Cameroonians blog to express themselves despite odds

By Aurore Bonny
DOUALA, Cameroon (AA) - As the global community marks World Blog Day, bloggers in Cameroon shared their experiences with the Anadolu Agency.

Blogging allows Vanessa Abessolo to overcome her natural shyness and influence society. She was inspired by the writings of Didier Ndengue, a journalist and blogger. She felt that by writing, she could express herself more than in her working life.

"I feel very comfortable. It promotes my personal development and allows me to give confidence to others by sharing my experiences," she said.

She also sees it as a business that allows her to reflect on the added value of responding to a need.

For Abessolo, blogging is also about promoting a country’s development, particularly through writing and partnerships with companies in development projects.

Freedom is what attracted Ecclesiaste Deudjui, who is passionate about journalism. But he ultimately preferred blogging because it allowed him to do "better than journalism."

Thanks to a blogging contest he won, he received a new blog and he joined a large international bloggers' community.

"It's a space where I can say what I think about various topics and call my community and even anonymous actors into action," he said.

He explained to Anadolu Agency that he sees blogging as an extremely important means of expression because it provides an opportunity to say things freely without fear, without camouflage and bias. It also allows meetings with very interesting and important people.

He entered journalism through blogging. Today, he is paid to write in certain media.

Deudjui is convinced that the freedom of tone in blogging is necessary for a society’s evolution and is therefore inseparable from journalism and even from society.

Combining journalism and blogging is what Didier Ndengue does every day. He wanted to dare and assert his positions through writing. Advice, support from readers, and cooperation encouraged him to fully embark on the adventure.

He is a founding member and former vice president of the Cameroon Bloggers Association and is very active in promoting blogging in his country.

He directed for several years a platform dedicated to the purpose in partnership with an important French cultural institute.



- Money as obstacle and advantage

Ndengue recognizes that by legalizing bloggers association, the government has shown interest and blogging's importance. Besides, he said, the fact that some make it their profession or source of income and offer jobs is a great step toward the professionalization of blogging in Cameroon.

Ndengue said blogging experienced great success nearly four years ago, thanks to the awareness of people in digital professions. But obstacles still hold back the sector.

"Most Cameroonians don't know what it's all about, perhaps because bloggers do not assert themselves and do not invest fully in what they do," he said.

He noted that a lack of financial means to afford a regular internet connection and lack of real support from companies or sponsors are difficulties bloggers face.

Companies provide support only when they feel threatened by bloggers' writings about their bad activities, according to Ndengue.

Some are paid to say things that are inaccurate or flattering to companies or actors in society who pay them to say things. This is what Ecclesiastes Deudjui also regrets.

"Some people become bloggers to make money while others get in to become writers on-demand, and that's a flaw because they do it to survive, out of necessity or opportunity, but not out of passion, which is not necessarily a good thing. Because blogging is an art of free expression," he said.

He also deplored the lack of blogs compared to the number of very good bloggers that exist in Cameroon as many cannot afford to run a real blog.

But he said the most important obstacle is the lack of integrity. To overcome it, he believes a blogger should have and respect a fixed editorial line. He should not accept any influence or manipulation.

For Ndengue, companies should cooperate more with bloggers and encourage them financially.

In addition to difficulties, Cameroonian bloggers unanimously recognize that blogging is evolving in their country.

Cameroon has about 100 bloggers thanks to their national association and campaigns to promote blogging. These movements also help them to get contracts with companies.