The rot runs deeper than Cameroon’s political class—it’s in our daily choices

In a searing commentary, high school teacher and political observer Armand Noutack II dismantles the myth that Cameroon’s problems begin and end with its leaders. He argues that systemic decay is sustained by everyday citizens who cling to convenience over integrity, turning corruption into an accepted way of life.

The educator pulls no punches, exposing how many Cameroonians claim to want change by day but undermine it by night—whether through tax evasion, market fraud, or exploiting public office for private gain. His critique cuts across professions: civil servants collecting salaries while living abroad, opposition figures demanding Biya’s departure while negotiating lucrative contracts with his ministers, traders selling expired goods, and teachers exploiting students for grades.

When reform threatens personal gain, the ‘change’ dream fades

Noutack zeroes in on the hypocrisy of Cameroonians who demand progress but sabotage it when their own illicit advantages are at stake. He cites the government’s attempt to audit state payrolls as an example—an initiative met with resistance from those who benefit from the current system’s opacity.

“Some present themselves as fierce opponents by day, only to meet ministers at midnight to negotiate public contracts they execute poorly for massive profits,” he writes. “You shout for change but sell spoiled meat at double the price. You want change but avoid taxes, falsify dates on products, and harass students for grades.”

A nation trapped in its own contradictions

The commentator reserves particular scorn for Cameroonians who profess democratic ideals while undermining them through everyday corruption. He highlights:

• Public servants who claim to want change while funneling their salaries to relatives in Canada;
• Doctors who abandon public hospitals to run private clinics, prioritizing profit over service;
• Police officers who extort drivers for missing paperwork;
• Journalists whose reporting hinges on late-night favors;
• School principals who buy promotions only to cram students into unsafe, overcrowded classrooms.

“The truth is, we are all corrupt,” Noutack declares. “It’s not surface-level dishonesty—our very mentalities are diseased. And that’s what stings the most.”

From words to action: the path forward

He challenges Cameroonians to ask themselves: If you won’t embody the change you seek, why demand it at all? His prescription? Rigorous audits, sanctions for corrupt actors at all levels, and a collective reckoning with the “mental spiderweb” of corruption that has ensnared the nation for decades. Until then, he warns, Cameroon’s cycle of decay will persist.

Noutack signs off with a blunt directive: “If you can’t be the change yourself, then stay silent.”

Armand Noutack II
High School Teacher