In this final installment in our ongoing series on the April 6, 1984 coup attempt, we finally hear from former First Lady Germaine Ahidjo. In Part 1, she responds to long-standing claims that the April 1984 coup was the handiwork of her husband Ahmadou Ahidjo, Paul Biya's predecessor. And in Part 2 she talks about the life of the Ahidjo family immediately after the coup, of the Ahidjos being stripped of their Cameroonian nationality by the Biya regime, and the death and burial of the former president in Dakar, Senegal, in November 1989 (French).
See also: Repaid in his own Coins: Ahmadou Ahidjo and the Politics of Ostracism
LOL, this lady needs a crash-course on sobriety, fast! Shocks that the woman escapes my consciousness, until something like this is written about her. I never even knew her name as a child, until recently, when I read one interview she gave to Michel Biongolo on Bonaberi.com, which I paid scant attention to.
But listening to her mouthing out encomiums about her husband; how "Ahidjo s'est preoccupé des habitants du Cameroun - de peuple du Cameroun.." how "Ahidjo a rendu le pays riche" I want to jump up and slap the woman. For how long was Cameroon an information black hole, with no TV station, with few telephone lines, if we were so rich?
What part of Cameroon is she talking about? Made which people rich? Did Ahidjo consider the Anglophone parts of the country as anything more important than the provisor of the GDP? Her Nganakoh husband inherited the equivalent of a country that would be to a farmer virgin fecund land; abundant, overflowing, rich in natural resources. He quickly turned the thing into a personal chopfarm for himself and his coterie of appreciative thieves.
With the benefit of a mature person's analysis, I can see he is nothing like the hero of our childhood - largely because we have parents who protected us then from the political adversity and machinations attendant on our heritage.
The central government in Yaoundé, that bastion of bureaucratic time-wasting corruption and the centre for processing all dossiers, represents a source of huge frustration to many Anglophones - another of Ahidjo's poisonous legacies.
I see that he was the original architect of the Anglophone marginalization and the “mis-applicator” of our natural resources, which he used to enrich the other parts of the country, while neglecting the infrastructural facilities of social necessity in all parts of the Anglophone Cameroon-- roads, hospitals, schools, even football stadium etc. As for the villages, the people were left to their own fate.
For how long did Ngoa Ekelle remain the only University in Cameroon; a place where Anglophone students found it hard to cope with French—and had to abandon their education, defeated by language? Has anyone ever collected data on the number of Anglophone students who fell on this language hurdle? All other institutions of higher learning where French inclined-- IRIC, ENAM - even the higher school of education was French, while ENS which was the lower grade was Anglophone.
The country is purportedly bilingual-- what a laugh! All official documents are in French! I wonder if the president ever addressed Anglophones in English. And Mme Ahidjo claims that one of Biya's selling points was his bilingualism-- her standards are hilarious. Has she heard the man speak English? Maybe his bilingualism lies in his ability to speak Bulu and French - not French and English.
Ahidjo practiced discrimination, as exemplified in the development of better infrastructure in the Francophone parts of Cameroon-- like the building of the artificial sea port in Douala, at the expense of neglecting natural seaports in Limbe and Tiko. And this passing over of developmental project is a trend with both regimes. Oil is oozing naturally in my mother's village in Ndian; but go check out the roads that lead to those parts of the country. Even though SONARA has offices in Limbe, because of their work force's proximity to the refinery, the revenue still empties into the coffers of the Douala Urban council! The Western Province, the North West and the South West are natural tourist attractions—Ahidjo failed to favour these areas in preference to the north.
Concerning the coup! Madame Ahidjo must be a captive of her perceptions of her entitlements and privileges as First lady. "J'aurais souhaité qu'il partent avec beaucoup d'argent..." must be the exemplar of the perfidious crassitude in which they lived out their presidential privileges. Thieves. Her husband stole vast amounts of Cameroon money. Why did he build a mansion in Senegal when he was President of Cameroon?Ahidjo chose Biya over Eboua and Ayissi Mvodo because he thought that being politically green, he will be able to control Biya-- just like Obasanjo of Nigeria went to great lengths to select Yar'Adua for President- both seeming ingénues who'd turn savage against their would-be poppet masters.
When Ahidjo realized that Biya was not going to be an easy walk over, it is possible Ahidjo tried to stir trouble from the fringes, unfortunately, he had underestimated the length of the viper's fangs, which it had kept well out of sight. Mme Ahidjo also laughs derisively about the judge who passed sentence in absentia against Ahidjo, with a mocking remark, "C'est lui qu'il avait mis làbas!" This is typical of the lady’s notions of her entitlements! So if the man owes his appointment to Ahidjo, does it take away his right to pass an unfavorable sentence against his former boss?
By the way, what is she doing now to help Cameroon now? Is she even Cameroonian? She is preoccupied with reclaiming and protecting privileges she once received. Wherever the lady is; whether Senegal, Morocco or France, the colossal loot she and her husband pilfered will dry up eventually. But more importantly, I hope she will live long enough to see how the future generations will dismantle the corrupt structures she and her husband and Biya planted.
Posted by: Samira Edi | April 12, 2009 at 05:25 AM
LOL, this lady needs a crash-course on sobriety, fast! Shocks that the woman escapes my consciousness, until something like this is written about her. I never even knew her name as a child, until recently, when I read some interview she gave to Michel Biongolo on Bonaberi.com, which I paid scant attention to.
But listening to her mouthing out encomiums about her husband; how "Ahidjo s'est preoccupé des habitants du Cameroun - de peuple du Cameroun.." how "Ahidjo a rendu le pays riche" I want to jump up and slap the woman. For how long was Cameroon an information black hole, with no TV station, with few telephone lines, if we were so rich?
What part of Cameroon is she talking about? Made which people rich? Did Ahidjo consider the Anglophone parts of the country as anything more important than the provisor of the GDP? Her Nganakoh husband inherited the equivalent of a country that would be to a farmer virgin fecund land; abundant, overflowing, rich in natural resources. He quickly turned the thing into a personal chopfarm for himself and his coterie of appreciative thieves.
With the benefit of a mature person's analysis, I can see he is nothing like the hero of our childhood - largely because we have parents who protected us then from the political adversity and machinations attendant on our heritage.
The central government in Yaoundé, that bastion of bureaucratic time-wasting corruption and the centre for processing all dossiers, represents a source of huge frustration to many Anglophones - another of Ahidjo's poisonous legacies.
I see that he was the original architect of the Anglophone marginalization and the “mis-applicator” of our natural resources, which he used to enrich the other parts of the country, while neglecting the infrastructural facilities of social necessity in all parts of the Anglophone Cameroon-- roads, hospitals, schools, even football stadium etc. As for the villages, the people were left to their own fate.
For how long did Ngoa Ekelle remain the only University in Cameroon; a place where Anglophone students found it hard to cope with French—and had to abandon their education, defeated by language? Has anyone ever collected data on the number of Anglophone students who fell on this language hurdle? All other institutions of higher learning where French inclined-- IRIC, ENAM - even the higher school of education was French, while ENS which was the lower grade was Anglophone.
The country is purportedly bilingual-- what a laugh! All official documents are in French! I wonder if the president ever addressed Anglophones in English. And Mme Ahidjo claims that one of Biya's selling points was his bilingualism-- her standards are hilarious. Has she heard the man speak English? Maybe his bilingualism lies in his ability to speak Bulu and French - not French and English.
Ahidjo practiced discrimination, as exemplified in the development of better infrastructure in the Francophone parts of Cameroon-- like the building of the artificial sea port in Douala, at the expense of neglecting natural seaports in Limbe and Tiko. And this passing over of developmental project is a trend with both regimes. Oil is oozing naturally in my mother's village in Ndian; but go check out the roads that lead to those parts of the country. Even though SONARA has offices in Limbe, because of their work force's proximity to the refinery, the revenue still empties into the coffers of the Douala Urban council! The Western Province, the North West and the South West are natural tourist attractions—Ahidjo failed to favour these areas in preference to the north.
Concerning the coup! Madame Ahidjo must be a captive of her perceptions of her entitlements and privileges as First lady. "J'aurais souhaité qu'il partent avec beaucoup d'argent..." must be the exemplar of the perfidious crassitude in which they lived out their presidential privileges. Thieves. Her husband stole vast amounts of Cameroon money. Why did he build a mansion in Senegal when he was President of Cameroon?Ahidjo chose Biya over Eboua and Ayissi Mvodo because he thought that being politically green, he will be able to control Biya-- just like Obasanjo of Nigeria went to great lengths to select Yar'Adua for President- both seeming ingénues who'd turn savage against their would-be poppet masters.
When Ahidjo realized that Biya was not going to be an easy walk over, it is possible Ahidjo tried to stir trouble from the fringes, unfortunately, he had underestimated the length of the viper's fangs, which it had kept well out of sight. Mme Ahidjo also laughs derisively about the judge who passed sentence in absentia against Ahidjo, with a mocking remark, "C'est lui qu'il avait mis làbas!" This is typical of the lady’s notions of her entitlements! So if the man owes his appointment to Ahidjo, does it take away his right to pass an unfavorable sentence against his former boss?
By the way, what is she doing now to help Cameroon now? Is she even Cameroonian? She is preoccupied with reclaiming and protecting privileges she once received. Wherever the lady is; whether Senegal, Morocco or France, the colossal loot she and her husband pilfered will dry up eventually. But more importantly, I hope she will live long enough to see how the future generations will dismantle the corrupt structures she and her husband and Biya planted.
Posted by: Samira Edi | April 12, 2009 at 05:27 AM
Hmm, after watching this interview, I came out with completely different views. I think Germaine Ahidjo was witty, smart, funny, with a firm grasp of the issues. There is absolutely nothing outrageous in this interview!
That does not mean that I agree with her presentation of Cameroon. However, she is not saying anything new when she points out that Cameroon had excess reserves when Ahidjo resigned; reserves that were completely depleted by the Biya regime - that does not take away Ahidjo's failings.
On another note, I am completely shocked that you completely ignored the treatment that Biya reserved to the Ahidjo family to the point of turning them into non-Cameroonians who could not even come to Cameroon - and I am talking about the kids. This is simply appalling in any circumstance. History has a funny way of repeating itself and the Biya family should watch out...
Posted by: Ambe Johnson | April 12, 2009 at 09:16 AM
Very good, Samira Edi. There is a cottage industry devoted to creating a myth about the greatness of Ahidjo. Ahidjo's Cameroun was just like North Korea. As a matter of fact, he trained some of his security agents in North Korea. I am one of the believers in the school of thought that these trophy wives were not innocent bystanders. I got torn up in other places for that. Having said that, Germaine has kept well over time: the benefits of ill gotten wealth spent on healthy food, doctors and spas.
Posted by: Ma Mary | April 12, 2009 at 09:31 AM
Shut up you old hag... you supported your husband to marginalize millions of people because they spoke a different language from him.
Your husband was a tyrant and a dictator. Whatever is happening to her family right now is even less than they deserve.
Karma is knocking at the doors of these tyrants. Expect Chantal to big lamenting to the press in the near future about the treatment of her husband and her family. Whether she would still be rocking gold-encrusted "head-ties" and big, wavy weaves like the lion's mane, I do not know.
Posted by: UnitedstatesofAfrica | April 14, 2009 at 11:48 AM
Although we cannot keep a blind eye regarding the tyranny of Ahidjo, at present, we are comparing two successive regimes. On the whole, non will get an overall rating of 50 on 100. But the previous could moved Cameroon further than the present.
A conspicuous brutish leader who tries to offer "his best" for his people is better than a nonchalant empty-headed and seemingly amiable leader who has nothing to offer his people.
Posted by: Bob Bristol | May 27, 2009 at 07:29 AM
Vision, right? Biya is not a leader. He just reigns like a fat and out of touch king.
Posted by: faison | June 01, 2009 at 12:34 PM
If true you are Samira which I thing you are not, your second sentence tells any reader that you are ignorant;
Posted by: Yul | June 05, 2009 at 11:41 PM
USMankato, when Franck the loser and Chantal the big hair/air head begin to fight to succeed King Paul to rule your country, what side will you pick.
Posted by: Ma Mary | June 06, 2009 at 12:08 PM
In my world, just as in the world of all english speaking Cameroonians, there is no word like benevolent despotism. A leader whose country thrives in the economic sense whilst its citezens are brutally bludgeoned into submission can only be described by a political landscapist as "Fallow Hills looking green"... And if Ahmadou Ahidjo failed to govern people based on democartic tenets, then he failed woefully.
So Madam Germaine should not sit there and utter such rubish. She should not expect us to hail her sleeping husband or brandish him with titles such as National Hero. Afterall what did he do apart from the fact that the colonialists let the bastion fall onto his hands, in a country where the economy thrived?? Forget the bursaries he gave to university students, forget the tidbits he publicized with his heavily controled ministry of information and culture etc... Can Madam Ahidjo tell anglophone Cameroonians one good thing her husband did for this part of Cameroon whose positive impact can still be felt in our region today? All she can think of no matter how hard she tries to supress, is her evil husband whose wicked machinations together with the bevy of Standard Six politicians we had, sold us to French Cameroon instead of the federation we would have gladly opted for.
I dont want to make comparisons between the two so called statesmen Cameroon has had. The matter at hand is Ahidjo. Maybe when Bi Mvondo Biya is long gone, his hyper flamboyant wife would want to remind us of the good things her husband did. Grave deception!! That is the word I would term both first ladies. And that woulb be the so called post simmilarity by all means...
Posted by: Andong Ifang Akofu | November 16, 2009 at 05:29 AM
You fellas need to get over your hate. That woman is only guilty of being beautiful and marrying well. As I know, that was the secret desire of any woman in her generation and many today aspire to that life. The vitriol directed at her by the women like Samira and Ma Mary can be attributed to envy and jealousy. Ahidjo was the one who rule Cameroon and I think he did a great job: the country was at peace (he troublemakers were dealt with), prosperous and developing. During the start of each mandate he laid out a five year development plan, published it and implemented it. The problem with Cameroon is Cameroonians - loud mouths, know-it-alls, no sense of the public good, lack of conscience, morally bankrupt, corrupt minds, lacking in honor, and utterly lazy. These problems did not start with Ahidjo and will not end with Biya. The mothers of that nation need to do a better job raising their children with some good values.
Posted by: Nyakuto | October 17, 2014 at 09:17 PM