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Monday, May 30, 2011

Paul Biya's Personality Cult in Cameroon

Below is a video taken May 20, 2011, showing Paul Biya and the Cameroonian elite celebrating their conquest of the ordinary people. With the show of force from the military and the sycophantic touch from griotistic journalists Biya's royalty and magnanimity are projected. They even call him the "father of Cameroonian democracy." I am not sure if this "Cameroonian democracy" is a claim that there is democracy in Cameroon or that Cameroon has created its own thing called democracy but which is hardly recognized outside the country. I remember Paul Biya not as a supporter of democracy but as the  one who killed democracy in Cameroon. He is the one who sent soldiers to shoot and kill when we were marching for democracy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It is strange to me that he now claims to be father of democracy in Cameroon. If the video below is intended to paint a postive picture of Biya, it ironically turns out to be a perfect example of the autocratic and military dictatorship which he runs. Biya must leave power this year. He is bad for the country.

3 comments:

Bachir said...

The cult of one’s personality if bad when it is promoted by himself. In the case of President Paul Biya, he has never asked anyone to do that. He does not need any personality cult. In effect Presedent Paul Biya introduced democracy in Cameroon and thus is the father of democracy in Cameroon whether you like it or not. It is now left for Cameroonians who want to embark into politics to learn and understand politics to develop their own country, but they fail to do so. On whom then should the blame be? Also, on national day celebration, the show of the military force is an occasion for Cameroonians to see their military potential because their money is spent on upgrading this potential and not meant to praise President Paul Biya.

Mbil said...

The cult of one’s personality if bad when it is promoted by himself. In the case of President Paul Biya, he has never asked anyone to do that. He does not need any personality cult. In effect Presedent Paul Biya introduced democracy in Cameroon and thus is the father of democracy in Cameroon whether you like it or not. It is now left for Cameroonians who want to embark into politics to learn and understand politics to develop their own country, but they fail to do so. On whom then should the blame be? Also, on national day celebration, the show of the military force is an occasion for Cameroonians to see their military potential because their money is spent on upgrading this potential and not meant to praise President Paul Biya.

Unknown said...

Haha and you think you are right about this?