Biya’s 88th Birthday: “We cannot keep on encouraging our grandparents to stay in power” André Blaise Essama

The popular Cameroonian nationalist has criticized the fact that Cameroonians still organize birthday parties to celebrate President Paul Biya as he continues to sit tight at the Unity Palace at his old age.

André Blaise Essama spoke today on the ABK Radio in Douala where he also praised the courage of some Cameroonian nationals like Mamadou Mota, who has just been released, and Maurice Kamto.

He also questioned why national heroes like Jean Michele KanKan are not being celebrated rather than some unprecedented parties.

“Jean Michele KanKan is highly respected in both Central and West Africa. For me, he is a symbol of our culture and he should be celebrated. It is nonsense that we are not celebrating him the way we should.”

He concluded by criticizing the recent lavished party organized in honor of president Biya on the occasion of his birthday. He stated that “we cannot continue to encourage our grandparents”.

André Blaise Essama is popularly known for pulling down statues with colonial connotations and replacing them with some Cameroonian figures. One of the highlights of these was when he erected a statue of former Prime Minister of Southern Cameroons, John Ngu Foncha. The statue was taken down by the police and Andre Blaise Onana was arrested.