CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background to the Study

The Anglophone regions of Cameroon have since late 2016 witnessed a sociopolitical crisis that has deteriorated overtime and has led to loss of lives and property, internal displacement and a growing climate of fear and incertitude. As years go by, there seems to be an escalation of violence and armed confrontations between government armed forces and Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs) (SODEI, 2021). As a result, of this, thousands have lost their lives, hundreds of thousands are displaced both internally and externally in neighboring Nigeria, and hundreds of villages have been destroyed in different parts of the affected regions (Delphine, 2020).

Many youths have been rendered idle and crime rates are on the rise. Many people have found comfort in alcohol and different kinds of drugs to cope with the negative results of the crisis. This includes, tobacco caffeine, solvents, over the counter drugs, prescribed drugs, illicit drugs etc. Over time, more and more people are engaging themselves in consuming these substances and many are becoming addicted. Substance abuse is a pattern of harmful use of alcohol, prescribed medicine, and other legal or illegal substances too much or in the wrong way. Andreas, (2019) attests that, “drug consumption is always at a rise during war because it is highly consumed by victims of the war as well as the fighters”. “Alcohol, one of the most consumed drug has long helped civilian populations endure wartime hardships and beyond alcohol, many other mind altering substances have long been used to manage the stress and trauma of war, whether before, during, or after battle” (ARPS, 2019).

Worth noting is that substance Abuse can also be seen as drug abuse. In simpler terms, a drug is any chemical that alters the physical or mental functioning of an individual. It becomes an abuse when the drug or substance is taken for reasons other than medical in an amount, strength, frequency, or manner that causes damage to the physical or mental functioning of an individual. This is opposed to drug use, which could simply be using a drug to cure an illness, prevent a disease or improve health. Any kind of drug can be abused even drugs with medical use. Using drugs that have no medical use at all is abusing them. Substance abuse leads to addiction with the development of tolerance and dependence. Tolerance refers to a condition where the user needs more and more of the drug to experience the same effect. Smaller quantities that were sufficient earlier are no longer effective and the user is forced to increase the amount of drug intake and then slowly, drug dependence develops (Sahu & Sahu, 2012). Drug abuse always results from the need to forget or do away with a problem or situation. In the context of this study, persistent crisis leads people to depend on drugs to cope with the hardship of the crisis which can likely lead to an addiction.

As reported by Amnesty International, 1995; Musah, 2000; Bangura, 2004; Keen, 2005, alcohol and drugs play a part in wars as rebels, militia members and soldiers consumed it not only to boost their morale but also as a tranquilizer to cope with the consequences of the human rights abuses that they commit. The kind of extreme social stress that a civil war exposes the population to may also result in an increase in the general consumption of alcohol and drugs as well (Horton, 1943; Mandelbaum, 1963; Anderson and Mitchell, 1992; Martin et al, 1996). Rejection from family and friends, loss of respect and occupation are included amongst the problem that can cause an individual to be addicted (Mahnaz et al., 2021).

The menace of drug abuse and its attendant debilitating effects ranging from psychological to criminal outcomes remain a major challenge to human existence and development (Olurishe, 2019). In most parts of the world, youths constitute the majority of persons with drug related problems, and this is usually irrespective of ethnicity or geographical location. In a study conducted from the Eastern part of Nigeria among students of five secondary schools with a sample size of 620, designed as a case control study with a view to evaluate the effect of drug use on psychosocial dysfunction, the following were observed; 

Multiple abusers had higher prevalence of psychosocial dysfunction than non-drug users. Although there were dysfunctional cases among the controls, there was a significantly higher number among the drug abusers, which establishes the fact that drug use significantly contributed to psychosocial dysfunction. As in many other studies, alcohol was the major substance of abuse. However, it was also observed in this study that there was a higher prevalence of dysfunction among drug users who were in late adolescence, while mid adolescents in the control group had a higher prevalence of dysfunction. The study also showed that multiple substance abusers had a higher level of psychosocial dysfunction (Olurishe, 2019).

Psychosocial dysfunction is opposed to psychosocial well-being which is a multidimensional construct consisting of psychological, social, and subjective components which influence the overall functionality of individuals in achieving their true potentials as members of a society. Psychosocial well-being incorporates the physical, economic, social, mental, emotional, cultural and spiritual determinants of health. Wellbeing of an individual includes coping with the various stresses of everyday living and realization of the full potential of an individual as a productive member of the society. This state of well-being motivates the development of life skills which enables individuals, families, or communities to understand and engage with their environment and make healthy contributions (Kumar, 2020). “No one survives without community and no community thrives without the individual” (Friedli and WHO, 2009).

Individuals who are thus dysfunctional because of drugs cannot meet their full potentials talk less of contributing towards the development of their community and rather are liabilities especially in an economy that is witnessing a decline in development because of a socio political crisis as is the case of the Anglophone regions of Cameroon.

Since the onset of the crisis, the affected regions have witnessed a drastic decline in economic and infrastructural development. It is estimated that over 200 villages have been either partially or completely burned to ashes in the affected regions (CHRDA-RWCHR, 2019). Physical security is the foundation for human capability; assurance of security may be the most fundamental of all institutions for development. Violent conflict has held back progress in many of the poorest countries. As a result, many people turn to abusing substances to deal with these difficulties that come with violent conflicts. Over consumption of these substances are never without health complications. With the health complications that comes with substance abuse the productivity of abuser drops heavily and development keeps moving backward rather than forward.

It is for this reason that this research has been carried out on The Effect of the Anglophone crisis, on Substance Abuse and development in the Bamenda Municipality, to evaluate the incidence of substance abuse, identify what aspects of the crisis are causing people to abuse these substances and the impact this has on the development of Bamenda. The research also seeks to find out what can be done to reduce the consumption of the substances. 

1.2. Problem Statement

According to the World Population Review (WPR, 2019), as of September 2019, Anglophone Cameroon (also referred to as West Cameroon or Southern Cameroon) is approximately 20% of the population of Cameroon. Out of this number, over 65% are below the age of 25 (CIA World Factbook, 2018). Since the onset of the socio-political instability in October 2016, there has been massive bloodshed, kidnappings, arrests and torture as well as loss of lives and property within the Anglophone regions of the country. The International Crisis Group (ICG) estimates that since September 2017, the crisis has left at least 1,850 dead, 530,000 internally displaced and another 35,000 refugees in neighboring Nigeria. It is equally estimated that over 200 villages have been either partially or completely burned to ashes in the affected regions (CHRDA-RWCHR, 2019). This constitutes a staggering 25% of the population of this region. Families have been split in the process of escaping the violence of war and the danger of fighting to other regions with some being obliged to run into the bushes in search of safety. In fact, OCHA, (2019) estimates that about 80% of those who have been forced to flee the crisis have taken refuge in the forest completely deprived of the most basic human rights.

While the stalemate persists, the nation’s most vulnerable populations – women, children and the elderly – continue to suffer the brunt of the force. Many children have been orphaned by the crisis while families have had to make very difficult decisions to ensure that both parents and children have access to basic human rights. The phenomenon of child soldiers is another sad reality as a significant percentage of those who are joining the armed militias are below 15. Teenage pregnancies are at an all-time high in these regions with huge social implications for the nation as a whole, says sociologist, Yenshu, (Cameroon Tribune, 2019) cited in Delphine, (2020). As youths continue to idle around at home, unable to go to school, some have taken to trying out different things on the streets including drugs with most of them getting addicted to the over the counter pain reliever, tramadol. Whether it be those who are struggling to stay alive in the different towns and regions in West Cameroon or those who have escaped to other regions, the prevalence of emotional and psychological ailments such as anxiety, depression, and other symptoms of psychological trauma is on the increase.

As the crisis persist, substances are continually being consumed and excessive consumption of these substances be it alcohol or drugs itself, deteriorates the health of the addict and reduces his/her productivity level which is bad for development. Sahu & Sahu, (2012) mentioned that substance abuse is increasing at an alarming rate, causing serious threat to nations by deteriorating health, increasing crime rates, hampering productivity, destroying relationships eroding social and moral values and impeding the overall progress of societies. The crisis in itself is already causing so much damage as houses are being burned down, people are being killed and infrastructures destroyed. Added to this, a continuous consumption of substances by individuals to forget the brunt of the crisis rather leads to more damage to the already damaged society as productivity of abusers reduces because of poor health. It is for this reason that the researcher decided to carry out a research on The Effect of the Anglophone crisis, on substance abuse and development in the Bamenda Municipality, North West Region, Cameroon so as to identify the impact the Anglophone crisis has on substance abuse and the impact substance abuse in turn has on development. I will also be identifying alternative approaches to coping with the crisis as oppose to substance abuse as a way to promote development.

1.3. Research Questions

This work seeks to provide answers to the following questions.

1. What kind and quantity of substances are being abused in the Bamenda Municipality since the onset of the crisis?
2. How has the consumption of these substances impacted development?

1.4. Research Objectives

The research objectives are presented in two parts. The main objectives and specific objectives.

1.4.1 Main Objective

To evaluate the incidence of substance abuse as a result of the Anglophone crisis and evaluate its impact on development in the Bamenda Municipality.

1.4.2 Specific Objectives

1. To identify the kind and prevalence of substances being abused.
2. To investigate how the consumption of these substances are impacting development

1.5 Scope of Study

This research was carried out in Bamenda given that it is one of the Anglophone regions of Cameroon that has been plagued by the crisis. Bamenda was chosen as the study area because it is the capital of the Northwest region which has suffered some of the most violent clashes and attacks since the conflict began. With a huge number of casualties and with many people rendered idle and depressed, they might be tempted to abuse drugs and other substances to forget the trauma that comes with the crisis. The time scope covers the year the crisis began until present date that is from 2016 – present date.