Cameroon’s stagnation: A mirror of societal complacency

In a scathing opinion piece, high school teacher and political commentator Armand Noutack II exposes the paradox of Cameroonian society: a nation yearning for progress while clinging to corrupt practices and short-term self-interests. He challenges the notion that leadership alone is to blame, arguing that systemic change requires confronting the behaviors of ordinary citizens.

Noutack’s critique centers on the hypocrisy of those who publicly demand reform while privately engaging in practices that undermine it. “Some present themselves as fierce opponents by day, only to meet with ministers at midnight to negotiate poorly executed public contracts for personal gain,” he writes. This duality, he suggests, is a reflection of a deeper societal malaise.

Public outrage vs. private complicity

The teacher-turned-commentator highlights a troubling trend: Cameroonians who criticize government inefficiency while participating in or benefiting from corrupt systems. “We want change,” they chant, “but only if our fraudulent interests remain untouched.”

Examples abound. Public servants who flee to countries like Canada while their families continue collecting salaries in Cameroon, only to later post on social media about “Paul Biya must go.” Teachers who demand better conditions yet sell grades to students. Business owners who decry corruption but evade taxes and sell expired goods. “Which change do you truly seek?” Noutack asks.

The illusion of progress

Noutack dismantles the narrative that Cameroon’s problems stem solely from its leaders. He points to widespread societal corruption—from doctors abandoning public hospitals for private clinics to police officers extorting drivers, from university rectors buying positions to journalists compromising integrity for favors. “The truth is, we are all corrupt,” he declares. “It’s not just superficial greed; our mentalities are diseased.”

He argues that real change will require dismantling the “mental web of corruption” that has ensnared Cameroonians for decades. Until citizens confront their own roles in perpetuating systemic failures, he warns, progress will remain elusive.

Noutack’s message is clear: if you cannot embody the change you demand, silence your complaints. He calls on Minister Motaze to crack down on corrupt officials and urges Cameroonians to reflect on their own contributions to the nation’s stagnation.

His conclusion is a stark reminder: “If you cannot be the change you want to see, then stop speaking of it.”

Armand Noutack II is a high school teacher and political analyst based in Cameroon.