The two real tribes of Cameroon: a journalist’s perspective

A personal account of tribalism in Cameroon

I feel compelled to share true stories about tribalism, a phenomenon that often hides where you least expect it, cloaked in intellectualism and privilege. Let me recount a story that perfectly illustrates the great deception within our society.

Recently, I had a conversation with an acquaintance from the Grand Nord. A graduate of both ESSTIC and IRIC—two prestigious schools whose entry requirements are a well-known secret in Cameroon—she is also the daughter of a high-ranking customs official from an ultra-privileged sector. While she may not be the country’s most brilliant mind, she managed to pass the entrance exams for both institutions, a feat that eludes doctorate holders every year. In my own family, not a single person has had the privilege of attending either of these schools since independence.

Despite her background, she recited the tired old line during our conversation: “This country is difficult, unless you’re Beti. They control everything and only help each other succeed.” The cynicism reached a new level when she claimed my 20 years in exile were due to “pride.” According to her, all I needed to do was “ask for forgiveness” from my Beti brothers to live comfortably in Cameroon.

“Ask forgiveness for what crime? For what transgression?” I inquired.

When our Beti brother, Martinez Zogo, begged his torturers (funded by elites from every background), did they show him mercy? Was the team that brutally murdered him composed of a single ethnic group? No. Crime and the pursuit of wealth know no tribe.

Reminding her that she had benefited from this system far more than the majority of young Betis or people from other regions changed nothing. In one fell swoop, she dismissed 20 years of exile, pain, loneliness, and struggle with insulting flippancy.

My reaction was swift: I blocked her. I have zero tolerance for tribalists, especially the most privileged ones.

Let this be perfectly clear:

In Cameroon, there are effectively only two ethnic groups:

1. Those who hold the keys to the system: The ones who use their elite connections to get their children into IRIC, ESSTIC, ENAM, or EMIA.
2. The rest of us: The children of resourceful mothers and farmers, those of us who had to sell lukewarm water on the streets just to survive.

The true divide is not regional; it is social. Do not allow yourselves to be distracted by those who enjoy the system’s benefits while lamenting their supposed marginalization.

I cut ties with her because the tribalism of the privileged is the most dangerous kind of all.