CAMEROON NEEDS A NEW NATIONAL IDENTITY, NOT ANOTHER POLITICAL LABEL

“A nation is not built by changing labels; it is built by changing belonging.”

Mr. Issa Tchiroma,

The future of Cameroon cannot be built by simply changing the structure of the State. The real challenge before us is not choosing between a unitary system and a federal system, but creating a nation where every Cameroonian feels equally valued, protected, and represented.

Neither a unitary system nor a federal system of government, by itself, can resolve Cameroon’s deep socio-economic and political problems. Many of today’s political, legal, linguistic, and identity crises stem from historical administrative divisions that have gradually evolved into barriers of mistrust and exclusion.

Lasting national unity requires building a shared civic identity that transcends inherited colonial boundaries while recognizing, respecting, and celebrating the country’s rich cultural, linguistic, and regional diversity. Our differences should be a source of strength, not division.

The debate should therefore move beyond “Unitary or Federal?” and focus instead on “How do we build one Cameroon where justice, equal opportunity, accountability, and national belonging are guaranteed for every citizen?”

Cameroon does not merely need constitutional reform; it needs a national transformation that restores trust between the State and its people, replaces exclusion with inclusion, and inspires every citizen to believe once again in a common future.

That is the conversation worthy of a nation seeking lasting peace, stability, prosperity, and unity.

Conclusion

The greatest challenge facing Cameroon is not the structure of government—it is the structure of our national consciousness. When we build one people with one shared destiny, every constitutional model becomes stronger. Until then, no constitutional model alone will save Cameroon.

Dr. David Makongo