Ask any African to describe president Paul Biya and you will hear expressions like “the wise man”, “great statesman”, “a man of peace”, “a moving library”, “the baobab tree in the center of the village”, “the priest president”, “the peace beggar”, “the diplomat”, “a founding father”, “a great pan Africanist”, “a peacemaker”, “the discreet problem solver” “the sphinx”, “the rock of stability” etc etc. Paul Biya has in his characteristic style and manner positively impacted the political landscape of Africa and the mindset of many Africans.
In many domains like, the use of legal means to resolve disputes, the use of African means and methods to resolve africa’s problems, intra-african trade, free movement of goods and property, free settling of africans in any country on the continent, the need for africans to speak with one voice and many other political progress made in Africa in the past few decades can be traced to Paul Biya’s ideas and proposals in international meetings. He has always spoken for Africa on the international stage and defended the continent’s independence.
When neo-colonialists have tried to sustain a system that was detrimental to Africa’s peace and development, Paul Biya always stood tall in defense of the continent. When foreigners have tried to divide and rule Africa, Paul Biya has always been there to ensure unity and concord between Africans. There is no conflict in Africa where Paul Biya has not proposed peaceful resolution.
In the new world order where Africans are being forced like children to chose one block against the other, Paul Biya has encouraged his African peers to keep their international cooperation options open and diverse under the sole guidance of their own national interests and the broader interest of the continent.
Now wonder in international meeting halls, you see other African leaders lining up just to greet Paul Biya and have a word with the wiseman. No wonder he has been selected many times by his peers to speak for Africa. No wonder Africans are not surprised that Cameroonians have been supporting him for the past 43 years and still counting.
When the 2025 election will come and pass, Africans will not be surprised that Cameroonians have decided once again to support Paul Biya to lead them and continue being a blessing for Africa.
