The Political Capacity of President Biya as a Guarantor of Peace and Unity in Cameroon: A System Legitimising Perspective on Solutions to the Anglophone Crisis

Abstract

Influence over political affairs is a crucial aspect of a leader because it ensures that he/she can make impactful changes that can transform the nation. Such a leader should be a guarantor of whatever need arises for his/her country. Since October 2016, protests anchored by corporatist demands by teachers and lawyers in Cameroon morphed into civil disobedience acts resulting in what is now known as the anglophone crisis. The English-speaking part of the country has been attempting to secede from its French-speaking majority. In line with the continuous spread of tensions, there have been several suggestions and recommendations on how to resolve the anglophone crisis. There have been no signs of plausible solutions despite the crisis's escalation (Cok, 2019). However, several peaceful solutions have been made through preliminary talks and dialogue involving government agents, centralists, federalists and separatist representatives, yet to be successful due to lack of cooperation by separatist factions. The purpose of this article is to illuminate the numerous efforts and measures taken by President Biya and to reiterate that peace talks alone will not resolve the crisis, primarily when hardline disunited separatist groups are determined not to collaborate with the state and accept solutions. With the employment of a qualitative research method, this article further seeks to bring to light reasons why Cameroon, under the Stewardship of President Biya, should have no hard time finding lasting solutions to the crisis, taking into consideration his political capacity and will. An outline of the President's completed and ongoing measures to resolve the anglophone crisis is thus highlighted herein. Isn't it time for Cameroonianians and stakeholders to take advantage of Biya'spolitical capacity to influence as leverage to resolve the anglophone crisis, given he was re-elected on a ticket of ‘force of experience' to safeguard Cameroon's unity with a renewed electoral mandate?  This article thus analyses why all stakeholders need to collaborate with President Biya's efforts to establish lasting solutions to the anglophone crisis and maintain peace and unity.