Yaoundé: Biya celebrated his 85 anniversary, yesterday the 13th of February as the Country boils.

The smiling facade presented during the cutting of Biya's birthday cake is, at its core, a disturbing portrayal of leadership in French Africa, where the shadows of FrancAfrique loom large. This entrenched system, often characterized as occultist, perpetuates externalized power and hinders genuine progress in the region.

The timing of Biya's celebratory distraction raises pertinent questions about the true nature of his leadership. How can a leader smile amidst the chaos of a war he himself declared on the Anglophone regions? The birthday spectacle appears to be a carefully orchestrated mechanism to divert attention from the pressing issues of the Anglophone crisis, offering a momentary escape from the intense scrutiny brought about by his divisive rhetoric.

The Anglophone crisis, exacerbated by Biya's war declarations, continues unabated, with no clear path to a permanent resolution. The celebration serves as a stark reminder of the stark disconnect between the ruler and the ruled, as the people affected by the conflict find themselves further marginalized and overlooked.

Reflecting on Biya's 35-year reign, one struggles to identify tangible achievements that benefit the Cameroonian populace. Instead, the leader has become adept at churning out empty slogans, turning him into a sloganeering expert. These slogans, however, do little to address the fundamental issues plaguing the nation.

As the Anglophone crisis persists, it is crucial to unravel the layers of political theater and hold leaders accountable for their actions. Biya's birthday distraction may provide a moment of comic relief for him, but for those caught in the crossfire of conflict, it serves as a glaring example of leadership amiss – where celebrations take precedence over resolving the urgent crises at hand. The international community must not turn a blind eye to the suffering in the shadows of Biya's smile, and instead, advocate for meaningful dialogue and lasting solutions to bring an end to the Anglophone strife.