"The cover story of the September issue of Post Newsmagazine, which is now available online, focuses on the trials and tribulations of Cameroonian bushfallers living in Western Europe, Asia and America. The cover story is based on the personal experiences of Cameroonians living in China, Austria, England, Germany and the United States. They write about everything from the regular pangs of homsickness to the challenges of integration and racism, including immigration and employment difficulties.
"The magazine also attempts to explain the motivation behind the rush to real or imagined "greener pastures" by an entire generation of Cameroonians. As it states in its editorial, "whether we admit it or not, it is a fact that the industrialised nations in the West offer vistas of opportunities to professionals who see few career prospects in Cameroon beyond singing halleluiah for the sit-tight regime in power and partaking in the corruption dining table."
"In this context, the magazine argues that:
"There is, therefore, absolutely no reason to demonise bushfallers and wannabe bushfallers whose main motivation is the pursuit of happiness and the uplifting of their families from the doldrums of poverty. At the same time, there is no reason for people to glorify the West and deify bushfallers. The West is no stress free, poverty free and problem free Eldorado where one can just pluck money from trees.
"For those who might not be familiar with the term bushfaller, here is an explanation by Clovis Atatah, Editor-in-Chief:
"Have you ever reflected on the etymology of the word “bushfalling”? The term is derived from the figurative verb, “to fall bush”. “Bush” is the Pidgin word for farm. Not long ago, almost every Cameroonian family owned farms that ensured the constant supply of food. Whenever there was hunger, food was harvested in the farm and brought to the house. But before harvesting, seed had to be sown, which entailed back breaking labour. “Fall” in Pidgin sometimes has the connotation of “jump onto” or “rush into” something or some place. To “fall bush”, therefore, means jumping into or rushing to a farm, in this case an industrialised country. (These days, people can also be heard using the expression “fall grass” when referring to travelling to countries that are perceived as poor).
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