When Robert Kiyosaki said that people’s lives are forever controlled by fear or greed, he may not have had Cameroon in mind. Yet, his words resonate profoundly in the story of a nation that has been under the leadership of one man for more than four decades.
In 1982, when Paul Biya assumed the presidency at the age of 49, Cameroonians celebrated with joy and optimism. They saw in him a young, vibrant, and handsome leader who symbolized hope for progress. For many, he represented the dawn of a new era. Forty-three years later, that optimism has dimmed into a complex reality where some still hold on to him as though Cameroon were a monarchy, while others cry out for new leadership capable of meeting the nation’s evolving aspirations.
At 93, President Biya has become one of the oldest leaders in the world. The question many avoid asking is simple yet profound: Can a man of such advanced age truly bear the weight of a modern nation’s challenges? This is not about hate, nor is it about political division. It is about love, love for Cameroon and love for the man who has given so much of his life to serve it. Every human being deserves rest, and President Biya is no exception.
Cameroonians today yearn for a leader who is present in both body and spirit, one who can travel to the English-speaking regions and sit face-to-face with the people, listening to their cries and their hopes. For over eight years, these regions have known the bitterness of conflict, displacement, and uncertainty. Healing cannot be outsourced; it requires a leader who feels the pain of his people, gathers their voices, and transforms them into action through genuine dialogue.
The nation also needs a leader who can crisscross the regions, inspecting the state of roads, energy projects, hospitals, and schools, not through reports, but by physically standing with citizens and demanding timelines for completion. Development is not abstract; it is felt when a farmer can transport produce without losing half of it on impassable roads, when a student studies under electricity that does not blink out mid-revision, when businesses thrive because infrastructure supports growth.
At 93, President Biya should not be expected to carry such a burden anymore. It is not an insult to admit this, it is simply acknowledging nature’s truth. The ruling party’s consistent insistence that he can continue running the country raises a serious question: Is this insistence driven by fear, by greed, or by genuine love for Cameroon?
Fear keeps some believing that change will bring chaos. Greed pushes others to cling to power and privilege. But love, true love for nation and leader, calls for a peaceful and dignified transition. After Biya, Cameroon will not end. The nation will continue with new leadership, just as it has before him. The real test of statesmanship is not how long one remains in power, but the legacy one leaves behind.
It is time for reflection. Time to imagine a Cameroon where leadership is not measured by longevity, but by presence, compassion, and results. President Biya has written his chapter in Cameroon’s history, a long one, with both achievements and shortcomings. Perhaps the most beautiful way to conclude it is not with another election, but with the wisdom to pass the baton while there is still time to watch the nation run forward.
In the end, Kiyosaki’s words ring true: people are controlled by fear or greed. But Cameroon must rise above both, guided instead by courage and love.