I love the TV show ‘Narcos’. It is one of the most absorbing and riveting TV shows I’ve watched, and trust me, I’ve watched quite a lot. In one of the episodes Pablo Escobar or shall I say the actor who plays him says this “Las Mentiras son necesarias cuando la verdad es muy dificil de creer.”
According to the English subtitles, it means; “Lies are necessary when the truth is very hard to believe.”
If I could, I’d probably change that to our motto, because honestly, nothing is more apt to describe the state that we all, Cameroonians, have sedated ourselves into:- perpetually telling ourselves lies that confine us in a state of persistent mental servitude because we are afraid to face the truth.
And it would seem we are afraid of the truth because it would wake us up from the willing prisoners that we locked ourselves into being. It means we would have to otherwise wake ourselves up from sleep and do something that will get us out of that illusion of comfort.
But funny enough believing in the truth, the real truth, will grow this nation beyond what we could ever dream it to be. Sadly, the lies we keep telling ourselves have been nicely packaged into expressions which we throw around colloquially without any notion of the grave consequences they have on us.
So here it goes;
1. LE CAMEROUN C’EST LE CAMEROUN: Commonly used when we want to deny ourselves something (or someone else something) because Cameroon doesn’t seem to merit better than what it has. Also used in exasperation when the status quo is standing in the way of progress. This expression was popularised by a minister.
2. HOW MAN GO DO?: A popular defeatist expression often used by people who do not want to speak up for their right. Can be heard at the SNEC office when people are waiting in line while the teller is eating comfortably during working hours and not serving customers.
3. N’EST CE PAS LE PAYS VOUS APPARTIENT?: Another defeatist statement and a cry of injustice against elitism. Can be heard when the son of the Director of something at some ministry takes you to the police station and has you locked up because you bumped into his car even though he was clearly on the wrong.
4. YOU THINK SAY YOU FIT? FOR THIS VERY CAMEROON?: Yet another defeatist statement offered by those who have been so broken by the system that they believe every new idea cannot work, mostly because they believe some Oga at the top will “block it.” Can be heard in quartier bars when the bushfaller is offering drinks.
5. SI ON T’EXPLIQUE LE CAMEROUN: Said when something out of the ordinary happens again and you don’t really want to break your head against a wall thinking further about it. Can be heard when the government does another blatant gaffe that should normally have us out on the streets to protest.
6. AU MOINS ON EST MIEUX QUE LE TCHAD: Used as an excuse when you lack something but try to comfort yourself by looking at the worst case in class and comparing yourself to them. Can be heard from the minister of health when he is told that cancer treatment facilities are not enough and that treatment is expensive.
7. WAIT YOUR OWN TURN: The anthem of corrupt civil servants. The ones who are there to chop and do nothing but chop. Can be heard at the corridor of the ministry when people are complaining about the head of missions sending the same people over and over on missions and taking his cut from their expenses.
8. GET OUT HERE YOU BLACKLEG: Can be heard when a staunch Amba supporter has no argument against a very reasonable opinion that goes contrary to the diktats of the struggle. Can be seen over and over in the comment section of Bara Mark’s posts.
9. VOUS VOULEZ TOURNER LE CAMEROUN EN LIBYE? The most cowardly expression you will ever hear. Mostly proffered by people with a classic case of Stockholm Syndrome. People so used to having nothing that they do not think they can have something better. The Anglophone problem has shown us who they are. You can find them on Facebook comment sections.
10. PETIT FRERE, TALK FINE: We all know this. The greasing of the palm. That time when someone wants you to give them something before they render service even when the said service can benefit hundreds of thousands of people. It can be commonly heard at the ministry of finance when you go to follow up on your late father’s pension.
11. TU CROIS QUE TU SOUFFRE PLUS QUE QUI?: Statement uttered by people who are suffering, who know they are suffering but don’t want people who want to get out of that state to stop suffering. Can be heard when there is an argument over the Anglophone problem
What other expressions do you know of, that are holding us back? Let us know in the comment section.
- Team Poise