The Man, Paul Biya

By Ernest Sumelong

Paul Biya, who became Cameroon's Head of State on November 6, 1982, was born February 13, 1933, at Mvomeka, South Province of Cameroon. Biya is the third of eight children born to Etenne Mvondo Assam and Anastasie Eyinga Elle. His father was a catechist while his grandfather was a farmer.

When he was seven, his parents sent him to the Catholic mission school at Ndem, approximately 30 miles from his home. One of Biya's French tutors there found his work excellent, and determined that Biya should become a priest. At the age of 14, he was admitted at the Edea and Akono Junior Seminaries, run by the Saint Esprit fathers.

He later gained admission at Cameroon's most prestigious high school, Lycee General Leclerc, Yaounde. At the Lycee, Biya studied Latin, Greek, and Philosophy. He passed his baccalaureate (in the Philosophy series) in June 1956 at the Lycee General Leclerc.
Due to his brilliant performance in secondary school, Biya was allowed to study at the University of Paris, where he focused on Law and Political Science.

He received his Law degree in 1960. After graduation, Biya lived in France and studied Public Law at the Institute of Overseas Studies. In the course of his University studies, he obtained a Diploma from the Institute of Political Studies in Paris (Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris), where he graduated in 1961 with a diploma in International Relations. He obtained another Diploma from the Institute of Overseas Higher Studies.

He also holds a BA in Public Law, then, in 1963, he obtained a postgraduate diploma in Public Law. He is also a former student of the Lycee Louis-le-Grand and also attended the renowned University of Sobborne, France. In 1962, Biya returned to Cameroon where his administrative and political career started.

Through hard work and his academic background, Biya held several administrative and political positions under President Ahidjo.In October 1962, Biya was in charge of missions at the Presidency (he was put in charge of the Department of Foreign Development Aid), and two years later (January 1964) he became Director of Cabinet to the Minister of National Education, Youth and Culture.

From this position, three years later, he was made Director of the Civil Cabinet to the President of the Republic. A year later he served as Secretary General at the Presidency, simultaneously with his duties as Director of the Civil Cabinet.

In his steady climb to the hem of administration, in August 1968 he was made Minister, Secretary General at the Presidency. Biya also served as Minister of State, Secretary General at the Presidency for two years before he was made Prime Minister in 1975.

Following Law No. 79/02 of June 1979, Biya became the constitutional successor to the President of the Republic, Ahmadou Ahidjo. Thus, on November 6, 1982, Biya became President of the Republic following the resignation on November 4, of President Ahmadou Ahidjo on grounds of ill health.

Besides his administrative climb to power, Biya was the 1st Vice Chairman of the Central Committee and member of the Political Bureau of the CNU Party. Biya is said to have had a very close relationship with late President Ahidjo as he was said to be loyal to him. In spite of their religious and educational backgrounds (Ahidjo was a Muslim and Biya a Roman Catholic.

While Biya had studied abroad and had many certificates, Ahidjo had only elementary education and had worked as a telephone operator before he became president) the two men worked closely. Over time, Ahidjo became Biya's political mentor.

President Biya is Commander of the Order of Valour, Commander of the National Order of Germany; Commander of the National Order of Tunisia; holder of the Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit of Senegal; Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour of France.
Biya has been described to be reserved, sober and hard working.

He is also said to be a serious sportsman; he goes cycling, jogging, walking and plays golf and tennis. He also adores classical music.President Biya has two brothers and five sisters; Regine Ngonda, Benoit Mvondo, Elizabeth Mekou, Justine Eyinga, Etienne Mvondo Mvondo, Marie Mengue Mvondo and Pierre Mebaa (not known if all are still alive)
Biya married Jeanne-Irène Biya with whom he had a son, Franck Biya in 1971.

After Jeanne-Irène Biya died on July 29, 1992, Paul Biya married Chantal Biya on April 23, 1994, and he has had two more children with her. President Biya has a publication to his credit; Communal Liberalism.

Comments

[Glenn Wilson]

It is beyond my imagination as to why in the last 20 years, some right minded Cameroonian hasn't given Popaul the same type of "divorce" he gave to Irene Biya?

Oh well, maybe next year!

Click below for the Paul Biya dirt file.
The Paul Biya Dirt File

[Tekum Mbeng]

Ernest Sumelong

This resume only confirms that Mr Biya had had a weak formation and remains a demagogue. Ex-president Ahidjo only promoted sycophants. Paper resumes mean ZERO. Cameroonians should be after specific accomplishments - things that changed the lives of ordinary people for the better.

While minister, there is no law Mr Biya passed for which credit can be given. As President, he brought a rich country to its knees. His social liberalism turned into a disaster in the nineties as expenditure exceeded income.

This is man who who has murdered opponents and attempted to kill the birth of democracy in Bamenda. Despite his long experience, he is unable to get the Constitution right and has unashamedly made himself Life President.

Cameroonian journalists need to stop devil worshipping and say it as it is.

[rexon]

This article starts like the author is about to give us a resume of Biya's CV but ended up writing unrealistic informations like this: "He is also a former student of the Lycee Louis-le-Grand and also attended the renowned University of Sobborne, France." When and what degrees did Biya achieved in these great institutions?

Secondly, Biya as we know him is a very dangerous man. The author should not think we can be fooled. He and his gang of CPDM bandits and killers are just too dangerous for the human race and if anything, they are supposed to be in prison. I personally hopes he lives and see how God can turn things around for the Cameroonian people.

[damike]

It is high time Cameroonians both at homeland and Diaspora started thinking and acting with a revolutionary and dynamic ideologies. I do not know if the winds of change that swept across Africa and the world at large exempted Cameroon in this era of democracy and social justice.

The Biya regime has been marred by still the enlightened spirit of nepotism and despotism, political upheavals and steep economic recession and social injustice.

Folks we are talking of a leader who has driven the country with selfish and greedy intensions and carried the country in the band wagon of corruption underdevelopment poverty and social inequities.
How could our law makers adopt a bill to extend the mandate of Biya and worse still saying that the president will not be held accounted for crimes he commit during his term in office.

Can t we learn from the Obama theory of real democracy and change. Change we need.

We are talking of a president guilty of manslaughter or a trillion counts, an oppressor, tyrant and a dictator. I wonder the why he even went to seminary for he is a servant of the devil. He shall be held accounted for all his misdeeds.

It is a shame that even the journalism profession in Cameroon has been intoxicated and all tailored to suit the likes and dislike of Biya.

Sticking to power for 26 years and still hoping to be president for life after single handledly manipulating the constitution of our beloved country Cameroon on two occasions.

It is a shame. Cameroon is in a shamble and if we do not keep all the selfish tribal and ethnic differences to come as a unified nation with the doctrine of Change then we are in no distant future be in the likes of A Congo or Rwanda epic.

Biya time is coming when you shall be brought to justice like your colleague Sadam Hussein, Samuel Dow and Idi Amin dada, Mubuta just to mention a few.

The numbers of Cameroonian both resourceful, technically, financially and in the field of academia that flee the country for greener pastures has unprecedentedly been on the rise over the past decades.

The corrupt system based on nepotism, tribalism, (ENAM- tantamount to the Stone Age and we are in the third millennium are the achievements of Biya.
A graduate from the prestigious university of Subborne France but I am afraid without a Diploma from Subborne. What did you acquire from Subborne or were you ghost students. I tell you there are a lot more Cameroonians from more prestigious universities out there with top class honorary Degrees and Diplomas but all remain in the Diaspora because they could not be given the opportunity they deserve. I wonder if Biya were not given that opportunity what he might be today. Why don t you let the others to continue in that same light. Well you rather prefer to cling to power. What a shame, so selfish. Gone were those days and the Law deree and Post graduate diploma obtained in those days do not fit in to the momentous epoch. Biya you must go. Killer, murderer, dictator, embezzler, Lucifer, L avocet du Diable.

The Biya regime uses the pretext of football, confuses and intoxicates the youths with alcohol Le Brasseries du Cameroon, to trail with its satanic ideologies and dynasty. Not withstanding Biya has not constructed a single stadium for Cameroon the only umbrella that brings Cameroonians together and the soccer glories and achievements he happily associates with the New deal government. What an irony. Shame. If not of the Chinese and the fact that Biya s time is soon approaching the Stadia under construction in Cameroon will not have been possible. He takes a fake credit by baptising the complex at Olembe the outskirt of Yaoundé – The Paul Biya Stadium. Immediate you are ousted we shall revoke that name. The name Biya signifies, evil, tyrant, dictator, unpatriotic, murderer, killer corruption and underdevelopment. Enough, Enough!!
We need change.
Cameroonians Minus Biya= change
Cameroonians We can do it. Yes we can.

[damike]

The devil makes work for idle hands.
Time is money.
People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.But The Biya regime keeps throwing stones.
Use it or lose it.

Time will tell

The New deal regime has done more harm than good

[MOTABENAMA]

THE ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS POSSESSED BY BIYA ARE REALLY NOT SUPERFICIAL. BIYA HAS MANAGED TO HAVE A FIRM GRIP ON POWER BECAUSE HE SORROUNDED HIMSELF WITH HIS CLAN MEN AND RULES LIKE HE IS RULING A CHIETAINCY. RIGOUR AND MORALIZATION HAVE TRANSFORMED CAMEROON INTO A SOCIETY OF IMMORALITY CORRUPTION AND IMMORALISATION DURING BIYAS 26 YEARS REIGN. HALF A CENTURY TOO LONG A TIME FOR A DICTATOR LIKE BIY TO RUIN A COUNTRY. OH CRY MY BELOVED CAMEROON WE HAVE SUFFERED DAMAGES THAT MAY NEVER BE REPAIRED. 26 YEARS IS TOO LONG A TIME FOR THE EWONDO HEGEMONY. DEATH WHERE ARE YOU? WHY NOT KNOCK AT HIS DOORS SO THAT HARD WORKING CAMEROONIANS CAN START THE WHOLE IDEA OF NATION BUILDING. AHIDJO I AM SURE YOU SCREAM WITH DISPLEASURE WHEN YOU SEE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. ALL WE HAVE ARE LEGACIES LEFT BY YOU BIYA HAVE RUIMED SOME. ALL HE HAS BUILT IS THE NSIMALENG AIRPORT, YOUR CHILDREN CANNOT EVEN GAIN SCHOLARSHIP TO GO FOR FURTHER STUDIES ANYMORE. CRY THE BELOVED CAMEROON WHERE THE EWONDOS WILL TAKE US TO ONLY GOD KNOWS SAVE US OH LORD