Appearing on Inside the Presidency, hosted by Ashu Nyenty, one of Cameroon’s most prominent political scientist, Prof. Elvis Ngole Ngole said Cameroon’s National Day celebrations reaffirm the country’s historical commitment to unity, which he described as “sacred” and without alternative.
Drawing on a detailed reflection of Cameroon’s political history, Ngole Ngole said the country’s experience — from its colonial formation in 1884 through reunification in 1961 and the adoption of a unitary state in 1972 — demonstrates a long process of “union of hearts, consciences and purpose.”
He said Cameroon’s more than 250 ethnic groups and languages had, over time, discovered ways of coexistence, arguing that “Cameroonians were able to know one another, discover one another, and share a common aspiration for a common future.”
Ngole Ngole said the return of National Day celebrations this year highlighted renewed civic messages of peace and living together, particularly from students and youth groups who, he said, expressed “serious and sincere messages reflecting the aspirations of young Cameroonians.”
He added that the overwhelming turnout at the May 20 celebrations demonstrated public attachment to national cohesion, saying participants “felt at home and happy because unity is ultimately about how people feel toward one another.”
While acknowledging the existence of divisive voices, he described them as marginal. “Of course, there are individuals who promote division, hatred, violence, and identity politics… but these individuals represent exceptions, not the rule,” he said.
Ngole Ngole also stressed that national integration is visible in everyday life, pointing to inter-community friendships, language exchange, and marriages across regions as evidence that “unity is not something imposed by decree; it lives in the hearts of the people.”
He concluded that Cameroon’s unity is irreversible, saying: “Those who seek to divide the country… are on the wrong side of history… Cameroon has come too far for such projects to succeed.”
Paul Biya, he added, continues to emphasize national cohesion through inclusive governance across the country’s regions.
“The unity of Cameroon has no better alternative,” he said.