43 Years of Biya: ‘What Was Called a Peaceful Transition Was Enforced by Fear,’ Says Activist

More than four decades after Cameroon’s 1982 change of leadership, a Cameroonian activist based in the United Kingdom says the country is facing what he describes as “moral and political bankruptcy,” following years of stagnation, repression, and unfulfilled promises under Paul Biya.

In a public opinion shared on social media, Bernard Djikeugouè says the so-called “peaceful transition” that brought Paul Biya to power after the resignation of Ahmadou Ahidjo has long been misrepresented.

“Cameroon was told in 1982 that it was witnessing a smooth and historic transfer of power,” Bernard said. “But what was called ‘peaceful’ was in reality a controlled transition enforced by fear, not by the will of the people.”

He argues that the years surrounding the transition were marked by repression, internal purges, mysterious deaths, arrests, and forced exile of political opponents.

“Political rivals were neutralised, humiliated, imprisoned, or pushed out of the country,” he said. “That is not democratic continuity. That is political consolidation through coercion.”

‘An Entire Nation Has Known Only One System’

Bernard says Cameroon’s greatest crisis lies in its political immobilism. Since 1982, the same ruling system has remained in place, leaving generations without experience of democratic alternation.

“Entire generations have been born, gone to school, worked, and even grown old without ever seeing a change of leadership,” he said. “That alone should trouble anyone who believes in democracy.”

According to him, institutions meant to guarantee accountability have steadily lost their independence.

“Parliament, the judiciary, and electoral bodies no longer function as counterweights,” Bernard said. “They operate as extensions of executive power.”

He points to the arrests and detention of opposition figures such as Maurice Kamto, as well as the exile of other critics, as evidence that pluralism exists largely on paper.

“Opposition is tolerated only when it is harmless,” he said. “When it becomes effective, it is punished.”

‘A Rich Country Where Citizens Live in Poverty’

Bernard also criticised what he called the contradiction between Cameroon’s natural wealth and the living conditions of its citizens.

“Cameroon is rich in oil, gas, timber, cocoa, minerals, and fertile land,” he said. “Yet most citizens live in precarity. That is not bad luck. That is systemic extraction.”

He cited widespread youth unemployment, underfunded hospitals, teacher shortages, and crumbling infrastructure as signs of governance failure.

“While ordinary people struggle to survive, a small political and economic elite enjoys luxury, overseas properties, and state-funded protection,” he added. “This is not development. It is organised inequality.”

Anglophone Crisis: ‘A Country at Peace Does Not Wage War on Its People’

Nowhere, Bernard says, is state failure more visible than in the Anglophone regions.

“What began as peaceful protests by teachers and lawyers escalated into armed conflict because the state chose repression over dialogue,” he said.

He described the conflict as a national wound that continues to deepen mistrust.

“Civilians have paid the highest price—displacement, kidnappings, burned villages, and extrajudicial violence,” Bernard said. “A country at peace does not wage war on its own citizens.”

‘This Is a Moral Collapse’

Beyond politics and economics, Bernard believes Cameroon is facing a deeper ethical crisis.

“When corruption becomes normal, when lies become a method of governance, and when citizens’ lives are treated as expendable, the state loses its moral foundation,” he said.

In his view, describing Cameroon as “bankrupt” is not rhetorical excess.

“Saying Cameroon is bankrupt is not an insult,” he said. “It is a diagnosis of a system that has broken the social contract.”

‘The People Are Still Standing’

Despite the grim assessment, Bernard insists that Cameroonians have not given up.

“Across markets, universities, taxis, villages, and the diaspora, people continue to think, speak, and resist,” he said.

He praised independent media and civic platforms for challenging what he called “a culture of silence.”

“Hope survives not because the system allows it,” Bernard said, “but because the people refuse to surrender it.”

Why the 43rd Anniversary Matters

As Cameroon marks 43 years since the 1982 transition, Bernard argues the moment should prompt reflection rather than celebration.

“A regime that has failed for over four decades cannot claim to be the future,” he said. “Cameroon is not condemned to decline. What has failed is a political system built on fear, division, and endless power.”

He says the demands of Cameroonians remain simple and legitimate.

“People want honest leadership, institutions that serve them, and a state that protects rather than preys,” Bernard said.

And, he added, the country should not be reduced to its leadership alone.

“Cameroon is more than its failed system,” he said. “It is its people—and they are still standing.”

MMI News