Whether through negotiation, reform, or new political arrangements, the future of relations between Southern Cameroons and the rest of Cameroon remains unsettled. What is clear, however, is that symbolic political gestures or routine reshuffles are unlikely to resolve grievances that have accumulated over decades.
By Timothy Enongene
Guest Editor-in-Chief, Independentistnews
YAOUNDÉ February 3, 2026 – Political uncertainty continues to grip Yaoundé as months pass without the formation of a new government following Cameroon’s October 2025 presidential election. Despite assurances delivered during the President’s end-of-year address that a cabinet would soon be announced, political paralysis persists within the corridors of power.
Yet for many in Southern Cameroons, the ongoing maneuvering inside the Unity Palace holds diminishing relevance. Whether the regime reshuffles familiar figures or introduces new ministers, a growing segment of the population in the Northwest and Southwest regions now sees the crisis as having moved beyond personalities and cabinet lists toward deeper questions of political belonging and future governance.
A Warning Long Ignored
Even voices within establishment circles have long warned that rigid centralization carried political risks. Economist and political commentator Dieudonné Essomba, among others, has argued over the years that failure to accommodate regional grievances and political diversity would eventually push the country toward fragmentation.
Today, many observers see elements of that warning reflected in current realities: prolonged conflict, weakened trust between regions, and widening political distance between Yaoundé and large segments of the Anglophone population.
Whether one agrees with Essomba’s conclusions or not, his analysis underscores a broader truth — political cohesion cannot be sustained indefinitely without addressing grievances that communities perceive as existential.
A Political Divorce in Practice
Since 2017, the conflict in Southern Cameroons has transformed the political landscape. Competing authorities, economic disruptions, and humanitarian crises have created a de facto separation in daily life between conflict-affected regions and central administration.
Supporters of Ambazonian self-determination argue that political separation has already occurred in practice, regardless of international recognition debates. In their view, rebuilding trust under the existing political structure appears increasingly unlikely.
At the same time, international observers continue to emphasize that sustainable solutions require dialogue, civilian protection, and negotiated political arrangements rather than prolonged confrontation.
Lockdowns as Political Expression
In recent years, segments of the population in Southern Cameroons have observed voluntary stay-at-home periods around politically symbolic dates. Supporters describe these actions as forms of civil resistance intended to signal dissatisfaction with the current political arrangement.
Such actions remain controversial, particularly given their economic impact on vulnerable populations who depend on daily activity for survival. Civil society voices increasingly stress the need to balance political expression with humanitarian considerations, ensuring that civilian welfare remains central in any form of protest.
Beyond Ministerial Appointments
Ultimately, the struggle unfolding is not merely about cabinet appointments in Yaoundé but about unresolved questions of governance, representation, and political future.
While political elites debate succession and power distribution, communities affected by conflict continue to seek stability, security, and economic opportunity. The persistence of political paralysis at the center of government only deepens uncertainty across the country.
Conclusion: A Future Still Being Written
Whether through negotiation, reform, or new political arrangements, the future of relations between Southern Cameroons and the rest of Cameroon remains unsettled. What is clear, however, is that symbolic political gestures or routine reshuffles are unlikely to resolve grievances that have accumulated over decades.
For many in the Home Front, the sense of political separation has already taken root. For others, the hope remains that dialogue can still rebuild a shared future.
Between those positions lies the difficult path toward peace — one that will require political courage, credible negotiations, and solutions capable of restoring trust across divided communities.
And until that path emerges clearly, ministerial appointments in Yaoundé may continue to matter far less on the ground than leaders there might wish to believe.
Timothy Enongene
Guest Editor-in-Chief, Independentistnews
