The Cost of Outlier Success

Just like many of you who will read this article, I have shared pictures of Francis Ngannou; with congratulatory messages for his recent achievement as he became the UFC heavy weight champion, claiming some of his props too. After all, it is a win for all Cameroonians. Some will argue that he is a poster child for JFK’s quotable “Ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country” but I beg to differ.

I do not think JFK said those words in his 1961 inaugural speech to absolve his government of its responsibility to its citizens but I believe Francis Ngannou’s story is the sort of story that Cameroon’s government, without shame, is subtly trying to use to dismiss valid concerns about ones ability to fulfill their dreams as a Cameroonian. For every Francis Ngannou we see from Cameroon, hundreds of thousands of Cameroonians have died trying. Being tough in heart and spirit is a good thing but that should not justify making things unnecessarily tough.

I really admire Francis Ngannou’s outlook in life. I like how after making a name and some wealth for himself he quickly engaged in a project to make sure many other dreamers like him don’t have to be him. The fact that, through his foundation, he built a gym for younger people with his kind of dreams to train and have more opportunity tells me he absolutely does not want another young man from Batié to be the next Francis Ngannou. He definitely believes, like me, that people should not have to go through unnecessary hardships before realizing their dreams.

I do not believe his visit to the B.I.R camp came at his request -I hope I am wrong about it. I rather believe it was requested of him and even if he had reservations, he decided not to have his mission to help other young men from his place interrupted by his refusal to play ball with the government. Those reading who follow Richard Bona have probably heard him recount a story of how because of admiration for his work, the Japanese government had asked to do something for Cameroon to honor his service to the Japanese people; how the school he requested was never built because the government had asked that the money be sent to them for them to do the building and when the Japanese government would not agree to that, the government rejected the gift - you know those people who ask you to send them the money you wanted to use to buy them a gift right? - na dem. Basically, Ngannou is quite aware of the modus operandi of the leaders we have that he decided to take another punch for the team and do it with a smily face because he is no stranger to being punched in the face.

What I am driving at is the fact that not very many people are genetically predisposed to be 6ft 4 in height, and have the physical strength required to cross the Sahara desert. There are many today with smaller body frames that have made it through the treacherous marshes of South America and into the United States; who can’t just punch their way into stardom and wealth. They arrive and may have to do meager jobs because they mostly do not even have the finances to get an education that can give them more opportunity. They end up only less poor as very many do not live to one day have a comfortable life. Francis Ngannou’s story is an outlier that is very unlikely albeit being pronounced as a model.

When JFK used the aforementioned quote, he was challenging every American to contribute in some way to the public good. Francis Ngannou’s story, I fear, does more to the public good of France and America than it does to the public good of Cameroon. It reinforces the notion that to make it in life and to be celebrated here in Cameroon, you have to first of all by any means leave the country - reason why I don’t want to be the next Francis Ngannou. I don’t want to have to leave to have a shot at doing something good for my country.

I watched a video yesterday in which the Saudi Arabian motivational speaker Mohammed Qahtani shared a story of his friend Nasser who loved and idealized his father to a point that he will do anything to make his father happy. Nasser’s father was a man who was not easy to impress and no matter what Nasser did, he could not get his father to give him a nod. In Nasser’s first year in college, he got A’s in all his courses and he knew when his father heard that, he will finally be proud of him. Nasser got on the phone and called his father breaking him the news of his stellar performance. All he wanted was to hear that his father was proud of his performance but his father asked to call him back because he was busy. Nasser was so broken that get starting drinking and using drugs till the day he finally died of a drug overdose. In the world today, most people will be quick to call Nasser weak before they ask his dad to just take a moment to say something nice to him. I believe the relationship between Cameroonians and the government is somewhat like what Nasser had with his dad. We have very many young people doing great works but its so hard for the government to say “hey, we see you,” but surely if they ever do get a belt, they will have to go present it to the governor or face the consequences.

Many of the people who crowded the streets to see Francis Ngannou just want to see a celebrity. A few may be inspired to take the deadly walk through the Sahara, many just want to be part of a moment in history and have data for beer time conversation. For all the attention, corporations that won’t pay local artists won’t mind spending a little more to rub off his fame while those who can’t get him directly will find a way to draw parallels. In the end, the responsibility is on all of us individuals and corporations to make sure we do not have another Francis Ngannou; because a successful Francis Ngannou is good but a successful many of us is much better.

Photo Credit: Francis Ngannou Foundation

- Norbert Foy