Monthly Archives: October 2018

Source Based Essay

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Brinda Kemgne 

English 

Naomie Jean Pierre 

09 Septembber19 

 

 

                                                      Source Based Essay: Language in Cameroon’s Politics 

 

Cameroon is a country in central Africa. An estimated population of 25.3 million. Cameroon was colonized in 1884 by the Germans who ruled Cameroon till 1916. During the 1st World war, Germans were defeated, Cameroon was categorized as a mandated territory of the League of Nations and given to France and Britain to rule it. France and Britain split Cameroon into two parts with France having 3/4 and Britain 1/4. These two colonial masters ruled Cameroon till 1960 when she gained her independence, and since then English and French are used as the official languages of Cameroon. The President of Cameroon is Paul Biya. This paper will explore the language in Cameroon’s politics. In this essay, the exploration of four different sources on politic in Cameroon. This essay will also explore the different rhetorical terms such as author, audience, genre, tone, purpose, medium, and stance.  

 

The first source is a video about an interview with Hank Cohen. The video title is: “Hank Cohen on the Political Future of Cameroon.” The genre of this video is an interview that has for author one member of CGTN America. He’s interviewing Hank Cohen who is somehow the author of information in this video. In the video, Hank Cohen is telling the international world who are his audience about the different political problems that Cameroonians encounter. He’s telling his audience about the anglophone crisis, how mistreated they are by the francophones. He is also talking about the different wars in Cameroon. The Islamic terrorists (Boko Haram) in North Cameroon and the West, Francophones fight a battle from the English part of Cameroon. 

Cohen is also talking about the reason why Biya has been in power so long. He said, “that’s because his ethnicity is representing 10% of the population. Therefore, they control the military, and they control the security, so they were in power strictly by rigging elections”. which confirms Cohen’s stance. His stance is that Cameroon politics is corrupt by those people. They control the country. They do whatever they want with it, like making older adults work and let young people in poverty. This medium introduces the audience to this rhetorical term call language. Language is presented in this part when Cohen says: “It’s because his ethnicity is representing by 10% of the population”.  Because Paul Biya’s ethnic group speaks another language (Beti) besides English and French, those groups of people and others who learn the tongue are the only ones who can understand the language. Cohen also has a stance about Anglophones’ problems. His position is that: “Cameroon needs to negotiate with the anglophone people so they can return to the old system before 1972”. He is saying that with such a severe tone. He stresses the word “need” because for him after Cameroon negotiates, the war in the South will be behind, and the Anglophones will start a new life. Via his interview, Cohen has a purpose. His purpose is to let the entire world know how bad Cameroon’s situation is right now. 

 

The second article is from JSTOR. The title of the article is “The Anglophone problem in Cameroon.” The genre of this article is a scholarly article because it says ‘Journal Article’ at the top of it. It is by the author of Cambridge University Press. The author is informing the world of the different problems and history of Anglophone. The author is giving to his audience (world) details about how the Anglophones came to unite with the Francophones. They say all those details with a tone. They are giving to the world all that happened to Cameroon without leaving any important thing.   

They say: “It was Southern Cameroon which voted in the 1961 United Nations plebiscite for reunification with French Cameroon rather than integration to Nigeria” (Cambridge University Press, 3). It is saying that it was Anglophones who wanted to be with Cameroon. They didn’t want to be with Nigeria; therefore, Cameroon reunited with them. Through all his said, the author has the purpose of demonstrating to his audience the different situations of Anglophone. It states: “What was expected to mark the start of a unique federal experiment in Africa soon turned out to be <more shadow than reality>” (3). It is showing the reader how in shadow Anglophone is, and it educates the world of the pain Anglophones encountered after reuniting with Francophones. The Anglophones have a different language from the Francophones. In the article, it says: “Anglophones movement have boycotted the celebration of the national feast day on 20 May, the ‘day of the1972 glorious revolution’, declaring it a ‘day of mourning’ and a day of shame’” (Cambridge University Press, 11). It informs the reader of the difference of stance between the Anglophones’ interpretation of Francophones ones. The author closes his article by saying: “The Government’s continued denial of any ‘anglophones problem’ in Cameroon, and its determination to defend the unitary state by all available means, including repression, could lead to an escalation of anglophone demands past a point of no return” (23). Therefore, if they keep refusing the fact that Anglophones have issues with Francophones, Cameroon might be in more significant trouble in the future. 

 

The third article is from The Guardian. The title of the article is “Cameroon arrests opposition leader who claims he won the 2018 election”. The genre of this article is a newspaper article because it says ‘News’ at the top of it. It is by the author Ruth Maclean. The author is informing the world of the detention of Maurice Kamto. One of the opposition leaders in the 2018 election. The author is giving to his audience (world) details about how the arrestation of Maurice Kamto and several other opposition figures. They say all those details with a severe tone because of the precise words of some of the population. They are giving to the world all that happened to Maurice Kamto without leaving any important thing.    

They say: “The Cameroonian opposition leader who claims he won last year’s election has were arrested” (Maclean). It is telling that the arrestation of Maurice Kamto was due to the fact he proclaimed that he was the winner of the 2018 election. Therefore, the government didn’t like what he was spraying his energy, so they put him in jail. Through all this, the author has the purpose of informing his audience, Maurice Kamto, and other people’s situation. It states: “Police arrested Maurice Kamto on Monday along with several other opposition figures. Including one who was pulled out of his hospital bed. Where he was recovering from gunshot wounds sustained at a protest against the central African country’s longtime president, Paul Biya” (Maclean). It is showing the reader how inhuman Cameroon’s government can sometimes be. And it educates the world of the pain Cameroonians can encountered with this type of government in power. The government of Cameroon has a different language from some of Cameroonians. In the article, it says: “Kamto and his party, the Cameroon Renaissance Movement, claim that they won the election in October. But the official figures showed them winning only 14% of the vote, in second place to the 85-year-old Biya, who has been in power for 36 years” (Maclean). It informs the reader of the difference of stance between the Cameroon government and some of Cameroonians because Kamto and his armed are hundred percent sure they won the 2018 election. However, the results have shown that Paul Biya won. It brings us to the point that we all wonder if the election were rig. 

 

The fourth and final source is an article about Paul Biya absentee in Cameroon. The article title is: “Paul Biya: Cameroon’s ‘absentee president. “The genre of this article is a newspaper because it says ‘News’ at the top of it. The author is one member of the BBC. The author is informing the world of the problem of Cameroon President. The author is giving to his audience (world) details about how the Cameroon President doesn’t stay in his country, that he is always out of the country. They say all those details with a severe tone. They are giving to the world different times Cameroon President been out of the country.  

They say: “while the amount of time he spends out of the country has stirred international comment” (BBC). It’s saying that his absence attracted not only the attention of Cameroonians but also those of the outside. Through  his said, the author has a purpose of educating his audience of the problem Cameroonians have with this kind of person at the head of the government. It states: “Some 60% of Cameroonians are under 25 and so were not even born when President Biya first came to power. There is a massive demand for jobs and viable livelihoods.” (BBC). It is showing the reader how in shadow Cameroonians (mostly the youth) are, and it educates the world of the sufferance Cameroonians encountered with this type of person in power. Through all this, the author also proves their claim with photos and videos, which bring the reader to the medium of this article. They show pictures where Paul Biya was with other presidents not for a problem in Cameroon but just for fun to him. The author closes his article by saying: “So, the so-called absent president had to show a firm hand while also preparing to loosen his grip” (BBC). Therefore, if he keeps taking trips away from the country, He might come one day that everybody will turn back to him.   

 

In conclusion, the author of this writing talked about the different rhetorical terms she found in each source. The various rhetorical times she used are author, audience, language, medium, stance, and purpose. She gave a piece of evidence for each rhetorical term, and she explained them. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                 Citations Page
 

  • America, CGTN. “Hank Cohen on the Political Future of Cameroon.” YouTube, YouTube, 7 Oct. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPHjJdHUQrY.  
  • Konings, Piet, and Francis B. Nyamnjoh. “The Anglophone Problem in Cameroon.” The Journal of 

Modern African Studies, vol. 35, no. 2, 1997, pp. 207–229. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/161679.