Rear Admiral Joseph Fouda, nicknamed “the man in white” or “the vice-god”, has long embodied the quintessence of power in the shadows. This native of Binguela had built his empire on legendary discretion and unrivaled proximity to the head of state.
From peak to fall: a dazzling trajectory
His rise, favored by Jeanne-Irène Biya, had propelled him to the top of the State. Manager of the Presidential Satellite Line, Coordinator of the President’s Personal Communications, Supervisor of Official Travel. His black briefcase had become the symbol of absolute power.
The Mbapou affair: the grain of sand that derails the machine
The disgrace came from a fraud affair involving Hervé Perfect Mbapou. The alleged use of Fouda’s name in an influence peddling network, coupled with the arrest of Judith Marionne Nyandjock, protégé of Chantal Biya, precipitated his fall. A heated confrontation at the Intercontinental Hotel in Geneva in September 2024 marks the point of no return.
The end of an era at the Etoudi Palace
The ousting of Joseph Fouda from the presidential circle raises many questions. Could Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, a long-time rival, have orchestrated this sidelining via Chantal Biya? Or would the president himself have decided to remove an advisor who had become too cumbersome? Today recluse in his residence in Ekoumdoum, the former “vice-god” awaits his judgment, while his fate remains dependent on the presidential goodwill.
