IS CAMEROON A SHIP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD?

IS CAMEROON A SHIP WITHOUT A SHEPHERD?

A nation does not collapse only when it lacks resources. It begins to drift when uncertainty replaces leadership and rumors replace credible information.

President Paul Biya has remained outside Cameroon for an extended period. During that time, conflicting messages have emerged. Jeune Afrique reported that he was receiving medical treatment in Geneva. Brenda Biya publicly urged people to pray for her father. Meanwhile, the Minister of Communication officially denied reports that the President was seriously ill or hospitalized, describing them as false and malicious while assuring the public that he would return soon.

The question is not whether one believes the media, the government, or members of the President's family. The real question is: Why should Cameroonians be left to choose between conflicting narratives about the health of the Head of State?

A President is not a private citizen. His ability to govern directly affects the security, economy, institutions, and future of an entire nation. Transparency is not a privilege granted to the people—it is a duty owed to them.

Cameroon has just emerged from another deeply contested presidential election. Questions surrounding succession continue to dominate national debate. Reports of investigations into the fake Vice President decree have yet to be fully clarified. Political tensions remain high. At the same time, unemployment, poverty, insecurity, inadequate roads, unreliable electricity, and limited access to clean water continue to weigh heavily on ordinary citizens.

In moments like these, silence creates uncertainty, uncertainty fuels speculation, and speculation weakens public confidence in institutions.

Cameroonians deserve facts, not rumors. They deserve institutions that communicate with clarity, leaders who inspire confidence, and a constitutional order that leaves no room for confusion during moments of national uncertainty.

A nation cannot build its future on unanswered questions forever.

History will judge not only those who governed, but also whether the truth was allowed to guide the nation when it mattered most.

To every Cameroonian, do not let uncertainty steal your hope or fear divide your spirit. Nations pass through difficult seasons, but no season lasts forever. Stay peaceful, stay united, seek the truth with wisdom, and never lose faith in a better Cameroon. Our greatest strength has never been one individual—it has always been courage and resilience of our people. 

Better days will come if we choose hope over despair and national unity over division.

Dr. David Makongo