Why did Anglophone Cameroonians demand a return to a federal system?

Anglophone Cameroonians have demanded a return to a federal system primarily as a response to perceived marginalization by the Francophone-dominated central government.12

Following independence, the 1961 constitution established a Federal Republic of Cameroon that linked the English-speaking West and French-speaking East as states within a federation. However, this structure was replaced by a centralized government under the 1972 constitution.34

In 2016, long-standing tensions escalated into protests, with many residents arguing that a return to the original federal model would allow for a more equitable sharing of power between the Anglophone and Francophone populations. While the government later introduced a "special status" designation for the two English-speaking regions to provide greater autonomy, many in the Anglophone community remained dissatisfied, citing a lack of input in the process and the limited nature of the autonomy granted.12