Emmanuel ITONG A GOUFAN || Achille Garance KAMENI NGALEU || Bernadette Émilienne NJUIKUI || Bessala Ndzie Belinga Bruno Ludovic
Volume: 13 Issue: 04, 2025
Abstract:
The Baka are fundamentally rooted in their culture and closed off from the world. However, for several decades now, they have been gradually adhering to the policy of decentralisation, which forces them to completely change some of their long-standing customs and practices. Common sense suggests that this indicates a new conception of life in which they derive much more happiness than before. Nevertheless, this viewpoint is strongly contested on the grounds that the quality of life for the Baka has rather deteriorated over the years. The aim of this study is therefore to assess the impact of decentralisation on their daily experiences. Consequently, the question arises as to whether the Baka's involvement in local development projects improves the quality of life they lead. In anticipation of an answer, we have formulated a negative hypothesis. This has been operationalized into four research hypotheses, all of which were confirmed by a content analysis of the narratives of three Baka individuals from the Dja and Lobo department. This result led us to conclude that decentralisation is not yet well understood or appreciated by the Baka. Furthermore, we suggested several prerequisites: an emphasis on citizenship education; the learning of democracy and national culture; and a new social contract between Bantus and Pygmies based on reciprocity, partnership, dialogue, and mutual respect for sociocultural differences.