Constitutional scholar Oscar Njiki asserts that the Constitution guarantees equal rights for all citizens. Rights derive from citizenship—not ancestry. Autochtony is a cultural identity, not a legal privilege.

Here is his full analysis:

1) Does citizenship automatically make one autochtonous anywhere in Cameroon?

No. Autochtony is not a universal trait granted by citizenship. It is rooted in shared memory, lineage, and history. Owning or investing in land does not confer autochtony. Indigenous communities hold an ontological bond with their lands—they are extensions of their identity. Customary rights are not transferable through market transactions; they dissolve upon land sale.

YOU CANNOT BE AUTOCHTONOUS EVERYWHERE.

2) Must one be autochtonous to feel at home?

No. Citizenship transcends autochtony. Every Cameroonian belongs everywhere in Cameroon. One’s right to reside does not depend on ancestry but on national membership. Being Cameroonian grants you the right to call Yaoundé, Bangangté, or Maroua home—no autochtony required.

EVERY CAMEROONIAN IS AT HOME ANYWHERE IN CAMEROON.

3) Is an autochtonous person automatically entitled to all rights in their village?

No. Even in villages, space is governed by property rights. Everyone owns land, homes, and fields. Autochtony does not justify trespass or seizure of others’ property. A non-indigenous landowner is just as entitled to call a village home, as possession confers legal rights.

AUTOCHTONY GRANTS NO SPECIAL RIGHTS; NON-AUTOCHTONY DENIES NO RIGHTS.

4) Do autochtonous individuals have more rights in their villages than non-autochtonous residents?

No. The law is uniform and indivisible. The Constitution guarantees equal rights for all citizens. Rights are not determined by ancestry but by citizenship. Autochtony is cultural, not legal.

AUTOCHTONOUS AND NON-AUTOCHTONOUS CITIZENS ARE EQUAL UNDER THE LAW.

5) Exception: Certain roles—mayor or regional council president—are reserved for autochtonous candidates. However, other elected positions—MPs, mayors, councillors—are open to all citizens regardless of ancestry.

In conclusion, the autochtony debate is a distraction. It fragments citizens along ancestral lines and diverts attention from what truly matters: our shared future. What counts is not competing claims of origin but the convergence of national destiny. Autochtony and allochtony should not divide but enrich our indivisible Republic.

We must unite as one nation, not splinter into rival micro-states within Cameroon. The nation’s future will not be built on fragmentation but on unity, solidarity, and a shared vision of collective progress.

OSCAR NJIKI