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Moslem and the south, Christian. Add to this that the
population was subdivided into nearly 300 different
tribal groups, and you have all the makings of an
international basket case.
It is to Mr. Ahidjo's credit that he led bis country
cautiously and fairly toward a greater unity. He real–
ized that a strong and prosperous country could not be
built in a day. The new nation was not permitted
"pie-in-the-sky" del us ions of grandeur. Upon taking
office Mr. Ahidjo firmly announced that his nation
would not be embarking on any wi ld ventures. He
realized that with independence should come a sense
of responsibility. All too often, inexperienced and jor
irresponsible leaders try to prove that their country has
"come of age" by grandiose projects that they don't
need and can't afford ... five-star hotels to impress the
trickle of visitors ... six-lane highways that lead
nowherc, or a color television service befare most of
the people even have radios. Or, worse still, full-scale
industrialization is started before an adequate pool of
trained manpower is available, ora transportation and
dis tribution system established. Foreign capital and
precious assets are frittered away in vanity, and the
people become poorer than ever.
Cameroon has not made these mistakes. Superficial–
ly, the country looks poorer than it is. As o f my last
visit, therc was still no national television service (al–
though onc is planned when technicians are t rained).
The main trunk roads are still largely unpaved. There
is a s low but dependable rail service between main
centers. Yaoundé, t he capital, is a pleasant town, lack–
ing the flash and dazzle of other capital cities.
By rcsisting t he path of self-aggrandizement Cam–
eroon has conserved her real wealth. This, of course, is
her land and her people. Instead of driving t hemselves
to the edge of bankruptcy through ill-conceived indus–
trial extravaganzas, the Cameroonians have kept agr i–
culture as the basis of the national economy. The
government has understood t he value of maintaining
the right relationship between the farmer and h is land.
Although there are large plantations, full support is
also given to the small planter. Many own freehold
title to their property. Sorne major nations could learn
a lesson from this. If people have the pride of owner–
ship, they produce better and more. Also, t hey tend to
32
s tay with their land during tough times. Cameroon's
few large towns and cities are not crowded with dispos–
sessed farmers. T he nation has the lowest rate of
urbanization in Africa. The great majority of its
people still work on the land.
T he smaller farmer is recognized and respected as
the backbone of the economy. No unnecessary restric–
t ions are put on him, and he can expect help when,
through no fault of his own, prices for his products
fall. The nation is one of t he fcw that are self-sufficient
in food and energy. And- unusual for a Third World
nation- food production is rising faster than the pop–
ulation. The people may not have much cash, but they
are not hungry.
Because of their investment in agriculture, the Cam–
eroonians have been able to make a constructive and
humane gesture to 40,000 or so rcfugees who have fled
from the civil war in neighboring Chad. The government
has offered free land in the underpopulated nort h of the
country, if the refugees willtakc up coffee production–
Cameroon's chief export.
One can see why "humility" is a fair description of
the Cameroon Republic. The nation has resisted the
trend to get rich quick and become something they are
not-while others around them took off on ftights of
fancy. (The prime example was the shor t-lived Central
African Empire whose now deposed "emperor" spent
vast amounts of his impoverished country's assets on a
lavish coronation that rivaled Napoleon's.)
Still, Cameroon's leaders understood at the time of
indcpendence that the cou ntry could not prosper in the
modern world if it remained totally agricultu ra!. For–
tunately, there are other resources available for devel–
opment. But not in a headlong rush for industrializa–
tion, and not by mor tgaging the future by becoming
dependent on foreign aid. While accepting sorne out–
s ide assistance, President Ahidjo told his people: "All
our investment needs cannot be satisfied by externa!
a id.
We can only profit from what costs us some–
thing."
He also cautioned them, " 1ndustrialization is
not an end in itsel f. "
T hese were sensible words, and t hey were followed
up with equally sensible policies. The government was
aware of the danger of dependency on imported oil.
lnstead , the hydroelect r ic potential of the rivers is
being harnessed, supplying much of the still modest
energy needs. Consequently, the nation is a net oil
expor ter- not yet in the big leagues, but the future
looks bright, if a territorial dispute with Nigeria can
be solved. There are also healthy reserves of alumi–
num, natural gas, iron ore and coa!. There is also the
possibility of deposits of precious metals.
After two decades of independence, Cameroon sti ll
has many problems to solve. Education is a priority.
Most of t he people are still illitcrate, and there is a
g reat shortage of skilled labor. T he Cameroonians kept
a sound and friendly relationship with the old colonial
countries-especially France. There is no false sense
of pride about asking for the help that is needed if it
can be afforded without losing national dignity.
1t
is a fact of life today that nearly all the nations of
Black Africa have serious
{Continued on page 40)
The
PLAIN TRUTH