November 4, 2024 marks exactly 42 years since Cameroon President Amadou Ahidjo resigned from office. After ruling Cameroon for 22 years, Ahidjo announced on the night of November 4, 1982, that he was stepping down. He cited health challenges as reasons he could not continue steering the affairs of the nation. Many Cameroonians, who had looked up to him as the father of the nation, felt surprised and disappointed.
However, President Ahidjo reassured them that he was leaving the country in the hands of Paul Biya, then the Prime Minister and his constitutional successor, whom he described as “brilliant, young, and handsome.”
While Cameroonian schools offer various explanations for Ahidjo’s departure from power, the narrative remains impactful.
Paul Biya Sworn In on November 6, 1982
On November 6, Paul Biya took the oath of office as Cameroon’s second president since independence in 1960. At the time, he was 49 years old. As he approaches his 92nd birthday in February, Biya stands as one of the longest-serving and oldest leaders in the world.
Upon his ascent to power, he preached rigour and moralization, addressing the rampant corruption, embezzlement, and mismanagement of state funds that plagued the country. Two years into his presidency, Biya survived a military coup attempt on April 6, 1984. Since that incident, the once jovial and liberal president has tightened security around himself.
In 1990, he acknowledged the wave of change sweeping through one-party regimes and accepted multi-party politics in Cameroon. Consequently, Biya’s party, the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, has won all presidential elections since.
Elections Due for 2025
With less than a year until the next presidential election, Cameroonians are preparing to choose their next leader. Paul Biya, now 91, has held power for over four decades, leaving many to wonder if he will stand for re-election considering his age. While his predecessor ruled for 22 years, Biya will surpass that mark on November 6, 2024.
Will Biya resign and pass power as his predecessor did, or will he wait for nature to take its course or for Cameroonians to change their minds about him? Only time will tell.
