Although State Protocol gave no details of the President's work agenda in the East Region, many ordinary people - and even informed elite - had conjectured about his departure date. First error: Many thought he would fly out of Lom Pangar to Yaounde. But he instead flew to Bertoua. Second error: Some thought he was to fly out of Bertoua on Friday afternoon. He spent the night!

He spent most of Saturday morning receiving delegations representing the political, traditional and religious elite of the Region. The rounds began at 10 am with a delegation of 11 traditional chiefs led by the Paramount Chief of the Maka, Mboanz Jean Claude Balla. Shortly after, some eight MPs - all of the CPDM board - took their turn with the Vice Speaker of the House, Kombo Gberi at the head.

Then came a delegation of political leaders led by CPDM Central Committee and Political Bureau member, Janvier Mongui Sossomba. The Archbishop of Bertoua, Mgr Joseph Atanga and the Bishop of Doume-Abong-Mbang, Mgr Jean Ozga preceded Mohamadou Bachirou Oumaro, Grand Imam of Bertoua at the head of a delegation of Muslim leaders at the two audiences with religions leaders.

To crown the rounds, the Head of State had a brief exchange with the Governor of the Region, Samuel Dieudonné Ivaha Diboua and the four Senior Divisional Officers of the Region: Peter Mbu (Lom/Djerem), Gabriel Eloi Essoa (Boumba/Ngoko), Sadu Boki (Kadey) and Jean François Villon (Upper Nyong).

Representatives of the various delegations told the press they had come to thank the President for his visit and the fallouts expected from the Lom Pangar project. They said the President had given a keen ear to all the issues they raised with him.

Shortly after the audiences, the President of the Republic headed for the airport .Along the six kilometres-odd stretch, enthusiastic crowd lined up in the same manner as at the arrival. By 2.30pm,the president's helicopter was already air-borne for Yaounde.