"Commitment and loyalty" that had been the first political slogan of President Biya succeeded Ahmadou Ahidjo when the head of Cameroon. It was November 6, 1982. He had to swear allegiance to the National Assembly. In the process, he proclaimed Ahmadou Ahidjo "giant in the history of Cameroon, a giant of African history, a giant of history as well."
These remarks, of course, had raised various comments. For some, it was natural that he expressed himself well, given that he owed everything to Ahmadou Ahidjo: its recruitment Cameroon's administration after his studies in France, his career in this, his appointment to the government, his appointment as Prime Minister and then, finally, his appointment as President of the Republic. Ahmadou Ahidjo was, for him, indeed, a "giant".
For others, it could not differentiate Ahmadou Ahidjo, in that moment, it had been too early. But it was necessary that he quickly did. So, state of grace.
DISCIPLINE IN THE MANAGEMENT AND moralization of behavior
the euphoria the day of the takeover, the new president, shortly after, opened the discourse on "rigorous management of public wealth and the moralization of public behavior." He tackled well, officially, the mismanagement that had characterized the reign of Ahmadou Ahidjo. One remembers, among other things, in fact, the practice for his family, ruling solely on the basis of recommendations et non de dossiers en bonne et due forme, d’impressionnants prêts bancaires, et de se déclarer morts et enterrés quelque temps après, tout en continuant à circuler tout bonnement dans la République, parfois même à travers la ville de Yaoundé, au su et au vu de tout le monde. La population désapprouvait considérablement ce comportement pour le moins cavalier. En conséquence, lorsqu’elle avait entendu ces mots d’ordre, quelle n’avait pas été sa satisfaction. Celui-ci était véritablement révolutionnaire, au regard du contexte de l’époque, et ne pouvait qu’emporter l’adhésion générale, à l’exception, Of course, major beneficiaries of this much maligned practice.
However, what people do not realize was that the real author of this slogan was none other than ... Ahmadou Ahidjo. Indeed, it had been issued for the first time the congress of the UNC Bafoussam in 1980 and was resumed thereafter on various occasions. In other words, Paul Biya, pronouncing these words, stood still in the " loyalty and commitment" to implement its " illustrious predecessor, "and that he continued to appoint-ment obsequious, Ahmadou Ahidjo, before it came into conflict with him. There was no question for him to break. In fact, the real break, at least in discourse, only occur a few months later.
"IT'S A REAL CHANGE aspires THE PEOPLE OF CAMEROON"
THE "NATIONAL RENEWAL CAMEROON"
MAN LION
The president will change the slogan to the 1992 presidential. He will complete it, the opportunities for them, with a new " man lion." He wanted, perhaps thereby send a strong message to Cameroonians, that it has great courage.
This slogan, in fact, do not bear him really happy. Indeed, the 1992 presidential suspicion come to an end in total. He won the election, but at the same time, no one is really sure of his victory ...
few years later, this slogan spread in broad daylight, his demagogic character. The animal chosen does not seem to really match the dominant trait of the character: dodge, the rebuff to the fight. The lion faces his opponent. The president, meanwhile, tends to shrink from it. His friend and confidant, Titus Edzoa, is a candidate against him for president in 1997. Everyone expects a titanic struggle to see the "Lion" tear, a scratch, his opponent, especially since it seems very frail. Just the campaign is launched it, the attention of public opinion fades: Titus was arrested Edzoa for embezzlement of public funds. This puzzled more than one person. Two years later, Pierre-Desire Engo is suspected of trying to conquer the palace Etoudi. Shortly after, he too was arrested for embezzlement, too. As a result, many people deprive themselves more to point out that this is certainly not the behavior of a lion. This fawn waiting for her prey, kills and devours. Rather, the hyena that awaits the death of this one to come and cut up, when it is already in a state of putrefaction. The difference is important
won the 1997 presidential, the president launched a new slogan: "modernity . So, as for "renewal , it is found immediately on everyone's lips:" Cameroon in the era of modernity .
What is she, this modernity that President of the Republic invites there Cameroon? Itself remains little to say on this issue. To be honest, it does not define it. Perhaps it is a bright idea blown some advise, but that has not cared to give it content, or when that content, it does not simply exist. Com-ing to know? Anyway, everybody talks about it, to do well, to proclaim his adherence to the policy of the Head of State, to serve his "unwavering commitment to his person, after all, What is it to know what it is?
MAJOR AMBITIONS
After the election, after it had been once again, won by the outgoing president, the famous phrase loses its beginning, and becomes the ultimate slogan of Paul Biya, "the Cameroon great ambitions." So, as for the "revival " and the "modernity " we only hear it everywhere and in all circumstances, "the Cameroon great ambitions." It is pronounced more formal speech, without it being repeated. Drink to the public media, all day long, opinion. But, as in previous slogans, no one knows what it is. The president, meanwhile, does not make it easy for people. As usual, it does not define this new slogan, that is to say its " great ambitions." You'd think he does not even cares. For their part, journalists in CRTV, various political figures, his ministers, all who await any money from him, become commentators. Everyone in his field, gives the content it considers appropriate for "big presidential ambitions." It falls into the cacophony.
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PRESIDENTIAL SLOGANS
"Rigorous management moral behavior." When the president had captured these slogans of its predecessor, which had not been the hopes he had aroused among the people. Everyone, almost, had acceded to the exception, simply, a handful of diehards who had prospered, irregularly under Ahmadou Ahidjo.
But soon, the Cameroonians have realized their mistake. Mismanagement has worsened and has become widespread. Under Ahidjo, people were very careful in diverting public funds or take bribes. With the arrival of Paul Biya to power, misappropriation of public funds and corruption have become the national sport, and almost nobody takes offense now. Small staff of nothing, just appointed to positions of responsibility, are found immediately at the head of colossal fortunes, as available real palaces in the city that campaign, the cars line up to the largest displacement in their car, bought apartments in the most exclusive neighborhoods of Paris, New York , Montreal, Geneva. In public services, all services that were once free, need now to be rendered and kickbacks. To be honest, corruption is no longer limited to Cameroon. The magnitude of the scourge has become such, under the reign of "strict management " that Cameroon was ranked two consecutive years, cham-pion of the world all kinds of corruption. The opposite of what had been announced with great fanfare in 1983, when the president was beginning his reign.
Same for the "moral behavior." During the reign of the second President of the Republic, Cameroon became the African country, par excellence, homosexuality used for political purposes. The phenomenon is such that currently there is practically no longer possible for a person to emerge, really, in this country, if not previously offered her behind some makers of men hidden within the government. The most improbable stories circulating in every reshuffle. Homosexuality has become almost an obligatory accession to high office in Cameroon. The National School of Administration and Magistracy who-sees for the administration in various settings, has become the mecca of initiation into the practice. Will have at your fingertips with one hand, graduates who were not at one time or another during their training, approached by gay men of power.
The " renewal. No sooner had it been stated that he quickly turned into outright restoration of the political system established by Ahmadou Ahidjo, with just reorganizations intended to reinforce the power of the new President of the Republic. Censorship of the press, after a moment of relaxation during the months of July and August 1983, has resumed with a vengeance. Political trials, also have been included. Master Black Yondo Mangengue Anicet Ekane Henriette Ekwe, etc., have received a prison sentence de quatre années fermes à la suite d’une tentative de création d’un parti politique. La répression des artistes s’est également poursuivie. La chanteuse Koko Ateba, à la suite d’un récital de chanson devant le couple présidentiel, s’est retrouvée entre les mains du sinistre Jean Fochivé, tout puissant patron de la police politique. Elle a été embastillée pendant plusieurs mois dans les geôles de la Bmm au quartier Kondengui à Yaoundé. L’ostracisme dont était l’objet les exilés politiques a également été maintenu. Les consulats du Cameroun, à travers le monde, ont continué à leur refuser la délivrance de Cameroonian passports, arguing that, armed with these, they can move better and better "insult" the scheme to the four corners of the planet. The embassies of Cameroon continued to be riddled with agents of CENER , instead of true career diplomats. Sports delegations traveling abroad, too, continued to be riddled with these agents with a mission to ensure that athletes do not come into contact with political exiles. The exit permit to all Cameroonians wishing to travel abroad, was extended. In other words, Cameroon has continued to remain a vast prison whose president held the key to the gate. To open a "sale carried away," the police had continued to ensure that the applicant did not benefit from this trade to engage in challenging the regime in the "subversion", as the word used. Next election, they continued to be replaced brought to ridiculous scores of 100%. It took until 1990 for the "rebirth", following the forceful warning of François Mitterrand, President of the Republic French, against African leaders who delighted in imprisoning their citizens, so that the "revival" deigns to stand out from the regime of "the illustrious predecessor, and at the same time" giant story short .
Modernity. This resulted in the transformation of the political system in Cameroon gerontocracy. In the reshuffle that followed the 1997 presidential election, the average age of members of the Cameroonian government has sharply increased. It went more than sixty years. Modernity has become synonymous with old age. It turned into gerontocracy. Plus they were old and that they had been recalled from retirement, it was more "modern . A real nonsense. In the era of "modernity ", Cameroon started to resemble the Soviet Union Leonid Brezhnev's time, when power was held by old men, all aged over seventy years. (In this regard, President Biya appeared in Anti-Ahidjo, that is to say as its quite contrary. Indeed, Ahmadou Ahidjo gave preference to young people. He did not hesitate to entrust them with greater responsibilities. We have thus seen Nzo Ekanga Ki as Secretary General of the Organization of African Unity, while the latter was then only 36 years ...! Similarly, he had chosen as chief of staff in 1969, another young man ... 36 years! This young man was named Paul Biya. William Etéki Mboumoua had been appointed in the government as Minister of Education, when he was barely older than 30 years! This leads us to conclude that, while it takes tyrant, Ahmadou Ahidjo was concerned still about the future of Cameroon, and coupling, thereby forming the leaders of tomorrow. Paul Biya, for its part, is not inhabited by such a concern. It has on several occasions, even having to replace rather young in office, by old retired. He thus replaced the young Samuel Efoua Mbozo'o, aged about forty, Secretary General of the National Assembly, by Michel Meva'am'Eboutou, a character out of retirement age and who had du père de Samuel Efoua Mbozo’o. Un papa remplace son fils).
Sur le plan économique, évidemment, on n’a rien vu qui aurait pu s’apparenter à la modernité. Sur le plan social, même chose.
Actuellement, les « grandes ambitions ». Malgré les mois qui passent, on ne voit toujours rien poindre à l’horizon qui puisse justifier le choix de ce slogan. Le Cameroun connaît toujours la même sclérose qui prévalait avant les « grandes ambitions ». On ne voit pas de grands travaux d’annoncés, de grandes réformes, upheaval or some spectacular anywhere. Everywhere and in all places, the status quo before. Sleep norm - A diplomat from a Western country based in Yaounde had told us that in his view, Cameroon, under the "revival " was nothing more than "the Republic of sleep " . Everything is asleep ...
Given the propensity of the president never to transform slogans into concrete action, that is to say, keep its commitments, how can we not be forced to question deep image that will leave it in the history books of Cameroon. In France, we knew kings " suns" and kings " lazy." What will there be tomorrow of him?
