YAOUNDE, CAMEROON – As Cameroon’s ruling CPDM militants celebrate Paul Biya’s 42-year rule, one must ask: What precisely is there to celebrate? In the heart of Southern Cameroonians—particularly in cities like Bamenda—this celebration becomes not only a mockery of the lives lost under Biya’s regime but also a deeply hypocritical exercise that spits in the face of those fighting for true liberation. How can the elites, men, and women who claim to understand the hardships of their people, find themselves endorsing a regime that has ignored and brutalized them for decades?
Biya, 92 years old and in power since 1982, (that is, if he’s still alive), has achieved nothing tangible for the people of Southern Cameroons. In fact, he is leaving the Southern Cameroons worse than he met. This is not a hyperbole, it’s a fact. As far as the Southern Cameroons is concerned, the Biya regime has only a legacy of neglect and devastation. The reason why the country has been at war for eight years and counting. Yet, here we find elites in the very communities Paul Biya has destroyed celebrating his rule and punctuating it with calls for yet another term. What drives such behavior? Is it fear, opportunism, or simply an utter disregard for the lives of the people they claim to serve?
Celebrating Biya: A Ritual of Ignorance and Insensitivity
Imagine the scene: crowds gathered in so-called Congress Hall, Bamenda, a city left in ruins by Biya’s regime, with pothole-ridden roads and minimal public infrastructure, gathering to cheer the man responsible for their suffering. For eight long years, Biya has refused to engage in any dialogue with Southern Cameroonians and has instead turned his military against civilians. Villages burned, thousands of lives lost, and countless people displaced—these are Biya’s contributions to life in the Southern Cameroons- nothing else. To celebrate him is to spit on the graves of those who have fallen victim to his oppressive rule.
The elites of Southern Cameroon who organize and attend these celebrations demonstrate a dangerous insensitivity to the plight of the people. Do they not remember the women and children forced to flee their homes? Do they forget the soldiers who parade through their communities, instilling fear and quashing dissent with violence? By organizing these events, these so-called leaders have effectively turned their backs on the very people they ought to defend.
The Legacy of Paul Biya: Destruction, Not Development
Paul Biya’s 42 years in power can be summed up in a single word: stagnation. His reign has not brought progress but regression. Bamenda, once a vibrant city, now resembles a shadow of its former self. Roads are in disrepair, basic amenities are scarce, and hospitals are ill-equipped. The city’s youth are left with few opportunities, as joblessness grows and economic prospects diminish. If Biya’s leadership were measured by tangible improvements, there would be nothing to celebrate.
The harsh reality is that under Biya, Anglophone regions (as they call it), have been systematically deprived. While resources are allocated generously to the Francophone zones, take Kribi as an example, the Southern Cameroons is left to rot. The disparity is glaring, yet these elites choose to ignore it. Their loyalty to Biya is not a reflection of genuine support but rather a testament to their betrayal of Southern Cameroonians.
Rewriting the Narrative: Attempting to Fool the World
The celebration of Biya’s tenure is not just an exercise in futility but also an attempt to rewrite history. By gathering in support of Biya, these elites hope to create an image that Southern Cameroonians still believe in his regime and authority. This is a calculated move to mislead international observers, suggesting that there is unity under Biya’s rule. But the reality on the ground is far different. Ambazonians have resisted, protested, and sacrificed their lives to end Biya’s oppression. No staged celebration can obscure this truth.
It is critical to remember that Biya’s regime has done everything possible to suppress the Ambazonian spirit. The people of Southern Cameroon are resilient; they have risen against the odds and continue to demand their freedom. The elites who organized these celebrations are not representatives of the people—they are in a tiny minority, they are puppets in a political theater, desperately trying to appease a leader who has nothing to offer but continued repression.
A Day of Reckoning Awaits
For these elites who stand by Biya, they are reminded that a day of reckoning is inevitable. The people of Southern Cameroon will not forget the betrayal of those who choose to align themselves with a tyrant. When Ambazonia finally attains its freedom, history will remember those who stood on the wrong side. There will be no excuse for supporting a leader who has oppressed and disregarded his people for so long.
The reality is clear: Biya has nothing left to offer, and those who cling to his rule are complicit in the suffering he has caused. To the elites who continue to sing his praises, take heed—your loyalty to this regime will not be forgotten, and the people will hold you accountable. Ambazonia’s freedom is inevitable, and with it will come a reckoning for those who chose power over principle, wealth over integrity, and comfort over justice.
In the end, these celebrations are hollow, empty of genuine achievement, and void of purpose. They serve only to highlight the deep divisions and the immense challenges that remain for Southern Cameroon. For the true sons and daughters of Ambazonia, Biya’s rule is a period of darkness. Those who organized these gatherings may believe they are winning favor with the regime, but in reality, they have sealed their place in history as traitors to their people.
In Ambazonia, the call for freedom cannot be silenced. The resilience of its people, their courage, and their determination will prevail. For those who celebrate Biya’s legacy, remember that the world is watching, and so too are the people of Southern Cameroon. The cries for justice, for freedom, and dignity will drown out the songs of false celebration. Ambazonia will rise—whether the elites like it or not.
