Dr David Makongo: A Rallying Force for Anglophone Unity and Development in the Diaspora
- By The Watchdog Tribune Desk
At a time when Anglophone voices are fragmented across homeland and diaspora, one name continues to resonate as a rallying point for unity, truth-telling and economic awakening — Dr David Makongo.
Senior International Negotiator, Legal Adviser, mining and natural resources law expert, and Chairman of several Africa-focused investment initiatives, Dr Makongo has carved a reputation not as a noisy politician, but as a strategic thinker who uses law, knowledge and capital as tools for liberation.
From Courtroom to Community: A Voice for Dialogue:
Long before the crisis turned bloody, Dr Makongo was among the first Anglophone elites to write openly to President Paul Biya demanding respect for rule of law after the arrests of Barrister Agbor Balla and Justice Ayah Paul Abine. His open letters, widely circulated from 2017, warned that force alone could never bury the Anglophone grievance.
In recent weeks, his renewed call has shaken both Yaounde and the diaspora:
“The people of the North West and South West cannot be asked to surrender another generation to war. Engage President Sisiku Ayuk Tabe and the Nera 10 in genuine peace talks. No one should benefit from a conflict while families continue to bury their loved ones.”
He insists that an Anglophone Vice-President is not the cure, but that accountable leadership, justice, inclusive dialogue and strong institutions are. And he has challenged Prime Minister Chief Dr Joseph Dion Ngute directly: _the Anglophone crisis will not die a natural death in 10 to 15 years without a plan.
Unity for What? His Economic Gospel
What sets Makongo apart from pure political commentators is his second front: *Economic Enlightenment.*
On his platform http://davidmakongo.com, he is running a revealing series on the hidden wealth of Anglophone Cameroon — from SONARA in Fako, to Ndian oil and gas, to iron ore in the North West, and now Manyu Division.
“Our greatest struggle is not merely against conflict. It is also against poverty, unemployment, ignorance and the withholding of vital information that could help our people understand their true economic worth.”
He argues that Manyu lies in the Mamfe sedimentary basin with documented potential for oil and gas, salt, timber and minerals, while the South West and North West combined hold petroleum, fertile lands, and enormous human capital.
His question to the diaspora is simple: Ghana, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Nigeria built their economies with diaspora capital and knowledge — why not us?
He identifies the blockages frankly: nationality restrictions, unfavourable tax environment, weak investment policies, political uncertainty and lack of reliable information.
Why Diaspora Listens to Him
1. He is one of them: Based in the USA, but deeply rooted in Manyu and the wider South West/North West.
2. He is not a war profiteer: He has consistently said neither soldiers, nor fighters, nor civilians benefit from endless war.
3. He offers a destination: He calls for a negotiated, genuinely federal Constitution that protects the legal, educational and cultural heritage of the North West and South West.
As Cameroon prepares for 2027, Dr Makongo represents a new type of Anglophone leadership — not seeking appointment, but mobilizing the knowledge, capital and moral authority of the diaspora to prepare his people for responsible self-governance and prosperity.
He is, in the words of many young Anglophones abroad, the bridge between protest and proposal.
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