North West Fons Urged to Gather Community Support for Biya Film Premiere

Traditional rulers (Fons) in Cameroon’s North West region must mobilise their communities for the screening of a documentary celebrating President Paul Biya’s 41 years in power. In a press release, Fon Yakum Kelvin Teuvih, the president of the North West House of Chiefs and the natural ruler of Bamabalang village, invited all traditional leaders to personally attend.

The screening takes place on Saturday, October 26, in Bamenda, the capital of the North West region, at the esplanade of the Mezam Senior Divisional Officer’s Office. “The President of the North West House of Chiefs, Fon Yakum Kevin Teuvih, has the honour to inform all Fons of the North West Region to take individual dispositions to personally attend the screening of the Film of the Head of State, H.E Paul Biya, scheduled for Saturday, October 26, 2024, at the esplanade of Mezam SDO’s Office,” read the press release obtained by MMI.

Call for Community Participation

In a bid, however, to ensure a strong turnout, the president of the House of Chiefs also encouraged traditional rulers to mobilise their subjects. “Fons are further invited to rally sons and daughters of their respective Fondoms to massively attend this monumental event and give it the attention it deserves,” the statement continued.

Context of the Screening

Bamenda is the ninth regional capital to host the documentary, titled Paul Biya: A Great Statesman with an Extraordinary Destiny, which highlights the 41-year tenure of the 91-year-old president. The event comes just days after President Biya returned to Cameroon following a nearly 50-day stay abroad. Since arriving on Monday amid controversy, President Biya has remained out of sight and has already executed a couple of reshufflements.

Local Criticism of the Event

Some locals criticise the screening, arguing that the region’s more pressing concerns receive insufficient attention. Bamenda town offers more than just a cesspit. “The city has no roads and stinks with heaps of garbage everywhere,” said one disgruntled resident. “The regime plans to project a film about someone who has stayed in power for 41 years, while the North West has little or nothing to show for it,” they added, expressing frustration over the neglect of the region’s challenges. “We face problems that loom over us; we don’t know where to go.”