But where did Grandpa Biya go? This is the question that many Cameroonians are asking themselves in the face of the prolonged absence of their nonagenarian president who has disappeared from the radar. Indeed, Paul Biya has been absent from Cameroon for more than a month and his last public appearance dates back to the 4th summit of the Forum on Sino-African Cooperation, which was held from September 4 to 6, 2024. At the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York and even at the last summit of the International Organization of the Francophonie (OIF) which was held from October 4 to 5 in France, the “father”, as he is called in the country, was absent. The exact whereabouts of the Cameroonian head of state remains a mystery today. Despite the pressure exerted by the political class and the diaspora to uncover this well-kept secret, nothing filters through. And speculation is rife, particularly on social networks where it is sometimes said in Switzerland, sometimes in a poor state in a hospital in France.We know it. In Cameroon, there is no transparency around the state of health of the 91-year-old president, who is used to making long absences outside the country. And the Cameroonians seemed to be okay with it. But for some time now, crazy, alarmist rumors have been gaining more and more momentum on the “continent”, although official sources try to temper things by noting that the president is “resting”. An exit which, visibly, does not satisfy the opposition which is asking for clarifications on the state of health of the president after four decades of reign.
If the old “Lion” wants to put an end to all the crazy rumors, he would benefit from coming out of his den and roaring loudly
But why are we suddenly interested in the state of health of the “father of the continent”? Where do all these rumors come from, some of which predict the worst? In any case, as the saying goes, there is no smoke without fire. If the authorities in Yaoundé remain so silent around such an important issue, it is undoubtedly because there are things that are being hidden. Far from us, the desire to play Cassandra, but we know that it is customary, especially in Africa, not to announce the death of a king at the first moment. We take care to put a veil over his disappearance, the time to prepare his succession before making the bad news public. Are we preparing for the post-power of Ahmadou Ahidjo’s successor? The question is all the more justified since in Cameroon, President Biya is suspected of seeking dynastic power. Indeed, the old man harbors the secret hope of being succeeded by his son Franck Biya. In any case, the authorities would benefit from breaking their silence and clearly situating the Cameroonians who can no longer stand this lack of transparency regarding the health of their president. That said, if the president wants to put an end to all the crazy rumors about him, he would benefit, like an old lion, from coming out of his den and roaring.
Siaka CISSE
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