Biya Fetes 85th Birthday |
President
Paul Biya, on Wednesday, February 13, 2018, celebrated his 85th birthday with
very expensive cakes, even as the country and its economy continue their onward
march to the bottom of the abyss. The Yaoundé strong man cut the huge cake in
the presence of his wife while onlookers at the presidency cheered him on.
Mr. Biya whom parallel media had
declared either critically sick or dead lately, used the occasion to prove that
he was still hale and hearty, and was still in command of things in the
country. The 85 – year-old has used his
actions to shut up his critics who have been saying that he was either on life
support or dead.
President Biya’s birthday was
celebrated with pump and pageantry at a time when the country is dealing with
Boko Haram insurgency in the north, rebels in the east and Southern Cameroons
separatists in the country’s English-speaking regions.
However, opponents of the “Lion Man”
point out that the picture used to support the assertion that Mr. Biya
celebrated his birthday was photo-shopped, arguing that Mr. Biya and his
government are used to manipulating Cameroonians.
It should be
recalled that the crisis in the country’s English-speaking regions has lasted
for about 15 months despite government efforts to impose peace in the region.
Since October 2016 when the crisis
started, over 300 civilians have been killed, several villages torched by
retaliating soldiers, and at least 300 uniformed officers have been sent to an
early grave.
Despite
numerous calls by the international community for inclusive dialogue, Mr. Biya
and his government have insisted on using military violence as their tool of
choice to end the rebellion.
But their methods have only
radicalized most Southern Cameroonians and spurred the various armed groups
into intensifying their attacks on soldiers and Gendarmes as a means of
self-defense.
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