Mr. Biya’s 35 years in power: From a Hero to a Zero – Inherited one country, to leave behind two countries

Two days ago, the octogenarian President of the Cameroons and his blindfolded supporters and the hypnotic militants of his RDPC party were seen dancing and wining in their homes and allover the streets of La Republique du Cameroon, in the name of celebrating the 35th Anniversary of his accession to power. The celebration atmosphere was certainly not the same in Southern Cameroons, as no single party regalia was seen on the streets. Those who carried them in their bags and wore at the security tight and confined ceremonial grounds did not want to be seen on Camera as they could be seen covering their faces in shame.

Mr. Biya and his party, were celebrating 35 years in power in a country that is supposedly made up of two PEOPLES, equal in status; but one of the peoples have been enslaved and ignored for more than 55 years running. Celebrating 35 years in power in a country that has become an economic laughing stock and a beggar from the international financial community despite all her natural, politico-economic and sociocultural endowments. Celebrating 35 years in power in a country where children in natural resource producing communities still go to school under palm front shades. Celebrating 35years in power in a country where one man brazenly steals 300billion CFA and is arrested and kept in VIP prison cells, while his family members keep on investing the money out of the country. Celebrating 35 years in power in a country where the President has become a god and his party a religious institution where members join it to worship him. The list is long and boring.

Are these really the 35 years achievements they were celebrating? For those who say the dying man has achieved enough, may I refer you to just two of the 36 states in neighbouring Nigeria, Lagos and Akwaibom States (larger than the Cameroons in population), where their governors in 8 years transformed these states into construction sites and global investment destinations to the admiration of all.

What has Paul Biya achieved in 35 years with all the money and resources God has endowed the Cameroons with? He came to power when the spermatozoa that were to trigger the conception of this writer were nowhere in existence. Like any other young citizen of the Cameroons, I was told by history teachers in secondary and high schools how the President Paul Biya came to power in November, 1982 and was received with a lot of euphoria and fanfare. There was hope in the air as the people saw in him the moses of their time. 35 years after, where is that euphoria?

A few months back, a news publication of La Republique’s propaganda newspaper, Cameroon Tribune, quoted Mr. Paul Biya as saying he would like to be remembered as the man who “brought democracy” to Cameroon. His Southern Cameroons sycophant Professor Ngolle Ngolle Elvis, in one of his praise singing outings reiterated that “President Biya is a big lover and advocate of democracy,… he only wishes it to be really functional after him”. In celebrating 35 years in power, can it still be said that Paul Biya is a democrat? Isn’t he now behaving like the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to get the people to dance to his tune? We are all witnesses to how civil servants were coerced to come out for the lame 35th anniversary celebrations in some parts of Ambazonia, notably in Elak, Oku of Bui County.

Mr. Biya is celebrating 35 years in power at a time Southern Cameroonians have risen to question their enslavement in this purported union for 56 years. For one year, the people have resisted intimidation, brutality and mayhem. For one on year, the people have maintained their resolve to dissolve the fake Union. For one year, Mr. Biya has abandoned his self acclaimed democratic credentials which demand for free speech, frank and inclusive dialogue during a crisis like this, to adopt intimidation, bribery, brutality and genocide. Despite all the calls from local, national and international stakeholders on the need for a frank and inclusive dialogue between Mr. Biya and the People of Southern Cameroons, there appear to be large cotton balls planted deep inside his ears.
Mr. President, are you still proud of bringing democracy to the Cameroons?

As it stands, the time to rescue the so-called union had long ran out on the 1st of October, 2017. Mr. President, I know those your dumb advisers have told you to be calm and that the “Anglophone crisis” is dying and things are gradually returning to normalcy, as the forces of “law and order” are in control of the situation. That sounds good in your ears, right?

True, as our enemies have put it, “the struggle is struggling” and appear to be dying. However, Mr. President should be reminded that when an action movie is at the “last fight”, the main actor must be given some serious beatings by his rival before he finally takes control and win the fight.

Your Excellency, your 35 years in power have been a waste. It would have been better you remained in the seminary and became a priest and never a president of the Cameroons. For your information, you are about to repeat history. You will end up like Joseph II of Austria who demanded that the following words be written on his grave: “Here lies a prince whose intentions were pure, but who had the misfortune to see all his plans collapse before his own eyes”.

Mr. President, you inherited one country and I can assure you that you will be leaving behind two when the bell rings for you to go offstage. Anyway, I’m not the one assuring you of this fact. As a President with privilege information, you should know this by now.

Happy 35th Anniversary, Mr. President.