Traditional Rulers Praise Biya’s "Wisdom" While Cameroon Crumbles

With synchronized chants and well-rehearsed adulations, they have declared, with a straight face, that only Biya possesses the “wisdom” to govern Cameroon’s “complex” affairs.

Now, one might ask, what exactly is so complex about plunging a nation into an economic crisis, mismanaging resources, and oppressing dissent? Is it the wisdom of transforming a once-thriving economy into a breeding ground for mass unemployment? Or is it the brilliance of presiding over a country where electricity and water are luxury items and where the best export is brain drain?

Let’s be honest: these traditional rulers are not concerned about Cameroon’s future. Their stomach infrastructure is the only "Republican institution" they truly care about. And why should they not support their political landlord when he ensures they receive monthly allowances, occupy ceremonial positions, and get invited to banquets where bread and sardine flow like rivers?

Biya: The Supreme Wizard of ‘Wisdom’

At 92 years old, Paul Biya is apparently the only man in Cameroon capable of leading. This revelation is shocking, given that:

• The youth make up over 60% of Cameroon’s population yet remain jobless and without political representation.
• The economy has stagnated for decades, with Cameroon stuck in a cycle of debt, corruption, and poor governance.
• The Anglophone crisis has cost thousands of lives, yet Biya’s response has been war, arrests, and silence.
• Elections in Cameroon are predictable theatre, where ELECAM ensures that Biya always "wins" with a comfortable 70-90% majority.

Yet, according to these traditional rulers, it is Biya’s divine foresight that ensures Cameroon remains a “peaceful, upright, stable, respected and admired country”. If this statement weren’t tragic, it would be hilarious.

Traditional Rulers or Political Cheerleaders?

Traditionally, chiefs are supposed to be protectors of their communities, mediators of justice, and defenders of tradition. But in Biya’s Cameroon, they have mutated into political cheerleaders who trade loyalty for benefits. They receive crumbs from the regime’s banquet and, in return, sing praises of a failing system.

If they truly cared about their people, they would be:

• Demanding better living conditions for their communities.
• Condemning electoral fraud instead of blindly endorsing a candidate in what is supposed to be a “democratic” election.
• Questioning the government’s failure to end the Anglophone crisis, improve healthcare, or create jobs for young people.

But no, loyalty to power is more profitable than loyalty to the people.

A Nation Held Hostage by One Man’s ‘Wisdom’

The real question is: What happens to Cameroon when Paul Biya is no longer here? If, after 43 years in power, no successor has been groomed, no transition plan exists, and no alternative leadership is allowed to emerge, then Biya has not been wise—he has been reckless.

Cameroon does not need a "wise old man" who governs from a Swiss hotel. Cameroon needs a visionary leader who understands modern governance, a democratic system that allows fresh ideas to flourish, and a government that serves the people, not the other way around.

Final Thoughts: Time to End the Theatre

The spectacle of Biya worship needs to end. Cameroon is not a monarchy where rulers serve for life. Traditional chiefs should be guardians of culture, not political mercenaries.

And to the Cameroonian people: your future is not in the hands of a 92-year-old. The next election is not about choosing a "wise old man" but about demanding change.

The time for bread, sardine, and staged loyalty is over. It’s time for real leadership.