BE THE PEACE WE PREACH!
When I was tasked to present a paper on peace, without any thematic, I even wondered why journalists who are ordinarily propellers of peace, and many of whom have taken lessons on the new concept of Peace journalism at that, should be given a peace talk? One too many, and boring? Deep in me I thought it was of no moment because it may be the same refrain.
But on a fore thought, I reminded myself that in these deciding times, it is imperative for us to decide, to commit, to make a concerted effort to reach out in ever-expanding circles of affinity and embrace. Our society has been fractured and desecrated by the quest for peace. Yes the quest for peace has brought Anglophones to where they now find themselves, and ironically it is the same quest for peace that has put Cameroon, I mean its government at the crossroads. And so you see, Peace can be acceptance as well as refusal, sometimes simultaneously. While the government seems to accept the status quo, the Anglophone community is rejecting it, and simultaneously both entities want peace. What a paradox!
I am not going to bore you with a revision class of all the tenets of Peace Journalism that we have been choked with in our various workshops, talk of drumming on who carries the blame as to where we all find ourselves? Rather, I will prefer that we all open our consciences and judge if we are the peace we preach!
There really is still a chance for peace. But it is ultimately up to us, each one of us, all of us, individually and together, to create the kind of world in which we want to live — to be the change we seek — starting right here, right now. How do we handle issues, I should say differences amongst ourselves, is it the attitude of slow sarcasm intended to hurt? Is it one of cleaning off a banana peeling on a colleague’s pathway so that our practice and professional career can really thrive? Or it is a mind-set of greed and pride even at the cost of the inner peace of a colleague? We all know where we fall, I am simply reflecting, maybe soliloquizing.
Dear colleagues, you know, there really is still a chance for peace and that chance will definitely increase if we each do our piece. So let’s each do our piece and make peace — in our homes, in our own hearts, in our relationships, in our communities, in our Nation in all of our dealings and in the world. Peace be with us all.
Happy World Press Freedom Day, 2019
Mokun Njouny Nelson
Manager Foundation Radio
Vice president CCMN NW/W
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