Paul Biya

**Paul Biya** (weh dem born am **Paul Barthélemy Biya'a bi Mvondo**, 13 February 1933) na Cameroonian politician wey don dey rule as di second president of Cameroon since 1982. Before dis, he be di fifth prime minister under President Ahmadou Ahidjo from 1975 to 1982. By 2025, he go still be di second-longest-ruling president for Africa (after Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo for Equatorial Guinea), di second longest wey dey serve non-royal leader for di world, plus di oldest head of state wey dey for di world. 

Biya wey come from south Cameroon, e rise quick as bureaucrat under President Ahmadou Ahidjo for 1960s, as Secretary-General of the Presidency from 1968 to 1975 and later become prime minister. When Ahidjo shockingly resign for 1982, Biya take over as president and e gather power well during 1983–1984 coup wey e use eliminate all him major rivals.

Biya bring political change when e dey run one-party system for 1980s, later accept say make dem fit try multiparty politics for early 1990s when pressure plenty. E win 1992 presidential election wey dey cause gbege with 40% vote, plus him win again well well for 1997, 2004, 2011, den 2018. Opposition politicians plus Western governments dey talk say dem see voting wahala plus fraud for all dis elections. Plenty people don talk say he no win di elections for 1992, plus di opposition den some other pipo don accuse say di next elections wey follow get plenty wahala with fraud.

## Early life den education
Ethnically Beti, , Paul Biya born for Mvomeka'a village wey dey for di South Region of Cameroon now. E study for Lycée General Leclerc for Yaoundé, later jump go France, for Lycée Louis-le-Grand for Paris. Him finish for Institut des hautes études d'Outre-Mer, where him collect him higher education diploma for public law for 1961.

## Early career
As Chargé de Mission weh don dey waka for post-independence 1960s Cameroon, Biya don blow under President Ahmadou Ahidjo. He take director position for minister of national education for January 1964, then become secretary-general for that ministry for July 1965. By December 1967, dem make am director of civil cabinet for president den secretary-general of presidency for January 1968, wey he still dey hold civil cabinet position. He rise to minister rank for August 1968 plus become minister of state for June 1970, while still dey hold secretary-general for presidency.

## Leadership (1975–present)

### Premiership (1975–1982)
After dem create one state wey dey united for 1972, na wetin make President Ahidjo fit appoint am prime minister for 30 June 1975. For June 1979, dem pass new law wey make de prime minister be the one wey go take over if anything happen to Ahidjo, so if wahala show for Ahidjo, Biya go carry de president cap. But on 4 November 1982, Ahidjo just komot for presidency like say him dey sick, den two days later for 6 November, Biya take over as president sharp sharp.

### Presidency (1982–present)
E be like say Biya wey be Catholic from south side of Cameroon, people dey surprise say Ahidjo wey be Muslim from north go choose am as him successor. Biya papa wey be catechist, dem want make him join church work, but at 16 when e dey for Catholic school, dem come expel am.

After Biya don become president, Ahidjo still dey run de Cameroon National Union (CNU/ UNC). Biya join de CNU Central Committee plus Political Bureau, them elect am as vice-president of the CNU. On 11 December 1982, dem put am for charge to manage party matter when Ahidjo no dey around.

For di first months after Biya take over, e dey show loyalty to Ahidjo, and Ahidjo dey support Biya too, but for 1983, wahala begin. Ahidjo waka go exile for France, from there e dey talk say Biya dey misuse power plus dey fear say people dey plan against am. After Ahidjo step down as CNU leader, Biya come take over di party for one big meeting wey dem hold for 14 September 1983.

For November 1983, Biya talk say di next presidential election go happen for 14 January 1984; dem don plan am for 1985 before. Na him be di only candidate for dis election and e win 99.98% of di vote. For February 1984, dem put Ahidjo for trial no dey, wey dem accuse am say e dey involve for 1983 coup plan, wit two other guys; dem wan give dem death sentence, but Biya change am to life for prison. Biya survive military coup wey happen on 6 April 1984, because he decide on top di previous day to scatter di Republican Guard den mix dem with di military. Some people talk say e fit be 71 people dem put for death roll (according to di government) while some say na nearly 1,000. Di northern Muslims na di main people wey take part for dis coup wey plenty pipo see as dem wan bring back dia own power. But Biya, e dey stress say make we be one nation and no lay blame on northern Muslims. De people sabi say Ahidjo be person wey dey behind de coup wahala, plus dem talk say Biya don hear say dem wan do am before e happen. E come scatter de Republican Guard sharp sharp. Dis one force di coup people to move fast fast before dia plan, wey fit be wetin make di coup no succeed.

Under him rule, dem country take one plan wey IMF plus World Bank bring come. E involve make dem privatize things, dey open market make competition fit happen, plus reduce social spending. Civil servants' pay take big wahala, dem slash am 60%, den de people wey dey hustle for street own increase plenty.

For 1985, dem change CNU change to de Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement for Bamenda plus dem take Biya elect as him president, wey no be correct move. Dem still re-elect am as President of Cameroon on 24 April 1988.

Biya first start to dey take small steps to open up de regime, e end up decide say make opposition parties dey legal for 1990. Base on de official results, Biya win di first multiparty presidential election, wey dem hold for 11 October 1992, wit about 40% of di vote. No plan for any runoff; opposition no fit come together find one candidate. There was no provision for a runoff; the opposition was unable to unite around a single candidate. No be any runoff we get; di opposition no fit gather round one candidate. Di guy wey come second, John Fru Ndi wey dey represent di opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF), officially collect like 36%. Opposition people dey hotly argue de results, dem talk say e be fraud.

For October 1997 presidential election, main opposition parties no show face, Biya win am with 92.6 percent of votes; dem swear am in on 3 November.

E don dey win di National President seat for RDPC back to back; dem re-elect am for di party ein second extra big congress for 7 July 2001 den for di third extraordinary one  on 21 July 2006..

Biya win anoda seven-year term for de 11 October 2004 presidential election, him take 70.92 percent of di vote, but di opposition still talk say plenty fraud dey happen. Dem swear Biya in on 3 November.

After dem re-elect am for 2004, Biya no fit run again for 2011 because Constitution wey dem put for 1996 talk say make dem no allow person run pass two term; but he still wan change am make e fit run again. For him 2008 New Year message, Biya talk say make dem change Constitution, because e no make sense to dey limit people choice like that. Dem talk say dem go remove term limits as people dey vex for street during de violent protest wey happen for late February 2008. But for 10 April 2008, National Assembly sey make dem change Constitution make dem delete term limits. See as RDPC dey control National Assembly, dem don approve di change well well,, 157 votes say yes, five votes say no; 15 SDF deputies just decide say dem no go join vote as protest. Di change still give President chance make e dey enjoy immunity from prosecution for any wahala wey e start as President after e don leave office.

For 12 June 2006, e sign Greentree Agreement with Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo wey officially end di Bakassi peninsula border wahala.

For February 2008, gbege start, pipo dey shout make dem reduce prices plus make Paul Biya comot as president. Demonstrators face severe wahala as report say hundred don die plus dem don arrest plenty people.

For October 2011 presidential election, Biya carry sixth term come, him get 77.9% of de votes wey dem cast. John Fru Ndi na him biggest challenger, e get 10%. Biya’s opponents talk say e be plenty fraud for di election, plus dem don see some wahala wey no follow di rules for di French an US governments.  For him victory talk, Biya promise say e go boost growth plus create jobs with some public works plan wey go make our country turn big construction site. For 3 November 2011, dem swear am in again as president.

Biya win di 2018 presidential election with 71.3% of di vote. Di election no smooth, plenty wahala plus low voter turnout happen.

For July 2025, Biya don put his name down say e wan run for im eighth term for di 2025 Cameroon presidential election wey go happen for October.

### Foreign relations

#### France
France dey back him regime, one of de old colonial powers for Cameroon, wey dey supply dem weapons plus de train demma military forces. France self be di top foreign investor for Cameroon.

#### China
Di People Republic start link up with Cameroon for 26 March 1971. For di 2000s, big politicians dey waka go each other side; for example, President Biya come for conference insyde 2006 plus Hu Jintao come visit Cameroon for 2007.

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi don visit Cameroon on 12 January 2014.

Cameroon be one of 53 countries wey, for June 2020, support Hong Kong national security law for United Nations.

#### Israel
Cameroon don vote against plenty anti-Israel UN resolutions, plus e be di only country wey join Israel to say no to di UN resolution wey dem call 'Assistance to Palestine Refugees'.

Cameroon shutdown link with Israel from 1973 to 1986 plus na one of di first countries wey join back di relationship. Cameroon government dey use Israeli armored vehicles, plus dem Rapid Reaction Force wey dem dey call BIR for short, na Israel dey equip den train dem. Students for Cameroon get 11 months visa wey go carry dem go Israel make dem learn about agriculture, while dem train poultry farmers for poultry production insyde Israel.

Israelis also train personnel at six hospitals insyde Cameroon on how to fight de Ebola virus.

#### Nigeria
Biya carry matter go International Court of Justice for 29 March 1994. Cameroon dey claim say Bakassi na dem own based on di Anglo-German deal wey dem sign for 1913 and di Maroua Declaration wey happen for 1975. Nigeria on de other hand dey argue say di peninsula be di land wey di chiefs of Old Calabar own, dem gree transfer di title to Nigeria when e gain independence. Dem talk say for this matter e de point say Ngeria dey collect taxes insyde dat region, Plenty People de use de Nigerian passports, plus other signs wey show dat de Nigerian state dey  closely involved for de governance of de peninsula. For 10th October 2002, after more than eight years of wahala den arguments, de court talk say Cameroon win, make Nigeria comot quick quick from di area.

E be true say Nigeria first no gree for di decision, and although e cause plenty wahala for Bakassi, but Olusegun Obasanjo government no too dey fight am, dem just follow di ruling. For June 2006, for Greentree estate wey dey Long Island, New York, di countries sign di Greentree Agreement, wey gree Nigeria make dem comot dem soldiers from Bakassi by 4 August 2008, plus e also gree Cameroon make dem protect di rights of di Nigerian people wey dey live for Bakassi. Dem transfer di land give Cameroon peacefully under de agreement. Di Cameroon government dey now talk say di matter na just small 'misunderstanding', plus how dem settle am na 'model for peaceful conflict resolution for Africa'.

Biya plus Obasanjo talk say make Kofi Annan wey be UN Secretary-General set up de Cameroon–Nigeria Mixed Commission so dem go fit lot for how to carry out de International Court of Justice 2002 ruling well. De commission get responsibilities wey de include dey mark all de Cameroon–Nigeria border, make cross-border cooperation dey happen, withdraw troops from Bakassi, plus make sure say locals rights dey protected. De commission wey Mohamed Ibn Chambas d dey lead don meet 38 times before 2015. As July 2019, dem don survey 2,001 kilometres of boundary (from 2,100 wey dem estimate), den both countries don agree, including de border wey dey Bakassi. For May 2007 for Abuja, di commission don finish di maritime boundary, but for 2015, di Cameroonian government talk say "small small kilometres dey remain" wey dey hold dem back from finishing di land boundary. 

#### United States
Cameroon den U.S. dey enjoy beta economic relationship for 1982, when dem change Ahidjo wey be president with im prime minister, Biya. From 1982 to 1984, U.S. carry higher  pass France as Cameroon's top export market, mainly because dem sabi chop Cameroonian oil well well. Biya dey push Cameroonian foreign relations level up more than Ahidjo do am, e dey talk say im foreign policy na 'development diplomacy', 'co-operation wey no get boundaries', plus 'open door' diplomacy.

Since 2013 o, dem relationship wey dey happen between dem two countries don focus plenty on how dem go fit join body tackle Boko Haram plus Islamic State West Africa area, plus other regional security matter especially for de Gulf of Guinea. From 2015 go 2020,  Dem send about 300 U.S. military people go northern Cameroon make dem conduct regional intelligence, surveillance, plus reconnaissance.

## Opposition den criticism

Biya no dey show face for public plenty, plus some people sabi am as person wey dey aloof. Since early 1990s, di Anglophone people for di old Southern Cameroons for di west don give am wahala well well.

Although Biya try small to open up de political environment, him regime still get much authoritarian vibes, e no dey follow democracy trend wey dey happen for Africa since de 1990s. According to de constitution, Biya dey hold plenty executive den legislative powers. E even get strong control over de judiciary; de courts fit only check law constitutionality if na him ask dem. De RDPC still dey run things for National Assembly, wey dem no dey do much, just dey approve him policies.

Dem dey call am "Tyrants, de World's 20 Worst Living Dictators" by David Wallechinsky, plus dem rank Biya join three other big men for sub-Saharan Africa: Robert Mugabe wey dey Zimbabwe, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo wey dey Equatorial Guinea, plus King Mswati III wey dey Swaziland (now Eswatini). E talk say how Cameroon dey do dem elections be like dis: 'Every few years, Biya go organize election to make am look like him still get power, but dem elections no get any credibility. Truth be say, Biya sabi act well for fake elections matter. For 2004, he dey vex well well for di yawa wey international vote-monitoring guys dey talk, so he carry im own international observers come, six former U.S. congressmen wey certify say im election dey free den fair.' For one 2005 interview, William Quantrill wey don retire from British Diplomatic Service talk say Biya no wan hand over responsibility, e dey make governance dey suffer. Small-small decisions dey take time before e fit handle am, plus government dey too much insyde economy matter overall. Biya dey spend plenty time for Switzerland insyde Hotel InterContinental Geneva wey di old director Herbert Schott talk say him dey come dere to work sekof him no wan make dem disturb am. Dis stays wey dey far from Cameroon – sometimes e fit be just two weeks, or sometimes e fit reach three months – dem dey almost always call am 'short stays' for di government owned press plus other media. For February 2008, e pass bill wey go allow extra term for president position, but e spark civil unrest wahala everywhere for di country. Di main violent fights happen for di Western side wey dey speak English, e start from taxi drivers for Douala wey start strike, den dem talk say e don cause more than 200 casualties for de end. For 2009, dem talk say him holiday insyde France cost $40,000 per day wey e dey spend for 43 hotel rooms.

For 2009, Biya dey sit 19th for Parade Magazine Top 20 list wey be 'The World's Worst Dictators'.

For November 2010, Bertrand Teyou drop one book wey dem call La belle de la république bananière: Chantal Biya, de la rue au palais (English: "De beauty of de banana republic: Chantal Biya, from de streets to di palace"), wey show how Chantal Biya take rise from small beginning come become Paul Biya First Lady.  Subsequently dem give am two years wey e go dey prison because dem say e insult person character plus e organize 'illegal demonstration' dey attempt to hold public reading. Amnesty International plus International PEN's Writers in Prison Committee don dey shout for im arrest plus make appeals for him behalf; Amnesty International even name am prisoner wey get conscience.  Dem free am on 2 May 2011 when de London chapter of International PEN agree say dem go pay him fine so dat him go fit seek treatment for him worsening health condition.

For February 2014, French guy Michel Thierry Atangana come out from one makeshift prison for Yaoundé, wey Biya order make dem hold am for 17 years under false talk say e dey embezzle money because e be dey too close to presidential candidate Titus Edzoa.  Dem don consider am as political prisoner plus person wey dey suffer for conscience by U.S. State Department, Amnesty International, Freedom House plus de U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention Since 2005, E finally come out because Biya give am one order, but di Working Group still dey wait for wetin dem demand wey no happen yet.

For 2016, Cameroonians wey dey insyde nation's capital city of Yaoundé no fit keep quiet, dem criticize Biya for how e take handle di worst train accident wey happen for di country, 79 people die insyde. Some of dem wey dey criticize na government people wey no wan show dem face, dem dey fear wahala. Di Anglophone protests wey happen for late 2016 na English-speaking lawyers wey dey vex say dem dey use French for court wey dey cause wahala with police. Edna Njilin wey be di leader for opposition party, Cameroon People's Party, don talk say make dem stop to force French for class. For January 2017, di government order dem to shut down Internet for di Northwest den Southwest provinces. Di people vex plus dey criticize di shutdown plus more opposition make dem restart di services for late April.

By June 2017, people dey protest for Cameroon's English-speaking areas, police come react with force, four protesters don lose dem life and over 100 don land for jail. Worldwide people dey criticize United States say dem no dey act on this Cameroonian wahala wey dey grow.

For April 2017, one Cameroonian journalist wey dey work for Radio France Internationale, Ahmed Abba, dem gree give am 10 years insyde prison by military court because he no report terrorism wahala. Human rights groups severely criticize de judgement even Amnesty International sef no like that judgement at all.

For 7 November 2018, another Cameroonian journalist, Mimi Mefo, catch arrest after she go talk for social media say Cameroonian military dey behind de murder of American missionary wey dem call Charles Trumann for October that year. Dem charge Mefo say she dey 'publish den spread information wey go spoil Cameroon territorial integrity,' but dem later release am plus drop di charges for 12 November after local plus international media groups shout for di matter.

For March 2024, di NGO Human Rights Watch (HRW) dey shout say Cameroonian government dey do serious wahala for di opposition, after de government of Paul Biya declare de grouping of dem main parties for two platforms na 'illegal'.

### Anglophone Cameroon

For 2016 den 2017, when Paul Biya dey rule, plenty people for Anglophone Cameroon begin protest well-well for where dem dey call former British Southern Cameroons. Dem wey dey protest talk say Biya plus him government no dey care for Anglophone areas like Northwest den Southwest Region, plus dem no dey involve dem for power matter. For dis time, di Anglophone separatists dey talk say government forces don kill plenty protestors, and dem don do bad things wey fit pass human rights, like genocide. Some protestors don dey urge Biya plus di Cameroon government make dem gree give dem independence.

Finally, dem separatists shout say dem don declare independence for October 2017 wey dem call Ambazonia. Plenty civilians and activists don accuse Biya's government soldiers say dem dey burn villages, dey rape women, dey kill people without trial, plus dem dey do genocide matter. Dem don write petition go United Nations wey dey expose how police dey use force rap students for university. National Commission for Human Rights den Freedoms don begin fact-finding mission for Buea to check wetin dey happen wey de violate human rights for di area. 

One June 2018 report wey BBC News gree drop show say plenty villages for Southwest Region dey burn. E even get one video wey men dey wear BIR (Bataillon d'Intervention Rapide) equipments wey government give dem. BIR be special force wey dey report straight to President Biya. De report add video wey show one man wey dem dey torture by some men wey be Cameroonian gendarmes. Biya minister for communication, Issa Tchiroma, talk say anybody fit use government equipment to do false flag attacks, plus him talk say Biya government go investigate am.

People dey talk say all dose pipo wey dem send to fight de secessionist militia na pipo wey sabi speak French, wey dey make de language division bigger between de community people.  

For 14 November 2019, Biya talk for Paris forum say dem try fit join former British Southern Cameroons into de majority Francophone system, wey be formerly East Cameroon State, but e no work, because of identity wahala, that one spark de fight.  

## Personal life
Biya be naturalized citizen for France when e go school there, but later e give up him French citizenship when e come back Cameroon to do government work. For 1961, him marry Jeanne-Irène Biya, wey no get pikin, but she adopt Franck Biya, wey dem born for 1971 from de relationship between Biya den Jeanne-Irène ein sister or niece. Dem dey talk say Franck Biya fit be him papa successor for di presidential elections wey go happen for 2025. Jeanne-Irène Biya die for 29 July 1992 after small sickness, while Paul Biya dey attend conference for abroad. People dey talk say she plus some close pipo no die sekof natural cause. Paul Biya marry Chantal Vigouroux, wey be 36 years younger than am, for 23 April 1994, plus dem get two pikin together: Paul Jr den Brenda Biya. Brenda Biya, wey be LGBTQ activist too, don come out public talk say she dey do same-sex with Brazilian model Layyons Valença on 5 July 2024. She talk say she dey hope say dis post go fit change di anti-LGBT laws for Cameroon. But she don delete de post den break up with Valença after some hot photographs of dem drop online without her permission. Report talk say en  talk say Valença share de photographs just to catch social media followers eye plus even chop money for TikTok.

Biya don dey mix with plenty secret societies for Europe, one of dem na freemasonry. E later change go Rosicrucianism, plus e fit dey part of Rosicrucian group wey dem call CIRCES, wey French guy wey sabi esoteric, Raymond Bernard dey lead. Bernard be him personal advisor; Biya dey give am allowance wey pass several million francs, plus him organization sef get 40 million francs for Bernard service.

### Health
By 2024, him be di longest serving non-royal head of state, he don dey in power since 30 June 1975. Sekof him no dey young again, people dey talk plenty about him health plus who go fit take over. For October 2024, di government talk say di rumors wey people dey hear say e don die no be true. E no show for public events since last month, e make people dey worry. De officials talk say e dey Geneva plus him dey alright. For 9 October de Minister of Territorial Administration Paul Atanga Nji don ban all de media insyde de country make dem no talk about president health matter. For 21 October, dem show Biya for state TV as e land for Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport after him come back from Switzerland.

## References


## External links

* Official website
* Cameroon at World Statesmen