Paul Biya, eternal presidential candidate: an air of “collective resignation”

Until the very end, we hoped for a pleasant surprise: that, for once, Paul Biya would choose the path of wisdom, the one that his advanced age should inspire. It was thought that he would eventually retire, especially since his physical fatigue and fragile health are well known. This hope was fueled in particular by the recently announced candidacies of two of his former loyalists: Issa Tchiroma Bakary, former Minister of Employment and Vocational Training, and Bello Bouba Maïgari, Minister of State and former Prime Minister. Both political figures from the North, seemed to be sending him a clear message: that he is no longer the stuff of dreams.

He's tiring, even among his closest collaborators. But nothing works. True to form, Paul Biya clings to power and claims to be "determined to serve Cameroonians in proportion to the acuteness of the challenges" facing the country. Nothing less!

But at this point, it's not even Paul Biya who should be pitied. It's Cameroonians. How can they let this happen? How can we explain this form of collective resignation in a country that is nonetheless rich in thinking minds, whether from literature, universities, or the press? As skillful and calculating as Paul Biya and his entourage may be, that is not enough to justify such national apathy.

It must be concluded that the disappointment is so deep, the discouragement so ingrained, that consciences have been extinguished, and wills have become paralyzed. The right to dream now seems out of reach for many Cameroonians. But such renunciation cannot be explained solely by Paul Biya's behavior. It reflects a widespread loss of confidence in the entire political class, even the country's elite as a whole.

No longer believing in the emergence of a credible alternative, Cameroonians are taking refuge in a form of fatalism. Yet, they could have, they should have acted, in the name of compassion. They could have tried to save the president from himself. Because the ridicule and humiliation that will inevitably accompany this new candidacy are not inevitable. It would have been possible to avoid them. By helping him stop. Even by forcing him, if necessary.

But all is not yet decided. For now, Paul Biya is only a candidate, not yet a re-elected president. A resurgence is still possible. It is up to Cameroonians to say no to this ridiculous candidacy, no to inaction, no to the endless seizure of power. The October 12 election represents a final opportunity. All that would be needed is for voters to massively express their rejection at the ballot box and, above all, to then impose respect for the resulting verdict. Of course, fraud can never be ruled out. But faced with wear and tear, contempt, and the risk of dying in power, it is difficult to imagine that another choice could be worse. This would perhaps be the beginning of a different future for Cameroon.