Cameroonian Comedian Aunty Felicia Slams CRTV’s Ebune for Defending Biya’s “Electoral Catfishing”
Yaoundé, Cameroon – July 23, 2025
In a bold statement that has sparked widespread debate, Cameroonian comedian Kwo Elonge, popularly known as Aunty Felicia, has sharply criticized both President Paul Biya and CRTV journalist Charles Ebune for what she calls “electoral catfishing” in the lead-up to the 2025 presidential election. Elonge’s remarks come as President Biya, now 92 and in power since 1982, seeks an eighth term, raising questions about transparency and authenticity in his campaign.
Elonge took aim at Ebune, a prominent journalist and anchor at Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV), for dismissing concerns about Biya’s age as “hate rhetoric.” In his statement, he challenged the use of decades-old images of Biya in campaign materials, accusing the ruling Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement (CPDM) of misleading voters. “If his age does not matter, his campaign should please desist from using images of him from 1994 for his flyers and posters,” Elonge said. “Let them run his campaign with his current image. Or are we voting for a flashback? Repeatedly using multiple decades-old images is electoral catfishing.”
His critique didn’t stop there. Elonge argued that the effort put into portraying Biya as youthful could have been better spent addressing Cameroon’s pressing issues. “If the amount of effort and hardwork that goes into making him young had been put in running government ministries, Cameroon would be a first world country,” he stated, highlighting the country’s struggles with corruption, poverty, and ongoing conflicts in the Anglophone regions. He labeled Ebune’s defense of Biya as “at best a historian’s fallacy and at worst manipulative,” accusing him of downplaying legitimate concerns about the president’s long tenure and current capacity to lead.
Elonge’s outspokenness has been met with praise from many Cameroonians, particularly younger voters frustrated with the status quo. At 92, Biya is the world’s oldest head of state, and his 43-year rule has been marked by allegations of electoral fraud and media suppression. Critics, including Elonge, argue that the use of outdated images is a deliberate tactic to obscure Biya’s age and health, especially after recent speculation about his prolonged absences from public view.
Supporters of Biya, however, point to his experience and the relative economic stability of Cameroon compared to its neighbours. Some, like author Antoine Nkoa, have even claimed divine support for Biya’s leadership, a sentiment Elonge dismissed as out of touch with the realities of endemic corruption and a cost-of-living crisis. The comedian’s call for transparency resonates with those who see Biya’s long rule as a barrier to progress in a country where the median age is just 18.
Elonge’s courage in challenging both a powerful state media figure and the entrenched political system has positioned him as a voice for change. His statement has reignited discussions about press freedom, with CRTV often criticized for serving as a mouthpiece for the ruling party. As the October 2025 election approaches, her words underscore a growing demand for accountability and fairness in Cameroon’s political landscape.
