Why Africa’s Oldest Dictator – Paul Biya, Missed The Pope’s Funeral, Gabon’s Inaugural and ……

Paul Biya, 92, has outlived Three Popes since becoming president in 1982 (John Paul II – October 16, 1978 to April 2, 2005, Benedict XVI – April 19, 2005 to February 28, 2013, Francis – March 13, 2013 to April 21, 2025). A total of nine popes have ruled the Vatican in Biya’s lifetime. As a staunch catholic and former mass servant, Biya has been a constant visitor to the Vatican for the past 42 years alongside his wives. He had variously paid State Visits to the Vatican, and when news descended upon the world that Pope Francis had died on April 21, 2025, Biya and wife were expected to be at the funeral service held on Saturday, April 26, 2025. However, he was notably absent, represented there by one of his ministers – Atanga Nji. In addition to the pope’s funeral, Biya was no show at the inauguration of the 620 meters Logone River Bridge; a cross-border bridge connecting Cameroun and Chad. The presidential couple were again absent at the inauguration of Gabon’s new president, Brice Oligui Nguema, May 3, 2025, at a ceremony attended by 16 other African heads of states at a full stadium north of the capital Libreville. Mr. Nguema, who led a coup that toppled the almost 60-year reign of the Bongos, was sworn in for a seven-year term.

Paul Biya and the Late Pope Francis at the Vatican

Fear of a Free Media

These are all ceremonies that Paul Biya and wife would have stole the show with another brightly colored dress . elaborate and gigantic wig, The question that begs for the reasons for these unique absences added to the Russia Victory Day (9 May) summit is where and why did Biya whom loyalists and state media continue to describe as strong and healthy absent? With a call by loyalist for the almost 93-year-oid dictator to seek another 7-year-term this year, one should have expected him to be active in these public events as he and wife used to monopolized such occasions years past. The answer is clear, Biya and his oligarchs now depend on AI. media manipulation to hold the country together. Biya remains the only name and personality that instills fear in the hearts of in French Cameroun This media manipulation was explicit during Macron’s visit to Yaounde in 2022, where French journalists ridiculed the fragile president during a press conference in which Macron was the one repeating the questions to a some how befuddled Biya. In a typical manipulative and unethical, and professional malpractice, the State Media – , CRTV trails the Camera instead on the journalists who poses the question as Biya fumbles the answers in vain with Macron. Professionally, the camera is to focus on the interviewee after the interviewer ask his/her question, Things didn’t really work out for the state-controlled media as the French journalists were embarrassed at the foolery and started laughing as Biya fumbles on. Even with Macron’s interpretation of the question, Biya failed to grasp anything. With CRTV now caught between the laughing journalist and a comatose Biya, an abrupt cut to the Biya’s Unity Palace was the way out of the opprobrium. (Watch entire video here, the debacle starts around the 25th minute onward). With those three events supposedly to be covered by multiple national and international media outlets that Biya authorities and State Media(crtv) won’t have any control, the safest bet was for the supposedly “strong and healthy” Biya at 92 to be kept home and so shield the world from his hidden frailties, thus embarrassments.

Enter 20th May 2025

Biya is expected to be present at this year’s 20th May Celebrations, as the sate media- crtv will be in charge, On the eve of the event, an AI- assisted Biya will be expected to be seen delivering a speech to his subjects. Authorities have been banned from carrying any electronic gadgets to the ceremony. The manipulative scheme/script has been written – avoid any close ups. no trailing of Biya for more than 4 seconds. Once Biya alights the presidential Limo, focus more on the military and after the hand shake, cut away to the flags or planes flying above. Dont’t show Biya crawling/walking to the grand stand. Show him seated instead… All these deceptive moves have been achieved thanks to AI, coercion, none-existent opposition and a docile French Cameroun public. Below is a younger Biya and wife at one of the past 20th May ceremonies, in Yaounde.

Killings in the Anglophone Regions

It is estimated that Mr. Biya has killed more than 53,000 innocent civilians in the English-speaking regions of the country who are demanding for a safeguard of their rights in the union which they voted to belong as co-equals in 1961. More than 500,000 are internally displaced with another 90,000 as refugees in Nigeria (Click here).The 92-year-old dictator’s desire to ethnically cleans any community that opposes him are articulated even by some of his ministers who believe such actions is justified. For Biya’s Justice Minister, Momo Jean de Dieu, annihilating any Camerounian who opposes Biya will be justified just like Hitler’s massacre of 6 million “industrious and arrogant Jews”, who posed a threat to him and Germany (Click here). As one Cameroon activists puts it, “It’s hypocritical for the Israeli Ambassador to Cameroun to be outraged and demands an apology over Jews and holocaust comments, when the actual holocaust is happening with the Anglophones  in Cameroon”.