Street Debate: Is language used to segregate Cameroonians?
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- čas přidán 27. 08. 2023
- Two colonial-era languages, English and French, have been weaponized by political authorities to divide Cameroonians. DW's lively Street Debate in Buea discusses how.
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This is embarrassing. I'm a South African Zulu and I say we need our indigenous languages more than English, French or Portuguese. I love my language it connects me with who I really am physically and spiritually. Our original languages hold the essence of our culture and all of our african wisdom. I also disagree that we need one language for the whole of Africa. The diversity is our strength and beauty. If we could just be a little "prouder" and not let ukukhuluma kwethu kufe ngoba nathi sizofa besale abelungu
As someone mentioned in the video, they are thinking of which local language to implement as national language since Cameroon has over 200 different languages from different ethnicities... but in the mean time we're dealing with English and French ..so we're aware of that idea 👍🏾
@@brianice3237 Cameroon needs one national language. Surprisingly, it is actually very easy to create a new language. Nationwide implementation will be the biggest hurdle for older people.
Africa needs maximum 3 languages, if Africa wants to compete globally. You can keep your original/native language(s) if you feel comfortable. Nobody will remove it from your head.
If you have ever lived in Cameroon or have at least studied the historical evolution of Cameroon, you might get a glimpse of the reality in Cameroon.
For now, ur understanding is far from the reality.
There are many different problems in Cameroon.
Language is not the root of all the problems in Cameroon. Language is just one of the different problems in Cameroon.
But also as a side comment, every language is inborn with a culture and some cultures are associated with violence such as the French.
In Cameroon, the french speakers are the majority and they're more violent to the anglophones. The Cameroon govt which is predominantly French is mute about this. It is either the govt is complacent or incompetent to handle the situation.
The concept of bilingualism in Cameroon did not resulted from coincidence. It stemmed from the fact that, Cameroon consists of two two UN trust territories of equal status with two different identities, British Southern Cameroon and French Cameroun.
French Cameroun got independence in 1960, 1st January before British Cameroon. As such, in 1961, 11th February, french cameroun phagocytize British Southern Cameroon through some UN politics known as plebiscite.
That was the origin of the anglophone marginalization and discrimination by french cameroun.
Over the years, the marginalization and discrimination have grown so much to an extent that it resulted to a crisis in 2016 to date.
Well said! I definitely agree
I see why Biya has been able to remain in power for so long - divide and conquer!
Exactly. He's done it at various levels.
Only an anglophone from cameroon understand the painful truth in this video, in cameroon our lives are considered worthless
Facts🎉
Cameroon is ONE. Suffering is worldwide. Youths are traveling aboard not to wash plates anymore, but to embark on literature and film projects. It is only getting better. They send money back home and even your Amba boys are joining the program both from the bushes and from jail. I know more about this than you think. I myself went last year when the curriculum was a British novel called Angel of Death by Jack Higgins. They change it every year. Last year it was with Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.
So not true. The problem of this country is not against anglophones it’s against every Cameroonian. Once English Cameroon understands this and looks for a way to unite with French Cameroon instead of thinking they are somewhat being cornered by the whole country at large.
@@junalolo4534 Cameroon is one, and has a great future. Franco and anglo-phones are just terms, but we are one. Have you read the short fiction 'Bleeding Stubs'? I hear the author is Cameroonian. His excellent writing makes me proud as a Cameroonian.
@@univuniveral9713 I have read it on a-m-a-z-o-n. I like the easy-read technique Donald O. Besong uses in Bleeding Stubs: the humour, and the African setting. Most of all, his writing follows European standards.
Douala should just become become the official language ...this will solve some issues.better still..we can have Swahili
Exactly
Douala will definitely have an easy time becoming the unifying language.
I wouldn't mind. It's beautiful! Lol
I am considered a francophone, even though I am fluent in English. The biggest issue in Cameroon is that the country suffers from dictatorship, corruption, and nepotism. My better half is Jamaican. Her country is fully anglophone; however, when dealing with the Jamaican embassy in Belgium, you will find that many employees also speak fluent French. This is one of the prerequisites for working at their embassy in Brussels. Meritocracy seems sometimes unheard of in Cameroon. In the contrary, people often secure such jobs through connections. As a consequence, the employees in cameroonian institutions are frequently from the same circles. The original intent of the system is not necessarily to promote the French language. It just so happens that most of them are francophone. A misdiagnosis of the issue can lead to incorrect solutions. That being said, there is a ranking called the EF English Proficiency Index that assesses non-native countries based on their English proficiency. France, the country where French is from, is ranked 34th, whereas Cameroon where English is an official language is ranked 96th. We should not only improve the way we teach our official languages but also give more emphasis to promoting our local languages. Our school system needs a complete overhaul.
Your points are all invalid regarding the problem with the Cameroons
Well said
@@YourDay67 That being said, you didn't provide any argument to support your point.
@boborigue, you can be fluent in a language without adopting the culture that language expresses. I speak fluent Japanese but have not adopted the Japanese culture nor am I Japanese because I speak the Language. The problem with most of you francophone Cameroonians, even the most educated of you, is that you people see the Cameroon Anglophone problem as one whose major cause is language. Language is a tool to express a culture, that can be formalized through an educational system. A young Cameroonian with a baccalaureate and the other with a G.C.E A/L are different people with completely different mindsets. That is the beginning of the problem. Anglophones and Francophones in Cameroon are two different people with two separate cultures.
@@besebot4944 Culture has many layers and cannot be limited solely to language. Yesterday, I met with a couple of friends from Kenya, and I can assure you that the connection was quite strong. They all told me I have manners similar to the Luo and the Kikuyu. Nigerians often tell me I have similar traits with the Igbos. Yet, despite being just 30 minutes away from where my family is from, I am supposed to have a completely different culture from people in Bamenda. The only region I truly feel attached to in Cameroon is the Western Region, where I am from. I always thought we were historically very similar to people from the Northwest, but if they think we are too different, that's no problem. I don't really care if anyone calls me Francophone or anything else. I am Bamileke, and I speak four languages, and I will make sure my kids are multilingual. I have no impact and no influence on the decisions made by Paul Biya. I left Cameroon some years ago, and I have no intention of coming back soon.
No be lie my people dem. I grew up in Kumbo,NW and spent a little time in my hometown of Ndu and when I was 21,I went to the University of Yaounde 1 and that was my first time in a Francophone zone as an adult. But I remember always having to hide my identity because I was often intimidated by the raucous behavior of Francophone classmates. Another weird thing I noticed was that a lot of times, it was our very own Anglophone kindred who will notice that you are an Anglophone like them but will still keep speaking French to you. This once happened to me in Yaounde where I went into a shop and the lady kept speaking French until finally I heard her answer her phone in Lamnso and spoke some English. I was infuriated and confused. The French have a way of colonizing the mind which is so toxic. Hence, we see recent events like in Niger, Mali etc
Yeah, I'm from the USA and I chose to study French in high school in order to connect with my Haitian heritage. My father was from Haiti. I earned a bachelor of arts degree in French. I learned about francophone Africa in my university studies. I feel bad about how the French "instilled" a French speaking mindset in the peoples whose countries they colonized. I guess that the French couldn't help but be domineering with their language since they went through the same language domination in France while they tried to instill the current French language as their national language. I pray that the Cameroonians try to be a multilingual society and not give too much control to French.
English and french are not our identities guys
Language does not matter. But justice, mutual respect and good governance matter.
Very interesting to have the anglophone youths point of view
Great and honest talk!
I have never ever in my life seen english language so undervalued, i am shocked to see french trying to be forced rather english ... oh yea germany was like this
As a bilingual Cameroonian, I have been hearing about this discussion for my entire life. My parents always complain how they were forced to learn French coming from an English speaking region. But the truth is, knowing another language opens up opportunities. When the language is used as a form of discrimination however it is never a good thing. However we can not allow ourselves to be brainwashes into thinking the language is the main source of the countries problems because that is how we are distracted from solving more pressing issues in our society. We need to change the way we look at the language because we've always have been and most likely always will be a bilingual country.
You yourself is blinded if you think it’s language that is dividing Cameroon
Exactly I think it should have been an advantage for us as Cameroonian to have French and English as an official language but I will blame the failure in the educational system for failing to make the notion of balingualism effective which have then lead to French being used as a tool for segregation
@@YourDay67 I literally said in the post language is not the issue... Tu veux que je dis ca encore en francais?
Étant bilingue du Cameroun de père anglophone et mère francophone, je trouve que oui c’est une opportunité mais quand tu sais que on est dans un pays où s’est tjr au anglophones de parler français et les francophones eux ne font pratiquement jamais d’effort, sa devient saoulant, le bilinguisme est pas censé être d’un seul côté d’autant plus que si on compare entre l’anglais et le français la langue universelle est l’anglais et non le français donc une raison de plus au francophone d’apprendre au moins même les bases de la langue anglaise qui peut leur permettre d’être ouvert au monde extérieur. Après bon je dirai que oui la langue est l’un des problèmes au Cameroun mais je suis d’accord avec toi de la a dire que c’est le problème majeur du Cameroun non! Certains personnes abusent.
@@ikudaisi3852 je suis cent percent en d’accord avec ça. Français c’est mon deuxième langue et mes parents sont anglophone mais tu ne peux pas passer vers le pays sans avoir besoin de parler français. Et si tu entre le NE tu dois parler anglais. Mais le truc c’est que Angleterre à partir le pays mais la France est encore tjr essayer à robber notre resources. On a besoin de prendre control de notre pays de La France. Mais franchement frérot, l’anglais, le français sont pas notre langues . Je viens de bafut et je ne peux pas parler bafut. Ça c’est le problème.
The Barrister is essentially the voice of the Bulu dominated regime.
just drop both of those colonial languages and pick up the most spoken AFRICAN language (Swahili) to unite the people of the country and simultaneously bring Cameroon closer with all the other Swahili speaking countries. Swahili is growing in popularity and even South Africa has already begun teaching it in schools, Uganda made it their official language in 2022. This is a african problem that needs a african solution which is neither French nor English but Swahili
I guess Swahili countries still practice common law system, educational system. It’s not a language issue but cultural, representations, and identity. Let me remind history cannot be ignored or cut off. We have to admit and make adjustments that possible
Canada is like Cameroon but bilingualism is managed without acrimony, even though France always push the French speaking minority side to break away from the federation, and I guess France is playing the same game in Cameroon , in this case trying to eradicate English from the English speaking minority side.
It is going to be difficult to solve till France's influence abates in that country.
Free English 🇨🇲 if you arent going to be fair. Biya must go
Let both languages be made compulsory in the entire country and in 50 years time, the whole gap would have been closed completely.
This is so interesting. This video is also excellent
Very wonderful conversation
Maybe the solution is, a african language?
True. However, this is just a political movement started by some Cameroonian anglophone rascals in the west, who can't even speak proper English. Don't fall for their lies. They just want to disrupt the system because of their envy toward those who have careers.
They can't even speak African languages. There is no way forward for them, except making peace and leaving things as they are. Those rebels are criminals.
These young people wasted an entire video on an insignificant topic not even aware that these colonial languages are a tool to separate and divide this generation while an elder ruler not leader has been in power while Cameroonians kill each other in a country rifed with tribalism. The lawyer is compromised and wants to keep his job 😂.Identity whether tribal ethnicity, religious Indoctrination,
Economic devastation ,
unemployment for the youth ,
Poverty continues.
These young folks better wake up soon and take their country into the future. Too much palava.
All social media shenanigans. Oh Africa!
Colonial languages have united us, rather than divide us. Without colonialism we would still be wearing tree barks.
Brother, I am from Gabon but live in Cameroon. It is a great place. Cameroon is getting peaceful due to the educational program you guys have and the francophones have come together to establish in towns and prisons. Loads of disgruntled youths are being helped by the charity endeavour to travel the the West on the literature program. My quartier in Douala is empty. A friend I met at the embassy says Mamfe is empty. Youths are traveling aboard not to wash plates anymore, but to embark on literature and film projects. Please can you talk about it?
That lawyer of a guy is afraid of loosing his job after this debate
Exactly my thoughts 😂😂😂😂
I visited Montreal, Canada. A truly bilingual city ❤️💐🎊⭐️🎁🥂🎉
This is hard to watch from the US - but a few things. Living in the US - the main language is English, however we have a very large Spanish speaking population with Latin American roots. I find a lot of things - forms, when you call an agency on the telephone, they will ask if you want to hear things in English or Spanish. There are a lot of accommodations for Spanish speaking people in the US these days, to make things easier for them, but also, to do business. However, I'm sure things can and will improve. I traveled to Ghana where English is the main language, but many people speak Twi, even if they are not Ashanti. Similar to my travels to Senegal, where French is the main colonial language - but many people speak Wolof, even though they are not from the Wolof group. Mind you Senegal (French Speaking) is a separate county from the Gambia (English speaking). I am someone whose people were displaced from Africa to the Americas by the transatlantic slave trade - and have seen the US (Native Americans) colonized by the English and to this day, English descendant people maintain control and we therefore largely speak English. When I see our west African family fighting over languages passed down through colonization, I hope they can tap into their own traditional languages and find some common ground there and/or do more to accommodate the English speakers, as is done with Spanish speakers in the US.
You miss the point.
The problem here is not about language.
The problem is a political one and not language.
When you make a research about British Southern Cameroon (Ambazonia) you will understand where the problem comes from.
Before Europeans came to carve out territories in Africa, nothing existed as Cameroon.
The Europeans precisely the Germans carved out a territory in Africa and called it Kamerun.
When Germany was defeated in the WW2 by other European nations precisely, the British and the French, Germany was forced to relinquish all its colonies in Africa. German colonies in Africa was shared between the British and the French.
The German territory called Kamerun was split between the British and the French.
The British named its own portion of the German territory as British Cameroon while the French name its as French Cameroun.
Both territories were administered separately and differently by their respective colonial masters as UN trust territories in preparation for independence.
The British further divided its portion into two and named them as British Northern Cameroon and British Southern Cameroon.
In 1960, 1st January, French Cameroun got political independence from the French.
British Southern Cameroon did not get any independence from the British.
In 1960, 1st October, Nigeria got independence from the British.
In 1961, 11th February, instead for the British to grant independence to British Cameroon, it rather asked British Cameroon to choose between joining the federal republic of Nigeria or join French Cameroun republic.
This is where the anglophone problem lies.
The people of British Cameroon were so naive and not unanimous with themselves and did not resist this ideology from the British that has led them to even more dependency and marginalization and discrimination.
I don't know if the people of British Cameroon at that time were educated of the consequences of joining with an independent African country without being independent.
Or perhaps, their decision was influenced by the idea of Pan-Africanism, I don't know.
In 1961, 1st October, British Northern Cameroon joined the federal republic of Nigeria while British Southern Cameroon joined the republic of French Cameroun.
That's the origin and root of the all the problems British Cameroon suffers today.
Perhaps you oversimplified the issue. France is behind this problem in both Cameroon an Canada, two countries where English and French are national languages. In Canada where majority are English speakers ,France pushes the French speaking minority side to secede from Canada. In Cameroon where the Majority is French speaking French pushes the majority French speaking, who rule the country to compel English speakers to do all official and business transactions in French so as to gradually eradicate English.
There is no other country in the world facing this problem, they all stem from France's envy at English dominance in the world and her attempts to fight back.
@@user-qv3xo8ko8eEven though you are not telling lies, you painted a wrong picture of events. At the time Britain and France shared Cameroon, it was a unit of German territory known as Kameroon. At the time of return when Nigeria got independence the Cameroonians in Nigeria were given the option to choose whether they wanted to remain in Nigeria or go back to where they came from which was Cameroon, and those in the South chose to go back while those in the North chose to remain. Nigeria or Britain had no power to create a new country. It was in the same vein that the French speaking side came back to Cameroon and not a new country. In other words there was no option to constitute new countries, both had to go back to Cameroon. The decision to become new countries would require their going back to United Nations on their own and not by Nigeria or Britain or France.
@@draconian8994
What I said is just the raw undiluted facts without any interpretations.
Now, u're trying to come up with ur own interpretation and narrative.
Even from ur writing and spellings, one can understand that u are trying to force what does not exist.
@@user-qv3xo8ko8e I know that what Germany called Kameroon is what France and Britain called Cameroon, and to all intents and purposes it is the same country. I also stand by the fact neither France nor Britain could Allow the creation of a new country of the parts they governed under mandates of the league of nations.
When I hear of French, it brings sad memories of how these people brutalized my father before me, my father cried like a baby and I will never forget.
French Cameroonians do not see us as their brothers.
There will never be peace as far as Cameroon remains like this
This needed to be a series. We didn't touch on the history of this issue to understand how we got here. So much needs to change for us to have a nation where everyone matters.
You can become part of Ghana to my Anglo Cameroonians.
English is the only universal language around the world, in other words the standard language and Anglophones in Cameroon know it . I have a question for the Francophones, if you were Anglophone will you trade English for French or any other language? who will do this? in what world?. The solution is easy, a federal system will bring jobs, an airport, seaport, consulates, most if not all of the things that take the Anglophones to places like Yaoundé, Douala or any other Francophone area, which means Anglophones will not need to travel to those places. Anglophones and Francophones stay in their own areas in other words live next to each other. Integration has not worked and will not work.
watching you from Nairobi, Kenya. Saddened, disheartened by my sisters and brothers in Cameroon fighting and killing each other over a colonial language. "My colonisers language is better than yours..." I am an afro-phone for the avoidance of doubt. Peace and Amen.
What language is afrophone? The language in cameroon is not the problem, but the political systems behind the language hegemonies.
@@IamGodSon I use afro-phone very deliberately because I use African language at home(my native) and work(kiswahili, the national) EVERYDAY. I type documents and transact most business and other important paper work in English. I am not Anglo, Franco, or any other phone (except my favorite Samsung which I prefer most). A proud African like me has refused to be "-phoned" by my historical colonizer.
@@SGOA32178 most cameroonians know a native language. You think their problem is the language of communication in the community? 🤣🤣
@@IamGodSon they must STOP this nonsense of a war in the name of this -phone vs thay -phone. They must call themselves afro phones. This is my main point. I find it sad that we ridicule each other for not speaking the colonizers language properly, its just utter nonsense
@@SGOA32178if u were using your native language here, i will have respect u but u are also writing in a colonial language, that tells me u are a mumu.😂
Nice documentary
Wow, i feel the same way about the english language here as a US born citizen too! Its reminds me of slavery
Oh, best so far. Frank discuss!! There is solution in truth. Doom in lies. When people clap for lies telling they are merely preparing for chaos. So glad to see people from Cameroon English who can tell bold truth. You are God's people. You sweeten my spiritual soul. Thank you my brothers and sisters. May God bless you all.
Lies will always want to make space for itself by crook. Let truth never give lie a space. Truth is God and God is truth and should be maintained by all cost.
We do not want to work in Douala or Yaounde. Create jobs for us in our regions let us remain there
I'm a Nigerian and I wish the anglophone part of Cameroon were part of Nigeria. They are like us and speak just like us. 😑
The SOLUTION: Just create ONE NATIONAL LANGUAGE...... English and French can remain as second Languages.
Why would honoring a language of people who you barely know anything about and can never actually become without losing yourself be of benefit to your kind?
The fear of equality amongst Whites is well hidden like the very slow discovery that native Africans embark on while attempting to make sense of themselves.
Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen in 1902:
'Sooner or later it must lead to a clash between Blacks and Whites. I cannot see millions of educated [Black] Africans, as there will be 100 years time, submitting tamely to White domination, after all it is an African country and they will demand [dominance]. Then blood will be spilled, and I have little doubt about the eventual outcome.'
czcams.com/users/clipUgkx5-gaoXn3jvQjLjRMcEqrN_T3Nfl4yKOR?si=ZCResqwk34k2doCZ
Erik Prince February 2024
'If so many of these countries around the world are incapable of governing themselves, it’s time for us to just put the imperial hat back on, to say, we’re going to govern those countries … ’cause enough is enough, we’re done being invaded. …
You can say that about pretty much all of Africa, they’re incapable of governing themselves.'
theintercept.com/2024/02/10/erik-prince-off-leash-imperialism-colonialism/
A bilingual cameroonian is armed to face the world
I couldn't agree more
That's just a fictitious belief.
How many bilingual nations are in the world if there is no mutual respect and justice ?
@@user-qv3xo8ko8e The same thing applies to all countries in the world. As soon as there is no mutual respect and justice, the future of a country is jeopardized. Only a lawless minority of people would benefit from such a system.
@@boborigue
Question:
Is there mutual respect and justice in Cameroun ?
Bilingualism is an obligation by the state to the people and not the other way round.
My family is from Bafoussam and a good sign for me to see if two ethnic groups get along well is intermarriage. Families won’t complain that much if a Bamileke wanna marry a Bamenda. I know a lot of such intermarriages in my family and among my friends. However, people won’t usually be so excited about a marriage between a Beti and a Bamileke. Nowadays, a growing number of people don't care about the tribe of their lover. When my parents were younger, it was more restrictive. It was common to marry only within your tribe, nowadays, people accept each other quite seamlessly. I think Cameroonians as people have been integrating relatively well whereas the Government has been extraordinarily good at dividing the country. For e.g a good amount of Government officials in the West Region are Betis. They are the main ones to get the entrance to ENAM. Even though we all speak French, people don’t like it. In the North West region, this way of governance proved to be total nonsense because the officials don’t even bother to speak English. So the whole thing comes down to a Government consistently practicing corruption, nepotism, and tribalism. The language issue is just the straw that broke the camel's back.
As an African American this is tough to Handle. I would just let my phone speak to people. Always has wifi and data. Having no Data can harm you
Learn your own language, and use the largest majority tribe language as business like senegal did
African we are easily influenced please let's stick together and we shouldn't let language separate us. This is political and has nothing to do with us.
The problem here is not about language.
The problem is a political one and not language.
When you make a research about the history of British Southern Cameroon (Ambazonia) you will understand where the problem comes from.
Before Europeans came to carve out territories in Africa, nothing existed as Cameroon.
The Europeans precisely the Germans carved out a territory in Africa and called it Kamerun.
When Germany was defeated in the WW2 by other European nations precisely, the British and the French, Germany was forced to relinquish all its colonies in Africa. German colonies in Africa was shared between the British and the French.
The German territory called Kamerun was split between the British and the French.
The British named its own portion of the German territory as British Cameroon while the French name its as French Cameroun.
Both territories were administered separately and differently by their respective colonial masters as UN trust territories in preparation for independence.
The British further divided its portion into two and named them as British Northern Cameroon and British Southern Cameroon.
In 1960, 1st January, French Cameroun got political independence from the French.
British Southern Cameroon did not get any independence from the British.
In 1960, 1st October, Nigeria got independence from the British.
In 1961, 11th February, instead for the British to grant independence to British Cameroon, it rather asked British Cameroon to choose between joining the federal republic of Nigeria or join French Cameroun republic.
This is where the anglophone problem lies.
The people of British Cameroon were so naive and not unanimous with themselves and did not resist this ideology from the British that has led them to even more dependency and marginalization and discrimination.
I don't know if the people of British Cameroon at that time were educated of the consequences of joining with an independent African country without being independent.
Or perhaps, their decision was influenced by the idea of Pan-Africanism, I don't know.
In 1961, 1st October, British Northern Cameroon joined the federal republic of Nigeria while British Southern Cameroon joined the republic of French Cameroun.
That's the origin and root of the all the problems British Cameroon suffers today.
I feel there's a lot of confusion and mixing up several different problems in just one debate, although they might be linked. When it comes to bilingualism in practice - if someone from Quebec (Canada) goes to work or live in another (anglophone) province such as Alberta, they have to use English. And vice versa. Same in Belgium, if you're from the Flemish part and go to work in Wallonia, for instance, you have to do it in French. And vice versa. Not everybody is going to know the language of your part, even if you're from the same country. Especially if one language dominates on the nation level (which is usually true everywhere, because the majority speaks it). That doesn't mean, of course, that you shouldn't be able to fully live in your language in the linguistic region you're from, but expecting that everyone speaks your language everywhere in the country if you are a minority language speaker, is just deeply unrealistic, naive and absurd. Other aspects of the debate - the political system, economic development and colonialism are somewhat different issues although somewhat linked.
I understand what you are saying: Cameroonian Anglophones should make an effort to learn French if they work in Francophone zones. However, it should also be vice versa. The problem is that when Francophones go to Anglophone zones, they expect everyone to understand them. One notable difference about Cameroon is that most of the decisions are made at the national level, unlike Canada, where Quebec has regional autonomy, allowing for many decisions to be made at the regional level. In Cameroon, most decisions are made at the national level, which is predominantly Francophone. Some government decisions are announced only in French, and, more ridiculously, sometimes the government sends people who can't speak English at all to Anglophone areas. However, things are slowly getting better
@@genius4309 I see, thanks for contributing some additional facts to the debate 🙂
@@genius4309things are getting better slowly? Are you damn serious after an active war going on with thousands killed already. It’s sad people don’t say the truth
Your discernment is unmatched . The one gentleman that spoke about the institution and structure , hit the arrow on the spot .
If we want 50/50 we should highlight more English (the government ) because nowadays English in an international language and a very important language in businesses. As we know most Cameroonians are francophone so we should equal it by putting the administration in English ( police station, Hotels, consulate etc… ) by giving an period of adaptation of maybe 5 years for francophone to learn English and don’t worry they will know how to speak English ( not maybe fluently but they could be able to have a conversation easily ) and about french, French will not disepear because at home francophone people will speak French. That is how I see
Smart proposition. That's happening in Mauritius actually!
It was very hot ...you can be the change we want in Cameroon today.
The President of Rwanda never speaks in French, French lanaguage is actually racist
The lawyer keeps on refering to the private sector. Thats clearly not where the issue lies. It has to do with opportunities in the public sector where the government is supposed to manage. State institutions. At moment there are very few chances you can work in any state institution in yaounde without proficiency in french whereas you can cleary do without english. The government needs to ensure same rules applies to enforce bilingualism. As long as people will hold these positions without masterimg both languages the prospects of having a country with full bilingualism is doomed to fail. A gentleman talked about the outside world not even knowing cameroon is also an english speaking country. Spot on. Absolutely true. And thats why despite studying and being fluent jn English anglophones are still required by many universities to sit for english proficiency tests like TOEFL, IELTS etc. For the student I can only imagine how painful this.might be especially when you finally start studying and realise you are the one correcting your American or English friends reasesrch reports or dissertations .
Anglophones in Cameroon are stigmatized and marginalized by the French Cameroun govt system.
The Cameroun govt have no regards for bilingualism.
The govt does not even implement it.
Bilingualism is an assimilation tool used by the francophone govt of Cameroun to gradually eradicate the English language from Southern Cameroon just as the French colonial master did.
Bilingualism is not supposed to be a free market affair.
It is supposed to be an affair strictly and properly supervised and controlled by the govt in a manner that protects the vulnerable minority population of English speakers.
Unfortunately, the government's efforts are lax.
Also, bilingualism is supposed to be a government service and not an individual/private service.
Bilingualism is very costly.
Truly, bilingualism is a curse.
The Cameroun govt is not and never serious about bilingualism.
Bilingualism is just a joke in Cameroun.
I'm francophone but I feel really comfortable with English language.
Funny country instead of using this diversity as an advantage we actually use it against each other .. 😂
One part speaks French another part speaks English. Everybody has got its language preference thats where the problem come in .
The Anglo-phones are not smart. They can learn the French , masquerade and change the Country from within with subterfuge. Complaining will not solve the issue.
I understand what they are saying the government is using french officially rather than using both languages. I felt the same way in Germany as an English speaker although I know it's not the same because it's germany but I got an insight
german is the only official language of germany.
The second speaker is a Francophone not an Anglophone. U can tell from her English accent. Off8cial languages in Africa have been a Curse.
To me Bilingualism is a blessing and not a curse but the citizens are kind of making it a curse because the citizens especially the French speaking part of Cameroon see themselves superior over the English people since they are the minority.
At the individual level, it is a blessing. But the institutional level, it is a system of oppression.
I can’t believe that in such a conversation the moderator barely gave Bochum Samuel the chance to speak
Désolé de devoir écrire en français, c'est dans cette langue que je peux exprimer clairement mes pensées.
Vous avez raison, les politiques gouvernementales ne sont pas assez pragmatiques quant à l'implémentation du bilinguisme au Cameroun. Cependant je tiens à relativiser. Beaucoup d'efforts sont fournis pour que les choses aillent pour le mieux.
Mais soyons aussi honnêtes, il y a 10 régions au Cameroun, 8 sont francophones et vous vous attendez à quel miracle? Le français est et restera largement utilisé au Cameroun. Il va falloir faire avec!
Il y a les zones au Cameroun où tu apprends même l'anglais mais tu n'as personne autour de toi avec qui parler, tu fais comment? On apprend pas une langue pour ne jamais l'utiliser.
Je me suis personnellement formé en anglais (américain) pendant trois ans et j'ai tour à tour vécu à Douala et à Yaoundé, personne ne te parle anglais, même pas les ANGLOPHONES. Tu leur parles en anglais ils répondent en FRANÇAIS. Bref moi j'ai arrêté d'essayer de parler l'anglais dans ce pays, cette langue ne me sert que sur CZcams.
La meilleure solution actuellement serait de développer suffisamment la zone anglophone pour qu'elle soit autonome et attrayante, ainsi, les anglophones ne seront plus obligés d'apprendre le français pour SURVIVRE.
10:43 this man is speaking facts
I think there are more Francophones who try to speak English than us Anglophones who try to speak French.
Thank you my brother, we don't send our children to Francophone schools while they send their children to Anglophone schools.
You must be joking.
Do you have statistics to back those claims? I think you're making an unproven assumption
Unproven assumptions? Please just go to University Buea and check the number of Francophones students there then go to University of Yaoundé and check the number of Anglophones there then compare the numbers.
We Anglophones, all we think of schooling is staying in English schools. I schooled with a lot of Francophones who today speak French and English but I can't even express myself in French to save my life. And we keep repeating the same mistake over and over while we blame the government instead of taking the matter into our hands and seeing how to contribute to a solution.
The reality is that Cameroon has more French regions than English so by virtue French will always dominate our sphere of interaction and dealings.
@@IamGodSon haha 😂, I'm not joking. Rather me complaining I should connect with reality and sort a solution that will give positional advantage.
I also think 🤔 we're forgetting that Cameroon is under a grouping called CEMAC and all the other countries under that grouping are French speak and most or all affairs are conducted in French.
The day I went to the GIMAC office in BEAC. Right from the gate all of them are trying to communicate with me in English than I could even respond or understand a line in French.
Anglophones please we should calm down and instead of complaining, let's learn French and we'll be better for it.
Unbelievable. The lawyer trying to defend a failed government. This is typical of Anglophones who have sold their souls for a little penny. Firstly there is no bilingualism in Cameroon. Might be written on a piece of paper but not in practice or neither promoted.. Please visit belgium, Switzerland or Canada to see for yourselves what it means. A simple example I always give. Driving from Buea to Kumba, mile 2.9 hill can you believe there is a sign post at the side of the road just infront super mount company. Warning drivers only in french to slow down. So tell me, if our English speaking dad or mum was driving, they will obviously not understand and get into an accident. So it's clearly a curse to anglophones given not fully implemented.
I was born in Canada but my parents are from Cameroon. Everybody knows that Canada is a bilingual country. But how they do that even though the French is minority. Given them more advantages to avoid a somehow take over(coup d’état) as in Cameroon. Literally a civil war. That’s disgraceful. We are blessed brothers and sisters by God. We’ve got everything but we do nothing.
I didn’t specify that I’m from the French side(Bamendjou-Bami).
Genuine question - is there not a common African language that Cameroonians can use to communicate or is it only English or French that is commonly spoken in the country? For example if you go to the marketplace would you be hearing English/French or an African language?
That language would be Cameroonian pidgin english. Cameroon is very divers. depending on where you go, the language spoken on a market will change. In the northern part it will be Fulani, in the southern english speaking zones it will be Cameroonian pidgin, english, and local languages, in the southern french speaking areas it will be french and local languages. But when people can not understand each other they will more likely speak Cameroonian pidgin english, which most people can at least struggle to understand and talk.
the problem here is not really the communication between the people, but the administrative inclusion of non french speakers
@@robsakinho9325 thank you for explanation it is very helpful.
Just modelled everything on Canada
But even Quebec got some issues with that
You guys and gals. Believe it or not there are areas in America where we have similar problems. Not necessarily with the government though. A simple solution is to mandate that government documents and institutions implement having translations in documents and services. English and French translators may also be employed in offices to help. Seems like a simple solution but of course I'm on the outside looking in.
The country should include both English & French institutions nationwide. Official documents must be in both languages to ensure equal access.
"The French learn English as a necessity. We the English people learn French to survive."
~@PenBoy237~
The "japa" rate now makes sense.🤔
Fabrice Lena nailed it down - 10:37 16:40 and 24:20
Sounds like the government is the problem. If you are going to say you are a bilingual nation the both languages should be taught from grade school up. Sounds like the government is under heavy French influence. Those people need to power don’t often like to share. It’s sad, because as one in the diaspora the same people fighting each other a division caused by colonialism. You are Cameroonians you are one people show empathy for one another. Don’t be selfish.
It’s not a curse it’s a blessing. All you have to do is get a translator
1:01 interesting
If Cameroon claims to be a bilingual country then why are the both languages not taught in all primary and secondary schools? Both languages should be compulsory for all Cameroonian students, so that no Cameroonian goes to another region of the country and feel like they are abroad.
French is being taught in many Nigerian schools and they say the reason is because it's the official language of our neighbouring countries.
If the "majority" of the people who are in government and are said to be the major cause of this problem only understand French, then why is this video not given a French subtitle to let some of them who may see this video understand the pains of their fellow citizens.
Love from Nigeria. The British said I'm a Nigerian.
Africans unite!
It's laughable to see 2 lions, debating whether they should be speaking duck or crow.
These are colonizers languages, which shouldn't be issues of colonized people.
As a Panafricanist, we want a single language in Africa.
Swahili language will be, by the grace of God.
From 🇬🇳 Guinea Conakry. May God bless Africa our motherland ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤.
And who has approved this Swahili for everybody?
@@ngalahansel6066Swahili would be great..
@@ngalahansel6066u think China didn't have many languages ? Or India?..for the greater good we nee linguistic unity
@@ngalahansel6066 we will approve it. Please let us coming together as one in order to create a single Black Nation. Please we are begging you people for us to move forward.
Cameroon has 250 indigenous languages; none is Swahili. We have no connection with that language. You can't make that decision for us, for Africa.
Why have they all gathered??
Why is life so hard
This barrister is speaking with water in his mouth.
It should be one African language and not European language spoken in Cameroon 🇨🇲 😊
More Google Translate can solve these problems
4:00 wow. These languages are not even native to the country- English and french and the indigens are fighting over two foreign languages.
Hi
Ezigbo mkparịta ụka na arụmụka onye kwuo uche ya ebe a. Asụsụ bekee mara mma nke ukwuu. French bụ nnukwu akwụkwọ edemede na mmepeanya French ka a ga-asọpụrụ; N'ụzọ doro anya, ndị na-achị French na-eme ihe ziri ezi ma na-enye ike karịa ndị Britain, ndị na-asụ Bekee; Hapụ ndị Belgium (ha ha.) Ma ihe a niile bụ ntakịrị trite; Asụsụ bụ ụdị nkwupụta okwu abụghị isi okwu; na ozi anyị abụghị otu nke imperialism kama nke itinye ego na iwulite mmepeanya na ala Cameroon dị ka anyị na-eme; O doro anya na ọ na-akwado mbupụ ole na ole mana ọ na-ewu ewu na Cameroon. Eleghị anya ị maara ụfọdụ n'ime ihe ndị anyị chọrọ na nloghachi; na kacha mma kwuru na French.
Ọ bụghị naanị na m na-asụ Bekee, m bụ nnukwu ọkà mmụta Bekee; miri emi na akụkọ ihe mere eme na m kpụrụ asụsụ karịa onye ọ bụla kemgbe Shakespeare. Mana French na-atọ ụtọ ịgụ akwụkwọ. Noblesse Oblige.
I thought Cameroon was a French speaking country Lol
Point no.1. I am glad you say this. Fact that Cameroon is known as a French speaking country all over the world, it speaks for itself the hidden injustices going on. everybody should do a research on this and you will know the truth.
Good to know though, I would probably visit now that I know I can communicate with people there. @@fredduru6450
So cameroon is a bilingual country? 😂😂
Most English speaking Cameroonians are more bilingual than the French speaking Cameroonians; out of necessity o survive in Cameroon with 80% French speakers. English is the business language of the world. While if Africans stop speaking French, the French language will go extinct. Even in China the street names are written in Chinese and English. The French language is only used in France and France colonies in Africa. Cameroon problems is deeply routed in the fact that Cameroon is still a colony of France. Cameroon has never has Financial Independent, for France still controls and owns 100% of Cameroon’s currency. France militarily imposed their slavery tax currency known as the CFA Francs on Cameroon. France only allows 15% of Cameroon GDP for the government to use in Cameroon; and 85% of Cameroon’s GDP is kept in France Treasury. Go research and read France Colonial Pact for the continuation of colonialism, which France secretly imposed on all it’s 14 colonies in Africa, which includes Cameroon, France Ambassador in Cameroon is the shadow and real leader of Cameroon. Wake up.
Make trilingualism or multilingualism
i get the context but never thought i'd to see the day when africans from Manu Dibango's country are calling themselves French/English... Do away with both and bring in Swahili or some african language.. thank U
#penboy, you learn Englash language as a way of survival. Do the same thing for French. you are creating a problem that shouldnt be there. We are all Africans, English or French is not our Native languages, we all learn these languages are a way of surviving. #stopthe blamegame.
Bruh. This is so stupid. Just speak French! Why are they so invested in speaking English? Both these languages are foreign languages we ideally shouldn't be speaking anyway but it is what it is, so just pick one. When i say pick one, i mean pick French, because it is the most practical for Cameroon.
Ọtụtụ n'ime unu ndị Afrịka na-atụ egwu nnwere onwe, nnwere onwe, na ike n'ihi na unu atụkwasịghị onwe unu obi. Ụfọdụ n’ime unu jidesie onwe unu ike n’ịbụ ohu ebe ndị ọcha na ndị Arab agaghị emere unu ya ọzọ. Mana ọtụtụ n'ime unu, dịka Langston Hughes na Claude McKay na Alexander Dumas, gafere nke a wee bụrụ ndị a tọhapụrụ ma dị ike. Mee otu ị ga-esi mee ma ọ bụrụ na ị nwere amamihe na ike; ma ọ bụghị ya, sonyere ndị ohu ọcha na America, Europe, na kọntinent anyị niile.
Why there using their colonial language rather than native language
Because they're official.
Gotta be able to communicate outside of the country if the economy is not self-sufficient.
Why are u writing in English instead of your native language😂 mumu
@@JudehEmpire can you understand my native language
Kasi gago ka
Ụzọ ndọrọ ndọrọ ọchịchị nke ndị mmadụ na steeti Cameroon na-amasị m. Ma eleghị anya, n'ihi enweghị ike ịkparịta ụka n'asụsụ, n'ihu m Cameroon dara ogbenye ma nwee ike ịzụ ahịa n'ihi oke mmachi akụ na ụba, US na European, banyere nsogbu ndị mmadụ ghọtara. Ekwetaghị m na ekwetaghị m, agbanweela ma na-agbanwe ihe.
Fighting over the white man's language. So sad!
Enwere m ezigbo Bekee ma mụọ iwu. Achọtara m nnukwu ikike akụ na ụba m na nke ọma; otu ndị ọka iwu wepụtara onwe ha, jide n'aka na ọ bụ ikpe ọla edo. Onye isi ala Obama n'onwe ya kparịtara ndị ọkaiwu okwu wee sị na iwu nkịtị anaghị emetụta; na ọ bụ 'ihe gbasara onwe' na Sean L Nelson, naanị, Robinson Crusoe nke America.
I hsvent heard so much nonsense in my life
Why would English be any better it’s not our language
This is just weird. African people killing each other for french and English language 🤦♂️
callng yourself englsh or french lol ridiculous
Ya des commentaires cons ici ..wow
This debate was biased because probably an anglophone. But anyway. In the English side how many families are sending their children to bilingual schools ? In the francophone side more parents wants their children to learn English. I was in Douala a month ago and I found a lot of people properly bilingual. Leave the argument of government. We are the government. We need to learn the languages and stop using the victim card. 80% vs 20% of there will be discrimination always but let’s start individually
I think you are making a big mistake. You have a chance to be an English speaker. I have lived in France for over 35 years. It's a blessing to be bilingual. In Paris, as soon as you enter a avion French is no longer used. If you are bilingual you earn 10% more salary. How many bilingual schools are there in the English-speaking area? So in the French-speaking zone all parents want their children to be bilingual You will see that over time English will become widespread throughout Cameroon. It's inevitable.
What wrong with your language !