CI-NEWS

The Colbert Factor: Challenges ahead for MIDENO.

2020-01-29

No: 468

The Colbert Factor: Challenges ahead for MIDENO.

This reflection is inspired by the fact that when few years ago we commissioned a book portraying Bamenda as a source of inspiration for modern Cameroon, many never foresaw such inspiration was going beyond the level of shaping Cameron's political future to grassroots development and determining the level of happiness in the country.

It is the more informed by the fact that when at the end of the year 2019, Cameroon authorities were throwing a celebratory glass of honour to the fact that inflation has been beaten down to less than 3% and the Gross National Product, GNP, pushed up to 4%, many wondered whether this was not a sign of Gross National Hypocrisy, GNH, that a country shy of 15 years to its much-talked- about emergence by 2035, should be celebrating a less-than-one-digit growth rate, instead of two digits.

It is also inspired by the fact it could only be an easy-going and always smiling new Director General at the helm of the North West Development Authority, MIDENO, Cletus Anye Matoya, who since taking over office, has enabled workers to smile to the bank each month with other allowances and incentives reinstated, that could boldly take the world by storm by introducing the Gross National Happiness, GNH, vision to Cameroon through MIDENO, setting a marked departure from the usual Gross National Product, GNP.

Although ace grassfields musical icon, Prince Yerima Afoakom, holds and rightly so that creativity is never sold in the market, it must be said that it makes no earthly sense to re-invent the wheel as examples of what works well for society abound, only needing to be replicated. It is for this reason that when at the beginning of this year 2020, the management of the North West Development Authority, MIDENO, decided to innovate and replicate the Bhutan example of Gross National Happiness, GNH, vision for its development strides in that region, many were taken by storm. For one thing, MIDENO was embarking on what even many countries around the world have found difficulty implementing even after the United Nations had recommended. For another thing, it takes real boldness and inspiration for a regional facility like MIDENO, to be embarking on what many wish to achieve but lack the courage and determination to undertake.

Going by the fact that since the outbreak of the conflict in the two English- speaking Regions of Cameroon, the North West where MIDENO is lodged, has been the unhappiest or the saddest Region in Cameroon, in much the same way that the United Nations at its World's Happiness Report, designated South Sudan as the saddest country in the world, it was time appropriate a people-oriented structure like MIDENO thought of working to bring back happiness to the region through its activities, going forward.

Unlike other regions of Cameroon, the North West Region, just like its South West counterpart, has been painted with pain and blood, to the level that trauma has become a steady meal on their tables. Men, women, boys and girls there have since been imprisoned by bitterness to the point where no development project can mean anything to them if happiness is not re-injected into those communities. It is perhaps for this reason that the new and problem-solving management of MIDENO decided to axe its activities, going forward, on increasing happiness in communities it works in. And since wishes are not horses for beggars to ride, huge challenges lie ahead of MIDENO in this direction. Given that not even the highest Gross National Product, GNP, can turn around the situation in the two English-speaking Regions, only the new vision of Gross National Happiness, GNH, or should I say, Gross Regional Happiness, GRH, can play the trick.

Since happiness is subjective and has to do with perception, the first challenge for MIDENO would be to remove the French label as its acronym to become really English, that is, North West Development Authority, NOWEDA. How would people be expected to be happy in the North West when even structures meant for their local development are provocatively christened in the French language? Transforming it to NOWEDA, as obtains its counterpart, SOWEDA for the South West, would be the right path in the right direction as MIDENO gives the impression of French imperialism.

The next challenge would be having to mobilize financial and human resources to implement a cross-cutting Gross National Happiness Vision. For the records, Gross National Happiness, GNH, has to do with four key pillars which are, environmental conservation, sustainable and equitable socio-economic development, preservation and promotion of culture, and good governance. These key pillars are further guided by some nine key indicators, which are: psychological wellbeing, time use, education, cultural diversity and resilience, good governance, community vitality, ecological diversity and resilience, and finally, living standards. From the above, it's crystal clear, no institution can achieve this only with good intentions. Fortunately for MIDENO, or should I henceforth refer to it as NOWEDA, its new and energetic Director General, Cletus Anye Matoya, is up to the task given the rivers he has crossed ever since taking over the helm of that development agency.

How would one forget the fact that to succeed in this new vision, NOWEDA needs to set up a Gross National Happiness Commission comprising experts in agriculture, rural development, environment and ecological protection, culture, health and education. Its task would consist of conceiving and developing yearly strategic plans and following upon their implementation. It would also require a GNH Policy Screening Tool and a GNH Project Screening Tool, as well as regular surveys of various degrees of happiness. Another major challenge for MIDENO would be to make GNH a process of development and learning rather than an objective norm or absolute end point. Just like Bhutan, the little known country hemmed between mighty China and India, MIDENO aspires to enhance the happiness of North Westerners with Gross National Happiness, GNH, serving as a measurement tool for the realization of their aspirations.

Given that the North West, under whose geographic area MIDENO operates, is home to over 1.3 million inhabitants, most of whom live in grinding poverty coupled with the rapid spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, gang violence, abuses against women and minorities, shortages in food/medicine, and economic woes, it would be an uphill but not impossible task for this structure to realize its goal.

The difference between GNP and GNH is that unlike the Gross National Product that focuses on the quantitative economic resources, the Gross National Happiness index takes into account an evolving mix of quality-of-life factors. It is distinguishable from the GDP by valuing collective happiness as the goal of governance by emphasizing harmony with nature and traditional values as expressed in the nine domains of happiness. Fortunately for MIDENO and for the world, the United Nations is accompanying it by declaring March 20 to be the International Happiness Day, following Resolution 16/28.

And just as King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan told British journalist for Financial Times at Bombay Airport in 1972, Gross National Happiness is more important than Gross National Product, GNP.

The Muteff Boy's Take

SNWOT urges international community take action on behalf of Cameroon’s children

Petition published on the eve of International Day of Education, 23 January 2020, is addressed to Secretary-General of the United Nations, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, President of the United States of America, Président de la République de France, Prime Minister of Canada, Secretary-General of The Commonwealth, African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security.

Dear António, Boris, Donald, Emmanuel, Justin, Patricia, and Smail,

We write to you using your first names because we want you to envision yourselves as schoolchildren, years ago. Think for a moment: what if you had not been educated? Would you be Secretary-General of the United Nations or the Commonwealth, leaders of the United Kingdom, the USA, France, Canada, and Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union Commission? Unlikely. On this International Day of Education, we deliver you two petitions. We challenge you to act. Would you please urge and incentivize the government of Cameroon to resolve the country’s Anglophone Crisis so that approximately 800,000 children and youth can return to school? For more than three years, schools have been closed due to ever-increasing violence. Children are caught in the middle, denied the literacy and knowledge necessary to realize their potential. Our two petitions are small because the world either does not know about the conflict in Cameroon, or does not care that the violence will result in a generation without a viable future. We believe it is your duty to help. At the very least, please use your influence to persuade the Cameroonian government to attend mediated peace negotiations in Switzerland, an offer pending, but ignored, since June 2019.

Not everyone is indifferent to the fate of education in Cameroon’s conflict-ridden Anglophone regions, where schools used to be highly regarded for their quality. The South West / North West Women’s Task Force (SNWOT) has tirelessly called for an end to the violence from all sides, with a return to school as soon as possible. SNWOT also supports the 2020 African Union continent-wide campaign “Silencing the Guns” for obvious reasons. SNWOT’s petition, “Grassroots women call on NSAGs to lift the ban on education in NW/SW regions Cameroon,” can be found here. The Global Campaign for Peace & Justice in Cameroon, a loose collection of scholars and activists from North America, Europe, and Africa, also cares about the right to education. This group’s petition, “Let the Children Go to School!” can be found here. The petitions speak for themselves. Now it is your collective turn to take action on behalf of Cameroon’s children. Thank you.

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The Colbert Factor: Challenges ahead for MIDENO.