Anglophone Crisis: Two Big Challenges Await Atanga Nji, Nalova Lyonga

•     Atanga Nji “must” preserve the territorial integrity of Cameroon

•     Nalova Loyonga “must” ensure effective school resumption in NW/SW Region

Following the recent cabinet reshuffle in Cameroon that saw some Anglophones clinch positions that until then were considered a no go area to them, has triggered hopes that the privileged Anglophones could provide the sought after magic wand, needed to kill and inter the protracted crisis that has been rocking the two English speaking regions of Cameroon.According to some opinion holders, the two Anglophones that have been given strategic ministries which they think is the fallouts of the ongoing Anglophone crisis, shall face some big challenges which include giving hope to the already despair populations of the Northwest and Southwest regions of Cameroon and causing them to regain trust and confidence in government.Note should be taken that, the tasks of these two is even more arduous given that there is still a strong respect of calls for observations of ghost towns from secessionists by the people of these two regions as well as the heavy boycott of schools in some parts of the crisis hit regions especially in the hinterlands.Ever since news about the cabinet reshuffle broke out, secessionists have been rubbishing even the appointment of Anglophone into juicy ministerial positions and have described it as “baseless” and of “no value” to them.According to popular opinion, Minister Atanga Nji had long been considered as a traitor by a majority of Anglophones ever since he declared on CRTV that there was no Anglophone problem, which according to many, is what fuelled the crisis and caused it to get to this level. Meanwhile, Nalova Lyonga on her part is heavily accused and chided for ordering police to beat up students on the campus of the University of Buea when she was the Vice Chancellor of that university, while the students were protesting.This reportedly led to the destabilization of the academic year in the University of Buea.
There is little doubt that the appointment of these officials by the head of state to these strategic ministries is in line with his several measures taken to solve the crisis affecting the two English speaking regions of Cameroon.Perhaps, the number one man of the state wants to paint a conspicuous picture of the fact that, he has been making concessions to the cries of Anglophones. 

However, there is little or no effervescence the two English speaking regions of Cameroon accompanying the appointment of some Anglophones into key ministerial positions, except for a few parties thrown in the homes of the families of those appointed. This, very much unlike in the past when Anglophones used to jubilate when their brothers and sisters got appointed into government.
In the past, such appointments often constituted a topic of discussion amongst Anglophones but this recent one seems not to have moved most persons in these troubled regions. The new minister of territorial Administration who now has control over DOs, SDOs and Governors, has to ensure that the territorial integrity of the country is preserved.
He also has to ensure that one of his subjects (the DO for Batibo) that was kidnapped since February 11, 2018 is rescued from the hands of the enemy and safe.Minister Atanga Nji is now faced with the challenge to restore the much needed order in these two crisis hit regions.
 Nalova Lyonga on her part has even bigger challenges. Being an Anglophone, a community where there has been a massive boycott of schools for over a year now, she has the big challenge to succeed where her predecessor did not. She will have to ensure that schools resume effectively in these regions and that children pay their school fees normally as had obtained before this crisis. The Anglophone community is also looking up to her desperately as that agent of change to their “endangered” educational system which is one of the reasons we are living today’s crisis. Theses challenges await both ministers and their master expects them to live up to the task in line with the popular maxim, “to whom much is given, much is expected”. There is no doubt that the head of state expects them to provide a magic wand that can help save this country from the edge of a precipice that the Anglophone crisis seems to have pushed it to. In reaction to his appointment, Paul Atanga Nji said, “English-speaking regions cannot claim that President Paul Biya has been a discriminatory leader. “The president is an extraordinary statesman. I have insisted that since 1982, the head of state Paul Biya has given Anglophones preferential treatment.

He has done that for the Anglophones, and I believe that this is the proof (his appointment as Interior Minister) and Anglophones cannot say ever that he hasn’t given them their due,” he stressed.

Most Anglophone Cameroonians have expressed disgust over his view and slammed him for saying that because he had secured a position in the Biya-government.

Nalova Lyonga for her part said nothing being an Anglophone but thinks that her appointment is to help the head of state achieve his vision for Cameroon.  “With the experience I have gnarled at the Ministry of Higher Education, you cannot be talking about being afraid of challenges,” Dr. Nalova said.

The new Secondary Education boss instead urged her new collaborators to work in synergy with her in a bid to help President Paul Biya achieve his vision for the country.

“I want everybody to know the difference between being strict and being wicked. Anything I want done should be done. Our forward looking President has given us his vision on what he wants us to do and that we must do to help him achieve his development agenda.”

To the learned academia, the Ministry of Secondary Education owes its responsibility to the children and that she is resolute to make the Ministry to be able to meet the needs and aspirations of young Cameroonians.

On how she intends to fight corruption that has become endemic in MINSEC, Dr. Nalova said she is going to put in place a strong team on the ground that will work for the greater good of the nation.

She also sees her appointment as a massive opportunity and a privilege to the people of the South West Region, especially those of Fako Division.

She is yet to identify herself with the Anglophone crisis and getting children back to school especially in villages where so many schools have shutdown, is not yet in her Agenda.