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

She’s Known By Many Names

The Hinge of Africa Africa in Miniature The “Armpit”

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

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

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?

Ruben Um Nyobé Felix-Roland Moumié

The Players

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

Pan-African Bad Asses

The UPC’s Goals

• Immediate independence and reunification
• End of foreign influence
• International alliances and cooperation
• Pan-Cameroonian, Pan-African

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

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”

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

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

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

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.”

Ashia!