By Colbert Gwain
Sycophantic militants of the mystical juju in the Order of Nantang Yoh in Muteff village, Fundong Subdivision, Boyo Division, North West Region of Cameroon, cast all their fears in the lodge, which to them was a Christ-like figure with powers to give and take life. They prefer to swear by God if there is any iota of doubt in what they say, rather than swear by the mystical Order. This is because God is slow to anger and quick to forgive, whereas the mystical lodge is quick to anger and slow to forgive if one swears by it in doubtful circumstances.
When the fervent followers convene at the lodge, they proudly tell anyone who cares to listen that they are going for mass at the cathedral, referencing the Grandmaster of the lodge to the archbishop. The Saviour narrative in Muteff, which led to the blind reliance on the Nantang Yoh mystical Order (including for protection), has been the origin of the loss of life of many of its followers, including the most revered Grandmaster, Bobe Yola Muh. He, armed with the belief that the lodge could protect members against gunshots, confronted the military in Bafmeng village in the 90s, who came to settle a farmer-grazier conflict that had turned deadly. Believing the amulet of the juju made him invincible, he stood his ground when the military opened fire, and Bafmeng villagers scattered in various directions. Upon discovering no bullet could penetrate Bobe Yola Muh, the military simply decided to molest him physically until he gave up the ghost.
It is only after that incident that the blind believers in the saviour narrative of Nantang Yoh began to think twice. Not so for militants of the ruling Cameroon Peoples Democratic Movement, the CPDM, who, despite their champion’s advanced age and health situation, and despite the noticeable shortfalls in his leadership style, continue with insistence that he must seek yet an umpteenth mandate, after 42 years in power.
From the flurry of competing appeals made last November 6, 2024, by sycophantic CPDM Militants across the board, it’s now clear that they have raised Biya to the Christ-like figure or saviour narrative that took center stage in American films in the 60s and 70s
Unlike in the American situation where Blacks and Latino/a openly showed discontent through the “blaxploitation” genres of the 70s (which became a counterbalance to the trope of the white savior), CPDM militants in Cameroon are seemingly helpless in the face of President Biya’s increasing appetite for the Etoudi palace. They find difficulty speaking truth to power, to the effect that the Presidency is not a race to be won but a job to be done. Even Anglophones who have suffered decades of “angloxploitation” (a portmanteau invented by me through the combination of “Anglophone” and “exploitation”), were heard last November 6, 2024, scandalously begging on the President to seek another mandate, if not for anything, but for their sake. This, in complete disregard for rising voices within the Anglophone community calling out, insistently, that the only way to ensure Cameroon remains one and indivisible would be for an Anglophone to become President in 2025, after two successive francophone-led leaderships since independence and reunification.
In such perilous times as we live in, communities need access to information that reflects their diverse lives and values and is responsive to their priorities and feedback. As part of our trusting news engagement, we are committed to comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comforted who are holding back social change. But, this is not an easy, cheap, or profitable job.
(The Colbert Factor)
