The West Cameroon Problem and its Solution: A Federalist Perspective

By Benjamin K. Akih

In late 2016, lawyers and teachers in West Cameroon (North West and South West Regions) initiated a series of protests that appeared to be focused on addressing key grievances within their respective professions. The people of West Cameroon saw these protests as an opportunity to express other long-held grievances against the Cameroon government. The many grievances are generally referred to as the West Cameroon Problem, and the minimum solution is expected to be a return to the federal system of government. The government's dismissive characterization of the problem and its heavy-handed response further escalated the conflict. As a result, sentiments have now shifted toward separation by all means, including an armed struggle.

Benjamin K. Akih looks at this complex conflict in its historical context and makes the case for a series of measures that can restore peace and justice in West Cameroon. He sees the solution to lie in restoring the federal system of government with additional state rights, creating a reconciliation mechanism for recent war crimes, and correcting the many decades of economic marginalization of West Cameroon.

Benjamin K. Akih hails from the North West region of Cameroon. He is currently an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Syracuse University, New York. With respect to the ongoing conflict in West Cameroon, he is a political activist, known for his advocacy in support of restoring the federal state of West Cameroon, effective constitutional democracy, and competitive multiparty politics in united Cameroon.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B09CRTYV7T
• ISBN13: 9798458368636
• Release Date: August 2021
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 116 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.0" x 9.0"