Opinions of Friday, 28 November 2014

Auteur: Le Messager

Will the family of Ahidjo and Biya clash in Dakar?

The widow of the former president, who continues to request the return of the remains of her husband is expecting Paul Biya this Sunday in Dakar November 30, 2014, Senegal will host the 15th Summit of the international organization of la Francophonie (Oif).

By statute, all heads of State members of this grouping invited. The french president, François Holland, whose mere presence ensure the arrival in Dakar of all his African counterparts, even those who are less inclined towards the international meetings, like president Biya of Cameroon.

Coincidentally, 30th November 2014, marks the 25th anniversary of the death of the former — the first - Cameroonian president Ahmadou Ahidjo, who died in Dakar and buried in this town because of the refusal of Yaoundé for the remains of the former President to return for fear of the excitement that this return could cause, at the height of the social challenges the country was facing.

On Sunday, while Cameroonian officials, with their head, Paul Biya, certainly, will celebrate the appointment of a new Secretary general of the Oif with pomp, the family and friends of his predecessor, came to Senegal to bow to his grave a few kilometres from the salle des actes of the Summit.

Two tables which describe a painful fresco of the transition and enhanced by a dispute over the return of the remains of the first president of Cameroon. "Ahidjo should return home with the honors due to his rank," said sententious, his widow who is expected Paul Biya in Dakar Sunday.