Regime Change in Cameroon: Removal of another African Dinosaur

Barack OBAMA:  President of the USA

A wind of change is sweeping across Africa. Ancient battles that have
had generations of men in Europe and Asia fighting one another,
spilled once  unto the New World, and today, is waged by proxy in
Africa.

Up for grabs are the rich and fertile lands currently inhabited by
poorly led native African peoples.

The turn has come for Cameroon to take center stage, with presidential

elections to be held by the end of this year. To give a sense of the

kind of protagonists in this fight, WIKILEAKS, the online

whistle-blower website leaked a secret document on Cameroon a few

weeks ago.

Apparently, US intelligence knew what the leaked memos contained, for
they preemptively installed radars on the Cameroonian coast,
officially to help Cameroonian merchant  marine navigation. But
insiders will know that the 24 hour monitoring of Cameroon's coast

gives the US a strategic military presence in the Gulf of Guinea.

Activities in waters as far afield as in dictator, Obiang Nguema's

Equatorial Guinea and Africa's economic powerhouse, Nigeria won't

escape surveillance.

The American presence also denies the French any significant military

presence beyond the usual military advisers found in former French

colonies. It should be noted that France has well established military

bases in Gabon and four other African countries including Cote d'Ivoire. There is a strong contingent of troops deployed in Chad since the "Operation Epervier" was launched in 1986. Other long-term

military treaties ensure they have a strong footprint on the ground in Sub Saharan Africa.

The next sign of the impending regime change is the decision by the
European Union's (EU) permanent representative to Cameroon's decision
to pay about 5 months advance salary to expatriate workers only about
a month before the presidential election is expected to be held . This
is a thinly veiled signal to these employees to get ready to leave the
country in a hurry if need be. The extra cash would go a long way in a
poor country like Cameroon and would take care of any contingencies if
need be.

Leading Presidential candidate, Cameroon: Kah Walla

As stated at the beginning of this article, the main revelation, aside
from the thievery of Ministers whom Paul Biya appointed to government,
is the indecisiveness of Mr Biya. This was quickly picked up by the US
Ambassador during a visit to M. Biya.

A leader who cannot make a single decision is doomed to lead the
country to economic and social ruin, elements of which are rampant in
Cameroon today. The Wikileaks leaked cables reveal that Cameroon is
ripe for regime change, and Paul Biya may not even have a clue, for
whenever he comes to a junction when a decision has to be made,
whether small or big, he is overwhelmed. Some wiser cabinet members
sensed this, and the thieving started - way back in the early eighties
of the twentieth century.

Paul Biya: On the way OUT!!

Johnnie Carson, the US Under - Secretary of State also paid a visit to
M. Paul Biya. That is to be expected. More telling would be those
invited to meet M. Carson during his stay in Cameroon, for it is from
amongst these chosen few that the person who will lead Cameroon to
Economic Prosperity and Political Stability shall arise.

Paul Biya's weak leadership and failure to develop the infrastructure
of the country he has ruled with an iron grip for almost half a
century may well be what gets him booted out of power.

Kah Walla 2011

Eto'o Fils, Président ??

 

 Cameroon's soccer team captain Samuel Eto'o Fils has taken a lot of flag since last week.

The Cameroonian super star player arrived Yaounde, and brought a lot of baggage.  First, he had a confrontation with Alexandre Song, an equally talented player on the rise. Alex Song famously refused to shake Eto'o's hand when prompted, infuriating the Indomitable Lions captain.

The incident required a crises meeting called by the Minister of Sports and Physical Education, Michel Zoa, to bring Eto'o back into the fold.

 

Alex Song, and Samuel Eto'o Fils, who play for English Premier League team Arsenal, and Italian Serie A Club Internazionale respectively, are both at the very top of their game, and athletes in such positions have notoriously outsized egos. A Minister alone could never diffuse the time bomb as these two heavyweights measured up each other. A whole ad hoc committee was what it took to calm nerves down.

 

In the end, Eto'o prevailed and Song was excused from the Indomitable Lions for their match against Senegal in Yaounde on May 04 2011, part of the qualifying games for the African Nations Cup in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in 2012.

 

Cameroon did not win the match, a result viewed as a loss by local fans of the Indomitable Lions. Some took to the streets and it is being reported that as many as four people lost their lives in riots following this game.

Samuel Eto'o has emerged as the one polarizing figure who somehow finds his way into every conversation in Yaounde, Douala, or Yokadouma. Wealthy, fit,  very well spoken, and photogenic, this Cameroonian star is here to stay, and he is slowly moving away from the football pitch to other areas, diversifying his holdings from Nightclubs like Katios in Yaounde to vast real estate investments on the Atlantic ocean shores in Kribi

One cannot help but wonder what the presidential elections in Cameroon would look like if Eto'o decides to run as a candidate. He certainly stands a good chance. But is he ready to leave his hefty salary and endorsements and pick a fight with incumbent for the past 29 years, Paul Biya. Though iya is of a generation like Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, Ben Ali of Tunisia, Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen that are prehistoric and decidedly being kicked out by their own people, they will fight, until humiliated and brought down like Laurent Gbagbo of Cote d'Ivoire.

Eto'o may yet be the solution to Cameroon's problems. Let's wait and see!