Biya Turns 92: A Lifelong Rule That Outlasts Generations of Leaders

Biya, born on February 13, 1933, in Mvomeka’a, South Cameroon, remains Africa’s oldest elected head of state and one of the longest-serving leaders in modern history, second only to Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea.

While many nations celebrate young, dynamic leadership, Cameroon clings to a leader who has ruled since 1982, outlasting multiple generations of world leaders, including U.S. presidents from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump (twice).

The Rise of a Lifelong President

• Biya’s rise to power began under Cameroon’s first president, Ahmadou Ahidjo, where he steadily climbed the ranks of government.
• In 1975, he became Prime Minister, and in 1982, Ahidjo’s unexpected resignation paved the way for him to take over.
• A failed coup attempt in 1984 saw Biya tighten his grip on power, eliminating rivals and consolidating absolute control.

Elections or Endless Rule?

• Despite introducing multiparty democracy in the 1990s under international pressure, Biya has never truly faced a fair contest.
• His 1984 and 1988 victories were uncontested, while the 1992 election—Cameroon’s first multiparty vote—was widely seen as fraudulent.
• Biya has since "won" every election, with landslide margins in 1997, 2004, 2011, and 2018, often amid allegations of vote-rigging and repression.

At 92, A Record of Stagnation and Political Theater

Biya’s 92nd birthday is not just a personal milestone, but a global political oddity. His iron-fisted rule has seen:

• Four decades of economic mismanagement, leaving Cameroon struggling while regional counterparts progress.
• An escalating Anglophone crisis, with separatist rebels waging war against his government.
• Endless corruption scandals, where Cameroon consistently ranks among the most corrupt countries in the world.
• Absentee leadership, with Biya spending months at a time in Swiss luxury hotels, leaving governance to a clique of unelected elites.

A Leader Older Than His Nation

Cameroonians below the age of 42 have never known another president, making Biya older than the Republic of Cameroon itself, which gained independence in 1960.

With many African nations transitioning to younger, reform-driven leadership, Biya’s prolonged rule cements Cameroon’s status as a global laughingstock, often referenced in international discourse as a symbol of gerontocracy and stagnation.

Meanwhile, as other world leaders retire or die, Biya remains firmly in power, proving that in Cameroon, presidents do not step down—they rule for life.

The world watches, and Cameroonians wait—but will Biya ever leave voluntarily?