In a recent op-ed, a Cameroonian journalist based in Italy shares firsthand accounts of tribalism in Cameroon.

Through personal stories, he exposes how privilege and social class often overshadow ethnicity in shaping opportunities.

His latest piece, titled Stories of Tribalism – Cameroon #1, is the first in a series documenting the realities of discrimination in the country.

The author recounts a conversation with a friend from the Far North region. A graduate of prestigious institutions like ESSTIC and IRIC—whose doors are widely known to be opened by influential networks—she belongs to a family of customs officials, a sector synonymous with privilege. Despite not being among the country’s top achievers, she secured these coveted spots, a feat many PhD holders fail to accomplish. In contrast, no one in his own family has ever had such an opportunity since independence.

During their discussion, the friend casually asserted, «The country is tough, except for the Beti people who control everything and only succeed among themselves.» The conversation took a cynical turn when she added that his 20-year exile was a result of «pride.» According to her, all he needed to do was «apologize» to his Beti brothers to be «accepted» back in Cameroon.

«Apologize for what crime? What wrongdoing?» he asked. When their fellow Beti citizen, Martinez Zogo, pleaded for mercy before being brutally murdered by hired killers—many funded by elites across the spectrum—did any of them show compassion? Was ethnicity even a factor among his executioners? No. Crime and corruption transcend tribal lines.

Pointing out that she had benefited from the very system she criticized had no effect. In a single sentence, she trivialized two decades of exile, struggle, loneliness, and relentless battles with an insulting nonchalance.

His response was decisive: he blocked her. He has no tolerance for tribalists, especially those who are privileged.

The harsh truth he lays bare is this:

In Cameroon, there are really only two ethnic groups:

• Those who hold the keys to the system: Families who secure spots at IRIC, ESSTIC, ENAM, or EMIA through elite connections.
• The rest of us: Children of resourceful mothers who hustle to survive, selling water on the streets just to make ends meet.

The true divide is not regional but social. Stop being distracted by those who profit from the system while lamenting their own marginalization.

He cut ties with her because privileged tribalism is the most dangerous kind of all.

Jean Claude Mbede Fouda