Documentary on life, works of Biya projected in Douala.

More than 3,000 persons among which were government ministers, regional authorities among other dignitaries watched the documentary which was screened at the Besseke ceremonial ground on Saturday August 3.

The projection of the documentary, an initiative of bigwigs of the ruling CPDM party in the Littoral, was chaired by the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso. 

The film titled: “Paul Biya: A great stateman with extraordinary Destiny”, is a production by Cathy Meba and Solange Edimo. 

It is essentially devoted to highlight the Man of “New Deal Regime” since his accession to the supreme magistracy, on November 6, 1982.

The co-producers said, they were motivated by an embodiment of all the facts that people may have gone oblivious of the great victories of the Head of State.

Viewers watch with rapt attention, swayed with emotional experience, transposing them to a universe where imagination become life.

The documentary traces Biya life from the time he was a teenage boy to when he left for further studies in France and then becoming a Statesman, with his appointment as Secretary General at the Presidency of the Republic under President Ahmadou Ahidjo whom he later succeeded. 

In the documentary, President Biya’s love for peace is shown as he introduced political reforms within the context of a one-party system, with multiparty politics coming to light in the 1990s.

Among qualities which have earned President Biya respect internally are, the decision to petition the International Court of Justice over the Bakassi Peninsula affair, seeking peace over war; his diplomatic savvy, leveraging the politics of football to consolidate solidarity, social cohesion amongst Cameroonians.

President Biya has on several occasions maintained that Cameroon intends to remain the master of its destiny. 

Douala City Mayor, Dr Roger Mbassa Ndine, who spoke during the projection of the documentary described Biya as someone who has not stopped fulfilling his duties to the State of Cameroon throughout his life 

Dr Mbassa Ndine stated that Douala has always had a special place in his heart of the President of the Republic.

“Today, we are happy to receive the national caravan of the life of the President of our country, Cameroon...,” he said. 

He said since 1982, President Biya has managed the destiny of Central African nation with rigour, engagement, tenacity while mounting stone on stone to make sure Cameroon is what it is today. 

With his vision of the “New Deal”, the city mayor opined that Biya has played politics, from great ambition to great realisation.

On his part, the Minister of State, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, Laurent Esso, in his remarks said he was marveled at the man Biya.

“He is one who listen attentively and knows what the response will be but allows you to express yourself and then tells you how better you should have placed your words. He treats people with courtesy, he knows everything, a wise man who sleep with just an eye,” he said.

He went on to add: “His confidence will sometimes leave you speechless, he is very intelligent, cultured, patient, very discreet c. Cameroon has the luck to have a great stateman, a man of peace to whom we owe the stability that other countries wish...”.

Government officials have testified to the fact that, promotion of youth and women development has been the mainstay of president Biya’s policies. 

“He incarnates institutions; without him, we would have gone into the abyss, we should pledge loyalty through our engagements,” Bilingualism Commission Chair, Peter Mafany Musonge said. 

The population of the Littoral Region, it was said, have reiterated their unflinching support to His Excellency President Paul Biya through the testimony of their illustrious son, Minister of Justice, Laurent Esso. 

This story was first Published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3192 of Wednesday August 07, 2024