Me?I never asked Fru Ndi to step down-Cardinal Tumi

atholic Archbishop and Cardinal, Christian Tumi, has fiercely refuted recent media reports that he asked SDF Chairman John Fru Ndi to renege leadership of any opposition front in the event of a united opposition in the anticipated presidential elections.

He spoke exclusively to The Cameroon Journal’s Arison Tamfu, and denied ever making the statements attributed to him. Besides the Fru Ndi question, Tumi also spoke extensively on attempts being made to harmonize education in Cameroon universities and prospects for a rotational Presidency in Cameroon.

EXCEPTS:

It has been reported that you suggested that John Fru Ndi should not lead any united opposition front in a future election in the country. Is it true?

Tumi: It’s not true. I read in the newspapers that I was in a meeting in Bamenda where it was decided that Fru Ndi should not stand. First of all, I was never in any SDF meeting in Bamenda. Of course, I know Fru Ndi. He comes here from time to time to see me when he is travelling to Europe or somewhere else.

One of the decisions I took as a priest was never to attend any political party meeting and I have never done that and I am 55 years today as a priest and have never done that….never attended any political party meeting. I do not belong to any political party and I have my political opinion. I speak freely. I think I am old enough to say what I think about any political party in Cameroon without consulting anybody.

So you are now confirming that the piece of information was false?

Tumi: I don’t know from where they got that blatant lie. I was furious about it.

Do you agree with its contents though? Have you ever met John Fru Ndi to discuss any transitional government?

Tumi: Yes. I have met Fru Ndi once or twice and we discussed about a transitional government and he told me he was ready for it.

Did you ever suggest to him in any of the private conversations that he should make way for another person?

Tumi: No. I did not suggest to him that he should give way. I suggested to him that it will be good a transitional candidate for the presidency be a neutral person. But, if those opposition parties that come together will want to propose him Fru Ndi, I don’t have anything against it.

Do you think a transitional government is a way forward for the country?

Tumi: What we need is to implant democracy seriously in our country, but the opposition as it is now is divided and that complicates things more.

Now this news about transitional government is coming when the government has re-echoed calls to harmonize the Anglo-Saxon and French systems of education. There has been opposition especially from the Anglophones .Do you share that opinion that it should be harmonized?

Tumi: when they talk of harmonizing, what do they mean? Degrees will be Anglo-Saxon or French system? That’s what I am asking. It will be interesting. Why harmonization at all costs? We are two, what will I call two colonial systems. So how will the harmonization be done? Will we create our own certificates, national certificates? That will be done in English and also in French?

Is the harmonization of educational system what we need to upgrade our educational standards in the country?

Tumi: No. As it’s now, let the Anglo-Saxon and French system continue. There are two cultural systems. May be we will add something to it, may be from Canada – I don’t know or any other country that is bilingual. I like the Canadian union. I like Canada. It would be good for us to know how their educational system is organized.

On-top of this there are calls that the Presidency of the Republic be made to rotate between the Anglophones and Francophones. Do you share that idea?

Tumi: Not at all. I do not share that idea. I believe that we should become so united that any Cameroonian should have the opportunity of becoming the president of this country. Any Cameroonian who fulfils the condition and the conditions should be defined clearly-so that any Cameroonian whatever his/her origin, can win. I hope that the future president of this country should be perfectly bilingual so that the president can feel at home anywhere in Cameroon

Those who think that it should rotate say that the numerical strength of the Francophone and even the mentality makes it such that it will be difficult for an Anglophone to be president of this country? Don’t you think it is time for an Anglophone to be president of this country?

Tumi: Yes, but which party? In 1992 it seems Fru Ndi won the elections. Many people still believe so today. It’s possible for an Anglophone to become the president. It’s possible!

Do you think it’s time?

Tumi: Well, whoever should become president democratically, by election!