The fall of the Bongo family in Gabon is sending a strong message across Central Africa, and many people in Cameroon are paying close attention.
In November 2025, a special court in Gabon sentenced former First Lady Sylvia Bongo and her son Noureddin Bongo Valentin to 20 years in prison for embezzlement and money laundering. This happened two years after a military coup removed President Ali Bongo from power, ending a family rule that lasted more than 50 years.
The case shocked the region. For decades, the Bongos were seen as untouchable. Suddenly, they were on trial, their wealth questioned, and their reputation destroyed. Whether the trial was fair or political, one thing became clear: once a long-ruling leader loses power, their family can quickly become a target.
This is why many Cameroonians are asking themselves a sensitive question: Could the Biya family face the same fate one day?
President Paul Biya has ruled Cameroon since 1982. Like the Bongo family, the Biya family has often been linked to questions about wealth, influence and the use of state resources. Stories about expensive trips, luxury properties abroad and the political power of First Lady Chantal Biya have circulated for many years, even though no official investigation has ever taken place.
As Gabon’s new leaders move against the Bongo family, people in Cameroon see similarities. Both leaders stayed in power for decades. Both families became powerful symbols of the state. And in both countries, many citizens have long complained about corruption and mismanagement.
Today, Paul Biya is still in power, and his family is protected by the government, the ruling party and the security forces. But regional history shows that protection does not last forever. When a long-ruling president leaves office — whether through elections, a coup or natural succession — the new leaders often try to clean up the past. Going after the former first family is usually the quickest way to show change.
That is exactly what happened in Gabon.
And it could happen in Cameroon too, especially if there is a sudden change of power or a fight inside the ruling CPDM party. A new government would face strong pressure from the public to investigate corruption from the Biya era. Targeting the Biya family would send a strong message that things are different.
For now, nothing has happened. But the Bongo case has changed the way people think. It proved that even families who rule for decades can fall, and fall hard.
Across Cameroon, one question is being whispered more loudly than before: If the Bongos could face justice, will the Biyas face it too?
