Richard Bona criticizes corruption in Cameroon’s youth
According to Afrobarometer data from March, 57% of Cameroonians admit to paying bribes to avoid trouble with law enforcement. Nearly half have bribed officials to obtain identification documents, while 37% did so to access medical care.
Bona’s bold statement
In a candid interview, Richard Bona, who lives in exile, expressed his dismay at the state of corruption in Cameroon, with particular focus on the younger generation.
“Cameroon’s youth is deeply corrupt. They’ve been raised in this environment where they expect handouts from above. Apart from rare exceptions, this is a generation that has embraced corruption. I don’t even see how Cameroon can recover from this.”
Bona’s comments sparked immediate reactions online, with one social media user noting, “Children know the police aren’t there for their safety, but to extract 500 francs.”
On the streets of Yaoundé, opinions are divided. While some acknowledge the existence of corrupt youth, others argue that “most young people are victims of corruption rather than its perpetrators.”
“Yes, there are young people taking shortcuts. Yes, there are reprehensible behaviors. But no nation can progress by judging an entire generation based on its worst elements.”
Cameroon’s global standing
Cameroon ranks 142nd out of 182 countries in Transparency International’s latest corruption perception index, released in February. The National Anti-Corruption Commission (Conac) reported in its 2024 assessment that “billions of CFA francs continue to be embezzled from state coffers by individuals.”
One civil servant anonymously shared, “Many young people don’t even recognize corruption as abnormal anymore. They’ve become conditioned to it.”
Yet not everyone agrees with Bona’s sweeping generalization. “It’s important to recognize that there’s a segment of youth that’s resilient, fighting the good fight with dignity, and inspiring others.”
“Cameroon moves forward thanks to its young people. If they were all corrupt, the country would have come to a standstill long ago.”
Victims or accomplices?
Maître Akere Muna, founder of Transparency International Cameroon and international anti-corruption consultant, offers a nuanced perspective. He describes the youth as “both victims and tacit accomplices” of systemic corruption, caught in a web of survival.
“Corruption in Cameroon is systemic. To say young people are responsible… they don’t control anything. They’re just trying to survive. So they play along. The youth must understand that corruption is mortgaging their future. They need to speak out.”
“For forty years, Cameroon has operated with a culture where competence and hard work don’t advance you. You need connections, nepotism, tribalism to get ahead,” Muna explains. He advocates for an educational shift that values meritocracy, emphasizing that “laziness leads nowhere.”
The Conac urges all citizens, public and private sector employees alike, to report corruption through its dedicated hotline at 1517.
