Cameroon Needs a Leader to Unite and Reform, Says Dr Fomunyoh

"The three R's - reform, reconciliation and rebuilding - must guide the next leader," Fomunyoh asserted, underscoring the urgency of addressing systematic issues that have persisted for decades

By Boris Esono Nwenfor

_{Reform, reconciliation, and rebuilding must guide the next leadership of Cameroon, says Dr Fomunyoh}

Dr Christopher Fomunyoh Senior Associate for Africa, Regional Director and Special Adviser to the President at the National Democratic Institute, NDI, a figure recognized for his contributions to international and African development, has advocated for a generational shift in leadership, post the Biya era.

Speaking in an interview with Dash TV, Fomunyoh was asked on the multiple calls that have been ongoing for President Biya to seek reelection, at a time when the country faces major crises.

"We all know that with the challenges that Cameroon faces today, the country needs a leader who would be awake and hardworking on 24-hour, seven-days-a-week basis. But if the party (CPDM, a party headed by President Biya) makes its choice, that will be their choice and I think they will be prepared to live with the consequences," Fomunyoh said.

With more than four decades in power and now past the age of 90, President Biya remains at the centre of Cameroon's political discourse. Calls from his ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement, CPDM and allied groups have been rife, calling on him to stand for the 2025 Presidential election.

Biya's supporters argue that his leadership has provided the stability needed to navigate the complex political and economic challenges that the country has faced over the years. To them, his potential candidacy is a continuation of his legacy, citing his long stay as evidence of his ability to lead.

Critics, however, see it differently. They say calls for Biya to seek reelection is a glaring indictment of Cameroon's political stagnation and a refusal to embrace generational change.

Cameroon's struggles are well-documented. From the security threats posed by the Boko Haram insurgency in the Far North to the ongoing separatist fight in the North West and South West Regions, Christopher Fomunyoh noted that Cameroon faces challenges that demand active and visionary leadership. The economic growth in the country also remains stunted and infrastructure projects have lagged behind expectations.

Will Fomunyoh Stand If Called Upon?

Some political parties, civil society organizations and even press organs have fancied Fomunyoh to be Cameroon's next president. "I'm humbled by the thought," Dr Fomunyoh said in response to speculation about his candidacy. "But this is not about one person, it is about addressing the fundamental challenges facing Cameroon today."

_{Cameroon needs a leader who would be awake and hardworking on a 24-hour, seven-days-a-week basis,
says Dr Fomunyoh.}

"I'm humbled by that thought and it could be flattery, but I want to thank them and I hope that it's sincere on their part. I can imagine from some of the messages that I get from fellow compatriots that they realize the challenges that the country faces. They realize that the democratic process in the country is broken, that the security situation in the extreme north with Boko Haram requires vigorous action, and that the crisis or conflict in the South West and North West regions of the country warrants maximum attention and resolution.

Fomunyoh added: "They look at some of the things that I do around the world or across Africa and have an appreciation that were I to join efforts with other compatriots that we could lift our country into a better place than it is today. However, I think the subject matter is still premature, and the alignment isn't quite there but I feel honoured that some of my compatriots think along those lines. There are multiple ways in which I could continue to contribute to lift our country from the current situation in which it finds itself."

Fomunyoh's Ideal Leader For Post-Biya

While many Cameroonians have expressed diverse opinions about the qualities needed in the country's next leader, Dr Fomunyoh hinges his opinion on the three R's - reform, reconciliation and rebuilding, which to him must guide the next leader, underscoring the urgency of addressing systematic issues that have persisted for decades.

He said: "The country needs a strong visionary leader who can undertake massive reforms of the multiple sectors that are currently broken and that are in disrepair across the country. We need a leader who can reconcile, who can embrace national reconciliation as a national priority, just given the excessive polarization that we see in Cameroon, the excessive fragmentation that we see, the disaffection between even citizens and the state, the lack of functionality of various state institutions, that reconciliation is going to be a top priority."

_{Imperative that we sit around the table and deal with the root causes of the crisis in the English speaking regions of Cameroon, says Dr Fomunyoh}

"You need a leader who can rebuild, who can rebuild our communities, our regions, and who can rebuild the country, who can lift it, not just at the level of where it was even 10, 20 years ago, but lift it to be a leading nation on the African continent and a major actor on the global stage. And I would say that a leader who can meet these three criteria would be my preferred choice for the next president of Cameroon."

The lingering Anglophone crisis

Now in its eighth year, the Anglophone crisis remains one of Cameroon's most pressing challenges. The conflict in the North West and South West Regions has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, over 800,000 internally displaced persons, and 100,000 refugees in neighbouring Nigeria. Villages have been razed, and the socio-economic fabric of the affected regions affected.

"It's very sad because eight years ago in 2017, in 2018, I was out there with many others. Many of us were out there saying force is not the way to go, saying dialogue negotiations should happen, saying the grievances are legitimate and are real and should be dealt with in a very honest, honest manner,"" Fomunyoh said. "And that the root causes of these grievances should be looked into. And of course, fast forward to today, we've lost tens of thousands of lives, innocent lives of citizens and of people in uniform."

"I still feel that until we sit around the table and deal with the root causes, until we bring into the room the people who have been the most aggrieved and most impacted by this conflict, until we give them a voice to speak for themselves and say precisely what it is they want, we're not going to be able to resolve this crisis. And I will just say today, honestly, as I said five, seven, eight years ago, that no government in the world has ever benefited from a frozen conflict with its citizenry. We should not assume that even if the guns stopped firing, the conflict would have been resolved."

For Cameroonians, the upcoming months are expected to be a time for reflection and decision-making. It is still uncertain if President Biya will seek reelection, but all indication points to him doing so in due time. Whether he runs again or passes the baton to a new leader, the hope is that the next administration will address the country's pressing challenges and usher in an era of renewal and progress.