West Regions of our country Cameroon, it was customary for legions of us to travel back home during the Christmas and New Year festive periods starting in December, for an average period of two-weeks for various reasons. We cannot deny the fact that during these trips we “notice” or “see” or “experience” the community in a new perspective, largely influenced by our exposure to “another kind of community” while in the diaspora.

After such trips, while back in our respective local communities in the diaspora, we are likely to fraternize with our fellow diasporans at a local barbeque, house party, national cultural event and collegiate association gathering, where we share and exchange these experiences with one another.

Most of the sharing and exchange of experiences I have been fortunate to take part in have not been very positive or encouraging. Quite frankly, one would say, they tend to be dismal across the board! The litany of complaints appear to be consistent and identical at every level; poor governance, lagging infrastructure, lack of accountability, lack of trustworthy people, and below standard customer service, to name a few. Not a rosy picture or environment, right? On the other hand, how is it that other compatriots are thriving within this same system… many others wonder? And so, there seems to be a silent majority that are more hopeful, and see potential and plenty of room for progress.

Cameroon, bushfaller

Let’s raise our voices in a collective effort!

There is no denying that shortcomings do exist in our communities; and within these same “broken” systems, a slew of foreign nationalities (foreigners) are taking advantage of development opportunities that are in plain view and are successful, dare I say, even becoming wealthy. While a select few of our elite are scrambling for and over the crumbs, and the majority of the community continues to languish in poverty. Trickle-down economics has been tested in the United States, the wealthiest country on earth and it has not helped the masses; it has opened a wealth gap where the rich and privileged get richer while the poor get poorer. We cannot continue to rely on that concept and expect to get ahead.

This raises an important question for our generation: What can WE do? Yes, you! Yes, me! More specifically, You and I here in the diaspora? What role can WE play, towards the betterment of our beloved community as we look in hope towards the future? What contributions can WE make to the success of Emergence 2035?

Aside from sending remittances for subsistence to our family members and friends, what can we do, to assist in the betterment of our community? How can we optimize the underutilized human capital in the regions? Teaching them how to fish rather than giving them the little fish we have left over?

In conclusion, let’s collectively turn our focus toward seeking ideas, suggestions, and ways in which we can engage, reengage, galvanize, and rebuild trust in the many Cameroonians in the diaspora, who want to and have the means to invest in Cameroon (specifically, North West and South West Regions), but have held back for one reason or another. In order for this to happen, a good first step is a need for the establishment of trust, accountability and business transparency back home.

While some in the diaspora are sitting on the sidelines watching, criticizing, complaining and competing unnecessarily among themselves rather than contributing, a few have to be bold enough to pick up the mantle and chart a different course. We can clearly define which side we’re on. Watch out for our next steps!

 

 

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