By Franck Essi

2025 has begun and is continuing in the same vein as previous years.

Scandals, scandals and more scandals!

Complaints, complaints and more complaints!

Wait and see, wait and see, and more wait and see!

And yet, now more than ever, action can and must be taken to turn the tide on a personal level and, of course, on a larger collective scale.

What might this action look like?

1- Express your opinion on the governance of this country clearly, regularly and courageously.

In our context, this is no small thing. It may seem insignificant on the surface, but it is not in reality. If done regularly, systematically and methodically, it makes a difference.

To do this, we need commitment, courage, discipline and consistency.

And what might our regular stance consist of?

It means stating clearly, precisely and strongly that we disagree with certain things.

It means clearly denouncing what is wrong.

It means publicly acknowledging that certain things need to change.

It means saying, if possible, why and how these things need to change.

To do this, we should not just express ourselves in an anonymous comment under a post on social media; we should express ourselves regularly on our Facebook/Twitter wall (for example), at work or in our everyday lives.

It is about doing this regularly. We can do it either every week, every other day, or whenever necessary.

In the short term, we may not directly influence the leaders responsible for poor governance. But we will undoubtedly have an influence on those close to us (neighbours, family, colleagues, etc.). And that is how, little by little, this energy for change will spread and grow in society, eventually influencing leaders.

Let’s not forget:

• No leader, even in a dictatorship, can stand up to public opinion that is strongly, overwhelmingly and sustainably against them. They always need to demonstrate that they have support on the one hand, and the sincere backing of a significant part of the population on the other. In the event of hostile majority opinion, they will be forced, at the very least, to make concessions and, at best, to satisfy public demand.

• By having the courage to express ourselves publicly on issues of general interest, we give strength and courage to others to do the same. We move from being passive agents to active agents of social change.

2- Take concrete action to support any initiative that aims to tackle scandal and systemic misgovernance.

It is also possible to contribute to actions initiated by others.

Making a one-off contribution can mean:

• Signing a petition. If the petition is signed by fewer than 1,000 people in a country with a population of 30 million, it shows that perhaps we do not really want change.

• Getting our friends and acquaintances to sign the petition. As we have already said, the more of us who speak out, the faster our voices will be heard. We should not just share all kinds of entertaining content on social media. We can and must share calls to action.

• Take time to think seriously and deeply about the situation in order to formulate concrete proposals for those who are already fighting. Good ideas can also come from ‘ordinary’ citizens like us. Because of our knowledge and experience, we can also contribute something that will make a decisive and positive difference. Let’s propose ideas and solutions!

• Contribute financially and materially to campaigns of general interest. When a group or individual seems to be taking serious action, let’s not hesitate to ask ourselves, when we agree, what we can do in concrete terms. This can include sending money or donating useful materials. No matter how modest your donation, it strengthens and accelerates what others have already started.

Let’s not forget:

• True support is support that can be felt in a concrete way. We must move from words of support to material/financial action.

• The more people involved in a public health initiative, the greater the chances of its success.

• The ocean is made up of millions of drops of water. Let’s be that drop that, together with others, will cause a positive tsunami!

3- Join the group of people already permanently committed to bringing about change.

In concrete terms, this means doing the following:

• Become a member of any civic, corporate or political organisation that is working for change.

• Devote time to training and taking action to bring about change. This means no longer being satisfied with just your job or activity to earn a living. It means adding activism to your life. In this way, our personal lives will include the following dimensions: work, social life, entertainment and civic or political engagement.

• Participate in actions to inform and mobilize other inactive citizens.

• Take action that directly targets those responsible for scandals and poor governance in our country.

Let’s not forget:

• Only determined, strategic, organized and sustained action over time can break the status quo.

• Change happens when a critical mass of ordinary people act regularly, at their own level and over a period of time, to achieve substantial progress in the system of governance.

• Cameroon will not be more advanced than the Cameroonians. It is therefore illusory to hope for change in society without a prior change in the behaviour of a critical mass of people. Steve Biko rightly said that ‘the oppressor’s power is in the minds of the oppressed’.

• Our personal task is to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Becoming an agent of good governance therefore has two dimensions: the ongoing effort to set a personal example on the one hand, and the courage to confront those who undermine the public good on the other.

Taking these three things into account is a start to countering the ‘how are we going to do it’ mentality.

Let’s think about it and, above all, let’s take action!

#WeHaveTheChoice

#WeHaveThePower

#Let’sTurnOnOurBrains