Cameroon: No to political exploitation of Anicet Ekane’s death
The disappearance of Anicet Ekane, a known and respected political figure, should have been a moment for reflection, unity, and compassion.
Yet, for several days now, the Cameroonian media landscape has been agitated by stances that are dangerously drifting away from the spirit of peace and cohesion championed by the state.
Instead of fostering a climate of calm, certain actors on the political scene seem determined to transform a personal and family tragedy into a platform for partisan confrontation.
The government, in line with its commitment to transparency and social stability, has expressed its willingness to fully clarify the circumstances surrounding this disappearance a move that should have reassured and united.
However, instead of seizing this outstretched hand, certain political leaders and their media outlets prefer to fuel artificial controversies, appointing themselves as arbiters of who may, or may not, attend the funeral of a man who now belongs to the collective memory.
This unjustifiable desire for symbolic appropriation betrays an unwarranted instrumentalization of a painful event.
Politics, while essential to the functioning of the state and democratic debate, must not become the sole prism through which everything is interpreted, co-opted, or exploited.
There are moments when respect, dignity, and decency must take precedence over political maneuvering. The passing of Anicet Ekane is one such moment.
It is regrettable that some seek to sow division by imposing their exclusive interpretation of the tragedy, as if they alone hold moral and emotional legitimacy.
Cameroon has nothing to gain from such quarrels. The country needs cohesion, not further fractures.
Those who dream of turning this tragedy into a political lever should remember that a family’s grief, a nation’s emotions, and a man’s memory are not tools for propaganda.
It is time for reason to prevail. To honor Anicet Ekane is to respect his family, respect the people, and respect human dignity.
It is to reject unnecessary divisions and uphold the ideal of peace to which all public actors claim to aspire. A man’s memory must never become a political battlefield.
Gilbert FOTSO
