Understanding Conflicts in Cameroon History through 'Awilo's' Song 'Contri Don Spoil'

Abstract

According to Geoff Crowther, Cameroon is Africa's most socially artificial country. Although this description seems an exaggeration of reality, Cameroon history after reunification in 1961 displays linguistic cleavages of the English and French cultures. This is a fall-out of German colonialism and the partition of Cameroon into French and British Cameroons after the First World War of 1914 to 1916. During the era of British and French colonial administration, the Mungo River was an important restrictive barrier to the free movement of goods, services and people across the Anglo-French spheres of the Cameroons. The 'officialising' of socio-political differences by successive ruling elite of the two linguistic groups for self-interest has been captured by Ndi Tansa aka 'Awilo' in his sound track titled 'contri don spoil.' The failure of the ruling elite to 'officialise' or promote nationhood in Cameroon is due to among other things a result of inherent cleavages among English speaking Cameroonians. It is also due to a failed romance between the two linguistic groups at the official level. This essay explores the socio-political tensions in a country united in disunity as captured in the music of 'Awilo's hit song 'contri don spoil.