Pan-African, Pan-Cameroonian: The Success, Influence, and Failure - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Pan-African, Pan-Cameroonian: The Success, Influence, and Failure - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Pan-African, Pan-Cameroonian: The Success, Influence, and Failure of the Union des Populations Camerounais Graham T. Baden, CSULB - Hist 392, 2014 Shes Known By Many Names The Hinge of Africa Africa in Miniature The Armpit


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Pan-African, Pan-Cameroonian:

The Success, Influence, and Failure of the Union des Populations Camerounais

Graham T. Baden, CSULB - Hist 392, 2014

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She’s Known By Many Names

The Hinge of Africa Africa in Miniature The “Armpit”

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Geographically and Culturally: Africa in Miniature

  • Three Different Colonial Authorities
  • Both British and French systems of

colonial governance

  • Violent, armed conflict at time of

independence

  • Unique international relationships with

UN, Africa, and China

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A Little Background

  • “Kamerun” - German colony, 1884
  • “Cameroun” and “The Cameroons” - Trust

Territories of France and Britain, 1917 & UN Mandates, 1946

  • Republic of Cameroun - Independence, 1961
  • Federal Republic of Cameroon -

Reunification, 1962

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The Big Question(s)

  • What was the Union des Populations

Camerounais (UPC)? Why were they violent, and why were they unsuccessful in their goals?

  • Who were Ruben Um Nyobé and Felix

Moumié, and why were they assassinated?

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Ruben Um Nyobé Felix-Roland Moumié

The Players

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Cameroon’s First Political Party

  • Nyobé and Moumié - Labor organizers
  • Formed UPC in 1948 at café in Douala
  • UPC became Cameroonian wing of RDA
  • Alliance with French Communist Party, PCF
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Pan-African Bad Asses

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The UPC’s Goals

  • Immediate independence and reunification
  • End of foreign influence
  • International alliances and cooperation
  • Pan-Cameroonian, Pan-African
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The UPC’s Methods

  • Several envoys to UN & Visiting

Committee

  • Prevented from gaining seats in National

Assembly

  • 1955-1956, staged trade strikes, riots
  • Outlawed, exiled from Cameroun
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On the Lam

  • UPC split into two factions - Political

disagreement ■ Moumié to Cairo, Nyobé to maquis

  • Moumié’s focus: Pan-African politics -

pamphlets, newspapers, propaganda

■ Support from Nasser, Nkruma, Touré

  • Nyobé’s focus: Pan-Cameroonian politics -

forming of guerrilla cells, “maquis”

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Division, Competition, Failure

  • RDA - Moderate turn under Felix Boigny

■ UPC asked to leave RDA

  • Moumié leaves Cairo for Akra

■ Reasons unknown - sources disagree

  • Nyobé and maquis - Tribalism & localism

■ Intra-party competition

  • Divided leadership - Party discredited
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Ambush, Assassination, and Execution

  • Nyobé ambushed at hiding

place near Douala, 1958

  • Moumié poisoned in Geneva by

French Secret Service, 1960

  • Oandié killed by firing squad,

1971

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The Irony of Nationalism & The Pitfalls of Political Representation

  • Nyobé and Moumié were assassinated by French

powers before Cameroon achieved the UPC’s nationalistic goals - They were demonized by the Cameroonian government during their campaign.

  • Ahmadou Ahidjo used their namesakes, goals, and

rhetoric to win popular support - Elected President

  • f the newly independent Cameroon in 1960
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Nationalism is Only the Beginning

“Dieu a créé un seul Cameroun, c’est là le point de départ.” “God made only one Cameroon, it’s there that we begin.”

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Ashia!