Cameroon, Gabon: Uneasy bedfellows!.

When Brigadier General Brice Oligui Nguema toppled Ali Bongo Ondimba, he gave one of the reasons for his takeover as being a flawed presidential election. 

Oligui invited all the "living forces of the nation", in addition to diplomats and international organisations, to explain that he had taken power to "avoid a bloodbath," following a rigged election and he intended to put an end to "massive corruption" and “catastrophic governance”, so as to redistribute Gabon’s immense wealth to the poorest.

The 48-year-old soldier also said the 55-year leadership by the "Bongo dynasty" was unconstitutional. 

When he was sworn in as transitional Head of State, he told some 200 business leaders that he will help patriotic businesspeople on the condition that they renounce the “systematic” practices of “over-invoicing”, in exchange for kickbacks to the most senior state officials. 

“I will no longer tolerate this,” General Oligui had threatened.

Some of the political and economic ills that plagued Gabon are also endemic in Cameroon. Many commentators had quickly said the trend that had swept through Mali, Guinea, Chad, Burkina Faso and of recent Gabon, within a twinkle of an eye, was crawling towards Cameroon.

The government, through the Minister of Communication and Government spokesman, Emmanuel Rene Sadi, was quick to order that debates on the possibility of the Cameroon military, with its praised professionalism, borrowing a leaf from their neighbours, should no longer be carried out on the national media, which were being suffocated with the controversial issue.

Before then, Sadi had, in a statement, said the August 30, 2023, coup in Gabon was “anti-constitutional and in violation of the fundamental principles and values of the Economic Community of Central African States and the African Union.”

He was taking the relay of condemnation and call to constitutional order from the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, which had suspended Gabon, following the overthrow of President Ali Bongo Ondimba, which sent chills down the spines of some countries to reshuffle their military, sending some on retirement.

The new strongman of Gabon did not budge, earning support from other military leaders like his peer in Burkina Faso, who qualified sit-tight leaders as also guilty of democratic coups.

Within the CEMAC zone General Brice Nguema, before his visit to Yaounde yesterday, had audiences with Presidents Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo Brazaville and Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo of Equatorial Guinea, who is the longest serving ‘elected’ leader in the world.

In Yaounde, The Guardian Post aptly classified the visit as “accouchement difficile," [“difficult birth”]. The trip was just for two short hours, and he hurried back to Libreville.

It is not exactly clear what both men had in common with the 48-year-old soldier turned-politician, discussing with a 91-year-old grandfather, who has been in power for 40 years.

But judging from a post at the Unity Palace website, “Cameroon has aligned itself with the positions of international and Sub-regional bodies, in particular those of the Conference of Heads of State and of Government of the CEEAC, within the framework of the Peace and Security Council of Central Africa (COPAX).

It was the body that appointed the President of the Central African Republic, Faustin-Archange Touadéra, also current President of the CEMAC, as Facilitator of the political process in Gabon. 

Cameroon is prepared to support Gabon, a brotherly and friendly country, in the reconstitution of a State, respectful of democratic rules.

That democratic rule has been one of the triggers of the coups in Africa. Youthful soldiers are opposed to the revision of constitutions to go above two terms. They are also against presidential elections that are crafted to give incumbents victory, even before the vote.

We are sure that while President Biya, with decades of experience, was advising Oligui on the need to ensure "constitutional authority" is returned without delay, he too would have also insisted on democratisation principles, separation of power and smearing democracy with father-to-son succession, as observed in some African countries.

There are reports in credible media that President Biya was hesitant to receive the Gabonese military ruler. But since his regime is known to respect the internal affairs of other countries, he had no choice than to receive an ‘unliked’ bedfellow.

Yes, it was a brief visit. Yes, there was really nothing very common between the men other than being Heads of State.

But since nobody knows everything, and everybody knows something, we are sure both men learnt from each other. And that lesson should be the promotion of human rights and democracy in the Sub-region with free, fair, transparent and credible elections with the participation of young people from 18 years old.