Memory Lane (July 29, 1992): The Death of Jeanne-Irène Biya

An excerpt from Dibussi Tande, Reform and Repression: A Chronicle of the Smoldering Years, 1990-1992. (Forthcoming).

Plans for nationwide CPDM rallies in favor of early elections were scuttled when First Lady Jeanne-Irène Biya died suddenly in the early hours of July 29 from an undisclosed illness.

"Madam is Dead" - Cameroon Tribune, July 30, 1992.

Only a week earlier, a beaming and and apparently healthy First Lady had been on TV receiving American musician Stevie Wonder at Unity Palace. Her sudden death, just hours after President Biya left for a meeting in Dakar, Senegal, led to widespread rumors that she had been assassinated:

It was rumoured that President Biya had arranged for her to be killed and had left the country (for a meeting where his presence was not mandatory) as an alibi. His behaviour, the rumour claimed, was very suspect. Why had he not allowed her body to be laid in state? Why such a rush to bury her? Why had CRTV and Cameroon Tribune, the official media, been so economical with information regarding her ‘brief illness’, the purported cause of her death? When soon after her death, two European reverend sisters whom she had visited shortly before were found murdered at Djoum, it was alleged that they had been killed because they must have known the truth surrounding the circumstances of her death. (Nyamnjoh, 2005: 212).

Although some die-hard opponents of the Biya regime seemed to derive pleasure from the First Lady’s untimely death, the virulently anti-Biya private media demonstrated a rarely seen “softer side” as it declared a truce and appealed to the public and opposition leaders to honor Jeanne-Irène Biya. For example, the “extremist” Challenge Hebdo appealed to Cameroonians to

break away from this infernal logic (of intolerance) and go back to the tradition of paying our respects to the dead. Dead, Madam Biya deserves our respect. Our political differences with Mr. Biya should give way to the ethical obligation of respecting the dead. 

 “Let us forgive JIB and pray for a kinder and gentler Cameroonian nation,” chimed in Cameroon Today. Jeune Afrique Economie, which only a few weeks earlier had lambasted the First Lady for her alleged role in the collapse of the SCB paid her a glowing tribute, particularly for her charitable activities. The “hard core” opposition parties also followed suit with messages of condolence to the Head of State. The SDF went a step further and temporarily suspended all public rallies and meetings in honor of the fallen First Lady.

    During a high mass at the Yaounde Cathedral attended by thousands of national and foreign dignitaries including Zairean President Mobutu Sese Seko, Bishop Jean Baptiste Ama declared: “Now that Jeanne Irene is dead, there is absolutely nothing she can do about her fate. Only our prayers can make God have pity on her.” And on September 1, 1992, the First Lady who, according to Bishop Owono Mimboe, had “undergone moral and physical torture just like Christ,” was buried in Paul Biya’s village of Mvomeka’a as a nation which seemed to have lost its soul in the acrimony and violence of the last two years remorsefully looked on.

On September 3, a condolence register was opened at Unity Palace and by the time it closed on September 7, thousands of Cameroonians from all walks of life and all political persuasions had stopped by to pay their last respects to the departed “madam” as she was fondly called.

Regime strategists, however, refused to be distracted by the nationwide outpouring of grief or by the conciliatory attitude of the regime’s political enemies. Thus, as soon as Jeanne-Irène Biya’s funeral was out of the way, the campaign to drum up support for early presidential elections resumed in earnest in mid September when traditional rulers from the West province were dragged to Unity Palace to make another public appeal for early elections. CPDM sections all over the country immediately joined the fray with rallies begging President Biya to run for another mandate.

On August 25, 1992 President Biya announced during a nationwide address that he would seek another term as President and that early elections would take place on October 11, 1992.

And the rest is history...

Comments

[Ouanga Hughes]

Was 5 years old when this occurred. This brief posting beautifully captures the national mood at the time. Thanks!

[Benny Man]

Wow! This is one of the most simple and effective Cameroon Tribune Frontpages ever; not "the mother of the nation is dead" or "the nation mourns the special one", etc., just a simple "madam is dead." I didn't particularly care about her but I feel the weight of those words 20 years later.

[Ferdinant Sonyuy]

This is really meaningful. I should have been three by then. I don't know how my parents felt but i feel i need to have written on the condolence register as well. She surely was a great woman and the nation love her even till date. The truth shall still be known even in heaven. Let the nation grow.

[Brother Bill]

Well, for me, I pity the citizens of la republique du Cameroun for accepting to be ruled by dictators, murderers, political terrorists and bloodsucking vampires for well over 30 years and counting.

[emmanuel ekovi molua]

"she was kind,humble and loving to all her family, and to children as we saw. Irene was a mother a real mother". this is an extract of a song composed by one time president of FATRADANCA Buea, Pa Samuel N. Molua, for the fallen first lady.

[Morgan White]

I know for sure she was murdered and her husband, president Paul Biya, planned for her to be killed. Paul Biya will never see peace in his life and I had a dream he will be blind and suffer till his dead. I'm an American and shit like this makes me feel sad for Africans. If Paul Biya was in America, he would've been sentenced to life in prison without parole or sentenced to death. Africa is a good place but president like Paul Biya makes it look bad in the eyes of the world. I feel sorry for Africa. God bless Africa!!!

[guy william]

i think the editor in chief pof caùmerron tribune at that time was a great man.The words are clear,sincere,honest and carry the weight of the event:Mme is dead.
Personnally i am agains those who keep pointing acusing fingers.People love privacy and at a certain moment in life even head of states have privacies.How many of us are ambullent patients?We ll die one day.Stevie Wonder doest not provide eternal life!

[Mac Ayang]

Its really sad; we just hope the truth shall out some day about the sudden death of this woman...

[Ernest Timnge]

This post actually refreshed my mind. I was in Yaounde when this unfortunate news broke out. By then, Cameroon Tribune was still Cameroon Tribune with no filtered information. Paul Biya after killing his wife destroyed the entire system. There is no press freedom in Cameroon. Some times, i often feels that Paul Biya has been a bad gift for Cameroonians. Not long from now,

[rosy]

i can remember were i was when d news broke out. i was 8 n we were in d village for holiday. She was a good woman. she sent money for the coffin they laid my mother when she died in 87. Because of her my mother was laid in a very expensive n nice coffin.

[Emaleu]

Biya is a murderer, a crook and a tyrant!

[SEVERINE]

this is so heartbroken to see a woman with valor, promises,purpose and beauty in a world full of shit and unable to rise.how can cameroon be ok when the blood of mama irene cries for justice, when the poor soul of chantal biya's former husband cries for justice,when so many innocent bloods have been lost to selfishness and greed. i know this country is under a curse as a result of so many skeletons hidden inside the nation's cupboard. but then a day shall for retribution. mama irene u will forever remain in our hearts...RIP

[max uto]

I heard he was a woman of valor, full of light. How can light leave with darkness? Eventually, she was assassinated so as to continue his evil deeds. A man with no conscience, in power before I was born, still in power now now. 34 years of darkness of Cameroon. Let's all pray for the liberation of cameroon

[Tsie Adrian]

We do have many international bodies, an example being the united nations. I believe the world would be a better place if international law could look into punishing criminals like Paul Biya. I know that coffin was never opened for us to see the Cameroonian late first lady lying in state. I wish and international organization existed which had an open jurisdiction to investigate and punish crooks like the tyrant and dictator called Paul Biya. The suffering of Cameroonian citizens has been too much while this criminal lives expensively in and out of the country.It is a shame!!!

[Brus Ndumbe]

I am not sure if the president killed his wife but no one knows. 1 day the truth will be out and he that did it will be exposed

[Brus Ndumbe]

I am not sure if the president killed his wife but no one knows. 1 day the truth will be out and he that did it will be exposed

[Brus Ndumbe]

If it is him I want him to be buried alive

[Nchepalah Linus]

Well! We thank God for all what happened because it was let go because it was His will. Remember brethren that judgement lies in the hands of the all mighty God. Whether we are right or wrong, we have no right to hold an offense against anyone. May God bless all of us as He liberates Cameroon in Jesus name. Amen. Go and look at Matthew 18:18in the Bible. It will answer our worries as we declare our desires to heaven in Jesus name. Stay blessed.

[Solice]

Cameroon was a great nation when Mom Irene was alive. Paul Biya was a great President ,God fearing and very much admired. The passing of mom began the ruin of the nation. Paul Biya became senseless selfish and hearless and the nation lost a mom.She was Gods gift to the nation. Sad that we still cannot recognize that.
Anyway there is hope for cameroon. The word of God gives us a solution. If my people that are called by my name will humble themselves and cry out God will hear Them and repair their Land. Christians go to work, pray fast, keep seeking the Lord until He is found. Nobody but God will rebuild Cameroon, and only Gods people can Call upon Him.

[Andrewmoynihan3]

Sukadik