Joshua Nambangi Osih: His career trajectory raises eyebrows. Born to a Swiss mother and a father from Ndian, he attended CPC Bali, a prestigious Ambazonian institution, yet grew up in Yaoundé and built his political base in Douala.
By The Political Desk – The Independentist
In the theatre of Cameroonian politics, Joshua Nambangi Osih has become both a symbol and a controversy. To some, he represents the face of Cameroon’s institutional opposition; to others, he embodies the danger of controlled dissent — a figure tolerated, even encouraged, by the regime to preserve the façade of democracy while the core of power remains untouched.
Osih’s career trajectory raises eyebrows. Born to a Swiss mother and a father from Ndian, he attended CPC Bali — a prestigious Ambazonian institution — yet grew up in Yaoundé and built his political base in Douala. He now heads the Social Democratic Front (SDF), a party once feared by the regime under the late Ni John Fru Ndi, but which many observers say has drifted closer to Yaoundé’s political centre.
Critics point to unexplained personal wealth, close ties to the Biya family, and decisions that seem to align with the ruling CPDM’s interests — including his 2021 decision to sign a letter urging the United States to deport Ambazonian activists. Supporters argue he is pragmatic, capable of working within the system to achieve results. But the stakes are higher now. With France and domestic elites reportedly exploring the idea of reinstating the Vice Presidency and offering it to a “consensus Anglophone,” Osih’s name has surfaced repeatedly.
The Independentist believes that in a functioning democracy, public trust is earned through transparency. These questions are not accusations; they are legitimate matters of public interest touching on representation, integrity, and loyalty. And in fairness, in Dr. Samuel Ikome Sako’s government, every representative — in exile or on the ground — will be expected to meet these same criteria before the people.
Representation and Cultural Connection
1) You bear an Ambazonian surname and attended CPC Bali, yet you grew up in Yaoundé and built much of your political career in Douala. How do you reconcile your limited cultural and linguistic immersion in Ambazonia with the role of representing Anglophones?
2) Do you speak any indigenous Ambazonian language or dialect? If not, how will you bridge that gap to understand and advocate for the community’s needs?
3) Some believe your father’s lineage from Ndian may actually trace to the South Province — sometimes referred to as the “11th Province.” Can you clarify your true paternal origins and how they shape your political identity?
Wealth, Investments, and Transparency
4) What is the documented source of your personal fortune?
5) Would you consider publishing a full public declaration of your assets to promote transparency and trust?
6) Your family reportedly holds significant investments in Kribi, a Francophone area. Why are there no known equivalent investments in the Southwest Region you claim as your ancestral homeland?
Ties to the Biya Regime
7) How long have you maintained personal or business relations with members of the Biya family?
8) Have you ever assisted in any official or personal matters involving President Biya’s travels or health arrangements?
9) Do you see any potential conflict of interest between such ties and your independence as a political leader?
Unanswered Questions on SDF Leadership
10) Losses Several senior SDF leaders — including Cyprian Awudu, Joseph Mbah Ndam, and John Fru Ndi — died unexpectedly, some after meetings in Etoudi. What is your understanding of these events?
11) Have you ever called for an internal inquiry within the SDF into these deaths?
12) Were you part of any delegation to Etoudi after which members later passed away? If so, what was the purpose of that meeting?
Political Alignment and Influence
13) Do you agree that Fru Ndi’s relationship with the regime changed after certain political compromises?
14) How would you describe your own working relationship with the government — collaboration, negotiation, or alignment?
15) Have you ever been a member of the Rosicrucian Order or any similar organisation with political influence?
16) Did you attend the most recent Central African Rosicrucian Convention at the Yaoundé Congress Hall, which later caught fire? If yes, in what capacity?
Policy Stances and Past Decisions
17) In 2021, you signed a letter with 61 CPDM parliamentarians urging the United States to deport Ambazonian activists. Why did you take this stance?
18) Looking back, do you still believe it was the right decision?
19) You claim in your manifesto that within 100 days of becoming president you will resolve the so-called “Anglophone problem.” How do you reconcile that pledge with your request to the U.S. to deport Ambazonian activists?
20) Have you studied the history of the decolonisation of British Southern Cameroons? And if so, do you have proof of a Treaty of Union granting legitimacy to the concept of “One and Indivisible Cameroon”?
The Bottom Line
These are fair questions in the spirit of openness and accountability. Joshua Osih owes the Ambazonian public — and indeed all Cameroonians — answers that are direct, transparent, and unambiguous.
As Dr. Sako himself has declared, “Accountability begins at home.” In a free Ambazonia, no public servant will be exempt from this standard — not even the President.
The Political Desk – The Independentist
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