2024-02-16 01:37:34
On the occasion of Paul Biya’s 91st birthday this Tuesday, February 13, his loved ones pulled out all the stops by organizing a thanksgiving mass in his native village of Meyomessala. If he could not be present, the Cameroonian president was represented for the occasion by his chief of staff, Samuel Mvondo Ayolo. Analysis.
In Cameroon, the birthday of the head of state is always an event, whatever his age. The tradition was once again respected this Tuesday, February 13 for Paul Biya’s 91st birthday, with a very special celebration organized in his stronghold of Meyomessala.
An XXL mass in Biya’s native village
According to our information, it is more precisely in the village of Koum Yétotan located on the native lands of Paul Biya, in the department of Dja-et-Lobo, that a thanksgiving mass was organized with great fanfare in the honor of the Cameroonian president.
The event was intended to be ecumenical, therefore bringing together all the religious denominations of the country for this anniversary placed under the sign of mystical fervor.
The very discreet Samuel Mvondo Ayolo as representative
Obviously, at 91 years old, Paul Biya was not able to travel to his native South himself to attend the festivities organized for his birthday. The Cameroonian president is extremely rare in public, and his trips are even more sporadic.
It was therefore his chief of staff, the discreet Samuel Mvondo Ayolo, who was responsible for representing the Head of State during this village event immortalizing the passage of the native of Meyomessala into his 92nd year.
Celebrations that question
Because the least we can say is that the context does not lend itself well to jubilation. Between galloping inflation which undermines the purchasing power of Cameroonian households, armed conflicts in several regions or even difficult succession which looms, the country is going through a complicated patch.
From then on, certain observers did not fail to question, sometimes with humor, the real usefulness of these religious celebrations organized in the village of a Paul Biya who had become almost invisible. When a large part of Cameroonians, especially the youth, struggle with daily survival problems…