Ahmadou Ahidjo

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Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo (24 August 1924 – 30 November 1989) was a Cameroonian politician who was the first President of Cameroon, holding the office from 1960 until 1982.

Ahidjo played a major role in Cameroon's independence from France as well as reuniting the French and English-speaking parts of the country.

During Ahidjo's time in office, he established a centralized political system.

Ahidjo established a single-party state under the Cameroon National Union in 1966.

In 1972, Ahidjo abolished the federation in favor of a unitary state.

Ahidjo resigned from the presidency in 1982, and Paul Biya assumed the presidency.

This was an action which was surprising to Cameroonians.

Accused of being behind a coup plot against Biya in 1984, Ahidjo was sentenced to death in absentia, but he died of natural causes.

Early life

Ahidjo was born in Garoua, a major river port along the Benue River in northern Cameroun, which was at the time a French mandate territory. His mother was a Fulani of slave descent, while his father was a Fulani village chief.

Ahidjo's mother raised him as a Muslim and sent him to Quranic kuttab school as a child. In 1932, he began attending local government primary school. After failing his first school certification examination in 1938, Ahidjo worked for a few months in the veterinary service. He returned to school and obtained his school certification a year later. Ahidjo spent the next three years attending secondary school at the Ecole Primaire Supérieur in Yaoundé, the capital of the mandate, studying for a career in the civil service. His classmates are, among others, Félix Sabbal-Lecco, Minister under his government, Abel Moumé Etia, first Cameroonian meteorological engineer and writer, as well as Jean-Faustin Betayéné, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Federal Cameroon. At school, Ahidjo also played soccer and competed as a cyclist.

In 1942, Ahidjo joined the civil service as a radio operator for a postal service. As part of his job, he worked on assignments in several major cities throughout the country, such as Douala, Ngaoundéré, Bertoua, and Mokolo. According to his official biographer, Ahidjo was the first civil servant from northern Cameroun to work in the southern areas of the territory. His experiences throughout the country were, according to Harvey Glickman, professor emeritus of political science at Haverford College and scholar of African politics, responsible for fostering his sense of national identity and provided him the sagacity to handle the problems of governing a multiethnic state.

Post-presidency, later life and death

Ahidjo resigned, ostensibly for health reasons, on 4 November 1982 and was succeeded by Prime Minister Paul Biya two days later. That he stepped down in favor of Biya, a Christian from the south and not a Muslim from the north like himself, was considered surprising. Ahidjo's ultimate intentions were unclear; it is possible that he intended to return to the presidency at a later point when his health improved, and another possibility is that he intended for Maigari Bello Bouba, a fellow Muslim from the north who succeeded Biya as Prime Minister, to be his eventual successor as president, with Biya in effectively a caretaker role. Although the Central Committee of the ruling Cameroon National Union (CNU) urged Ahidjo to remain President, he declined to do so, but he did agree to remain as the President of the CNU. However, he also arranged for Biya to become the CNU Vice-President and handle party affairs in his absence. During the first few months of Biya's administration, there was cooperation between Biya and Ahidjo. In January 1982, Ahidjo dismissed four CNU members who opposed Biya's presidency. Additionally that month, Ahidjo and Biya both went on separate speaking tours to different parts of Cameroon in order to address the public's concerns.

Later that year, however, a major feud developed between Ahidjo and Biya. On 19 July 1983, Ahidjo went into exile in France, and Biya began removing Ahidjo's supporters from positions of power and eliminating symbols of his authority, removing official photographs of Ahidjo from the public as well as removing Ahidjo's name from the anthem of the CNU. On 22 August, Biya announced that a plot allegedly involving Ahidjo had been uncovered. For his part, Ahidjo severely criticized Biya, alleging that Biya was abusing his power, that he lived in fear of plots against him, and that he was a threat to national unity. The two were unable to reconcile despite the efforts of several foreign leaders, and Ahidjo announced on 27 August that he was resigning as head of the CNU. In exile, Ahidjo was sentenced to death in absentia in February 1984, along with two others, for participation in the June 1983 coup plot, although Biya commuted the sentence to life in prison. Ahidjo denied involvement in the plot. A violent but unsuccessful coup attempt in April 1984 was also widely believed to have been orchestrated by Ahidjo.

In his remaining years, Ahidjo divided his time between France and Senegal. He died of a heart attack in Dakar on 30 November 1989 and was buried there. He was officially rehabilitated by a law in December 1991. Biya said on 30 October 2007 that the matter of returning Ahidjo's remains to Cameroon was "a family affair". An agreement on returning Ahidjo's remains was reached in June 2009, and it was expected that they would be returned in 2010. However, as of 2021, Ahidjo remains in Dakar, buried alongside his wife, who died in April of that year.

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Political career

Ahidjo began practicing territorial politics in 1946. Ahidjo was a member of the Assembly of France from 1953 to 1957. Ahidjo served as President of Cameroon's Legislative Assembly from January 28th to May 10, 1957. He became deputy prime minister in de facto head of state André-Marie Mbida's government in the same year. After Mbida resigned in February 1958, Ahidjo became Prime Minister at the age of thirty-four. He was reassuring toward the Church and Muslim aristocracies in the north of the country's north, and he succeeded in capturing the movement of conservative currents concerned about the increasing number of protesters in the 1950s. Ahidjo, Prime Minister, had administrative ambitions to lead Cameroon toward independence, reuniting the country's factions and cooperating with French colonial powers. Ahidjo became involved in negotiations with France in Paris on June 12th, following a National Assembly motion. These talks continued into October, resulting in formal recognition of Cameroonian independence from the government. Cameroon's National Assembly had set the date for the simultaneous demise of French trusteeship and Cameroonian independence on January 1, 1960. Ahidjo recruited northern, Muslim Fulani and Peuhl into the army and an elite guard immediately after Cameroon was decolonized.

Ahidjo's support and collaboration in ensuring continued French influence both politically and politically was met with resistance from radicals who had detested French rule. These radicals were sympathetic to a more radical, procommunist, decolonization drive. Union des Populations du Cameroun, the people's national party, has existed for the first time. In March 1959, Ahidjo addressed the United Nations General Assembly in order to gather support for France's nascent campaign. Influenced by Cold War tensions, the United Nations expressed concern about the UPC as a result of the party's pro-communist stance. Without holding new elections or lifting the ban that France had placed on the UPC, the UN moved to end French trusteeship in Cameroon. Ahidjo's 1960s revolt sparked by the United Computer, but it was defeated by 1970 with the help of a French military force. In order to put an end to the rebellion, Ahidjo proposed and was given four bills to gather power and declare a state of emergency.

Ahidjo's attention, following the liberation of Cameroon, France, reuniting the British-ruled area of Cameroon with its new independent counterpart. Ahidjo and his allies favoured integration and reunification in their UN appearances, but more radical groups such as the UPC prefer immediate reunification. However, both sides were seeking a plebiscite for the reunification of the divided Cameroons. The United Nations General Assembly has voted in favour of integration and reunification. In the northern area of the British Cameroons, the plebiscite prompted a vote to return to Nigeria and the southern area of Cameroon to rejoin Nigeria and the rest of Cameroon. Ahidjo worked with Premier John Foncha of the Anglophone Cameroon throughout the process of integrating the two components of Cameroon. Ahidjo attended a conference in July 1961 where the Cameroons' plans and conditions for merging were established and later adopted by both the National Assemblies of the Francophone and Anglophone Cameroons. Ahidjo and Foncha met in Bamenda to draft a constitution for the united territories. Ahidjo and Foncha decided not to join the French people or the Commonwealth in their meetings. Ahidjo and Foncha discussed any issues between them during the summer of 1961 and then agreed on the final draft for the constitution, which was drawn in Foumban, a city in West Cameroon. Despite the fact that the proposals to establish a federalist state were not made public in Foumban, Ahidjo, and Foncha, there were private discussions before the official Foumban conference. The two Cameroons were merged on October 1st. 1961, the federal Republic of Cameroon was formed by Ahidjo as the president and Foncha as the Vice President.

Foncha and Ahidjo disagreed on the subject of territorial administration. Ahidjo issued a decree in December 1961 that divided the federation into administrative branches of the Federal Inspectors of Administration. Inspectors were sent by Ahidjo and for defending the union, as well as having access to a police force and federal services. Inspectors' privileges resulted in conflict between them and Prime Ministers.

The French ambassador Jean-Pierre Bénard is often thought of as Cameroon's true "president" during the first years of the regime. This freedom is very theoretical, since French "advisers" are actually responsible for assisting each minister and maintaining the truth of power. The Gaullist government has consolidated control over the country by the signing of "cooperation agreements" covering all aspects of Cameroon's sovereignty. Cameroon therefore holds the CFA franc and entrusts its financial policy to its former guardian authority in the financial sector. All tactical assets are being exploited by France, French troops are retained in the country, and a significant number of Cameroonian army officers, including the Chief of Staff, are French.

Ahidjo called for a single-party dictatorship in 1961. Ahidjo signed a decree on March 12, 1962, which condemned criticism of his government's rule, giving the government the ability to jail anyone found guilty of subversion charges or laws. Ahidjo, André-Marie Mbida, Charles Okala, Marcel Bey Bey Eyidi, Marcel Bey Bey Eyidi, and Theodore Mayi Martip were among the opposition party leaders who had served in the government in July 1962, challenging Ahidjo's call for a single-party dictatorship, saying that it was dictatorial. These figures were arrested, investigated, and detained on suspicion of subversion against the government. Several other opposition figures allied with Ahidjo's Party, the Union Camerounaise, were arrested following their detention of these leaders. Ahidjo achieved his dream of establishing a single-party dictatorship on September 1, 1966. The CNU was established, with Ahidjo insisting that it was vital to Cameroon's unity. Membership in the CNU was needed in order to be elected to the National Assembly. Therefore, Ahidjo accepted all nominations for the National Assembly as the party's leader, and the government accepted all of his legislation.

The authorities are expanding the legal rules allowing them to free themselves from the rule of law: random extension of police detention, prohibition of meetings and rallies, submission of books to prior censorship, restriction of freedom of movement by the establishment of passes or curfews, and prohibitions on trade unions from selling subscriptions are among the many other items. Anyone accused of "compromising public safety" is denied a lawyer and will not be able to appeal the decision. Sentences of life imprisonment in the case of hard labour or death penalty are also numerous. In 1966, a one-party government was introduced.

Ahidjo, the Prime Minister of Cameroon, owed to the underdevelopment and inadequately implemented town and public planning programs, as well as federalism for retaining cleavages and issues between the Anglophone and Francophone portions of the Cameroon's federal system. Ahidjo's government also argued that operating separate governments in a poor world was too costly. Ahidjo said on May 6th that if the electorate supported the idea in a referendum scheduled for 20 May 1972, he planned to abolish the federation and install a unitary state. This event was dubbed "The Glorious Revolution of May Twentieth." Ahidjo was reassured of the CNU's participation in this campaign because he had absolute control over the former dictatorship. Presidential Decree No. Ahidjo was released. On June 2, 1972, the United Republic of Cameroon was established and the Federation was abolished, with 72–720. In the same year, Ahidjo's government introduced a new constitution, eliminating the position of Vice President, which served to further centralize power in Cameroon. Ahidjo's reign dominated not only the state and federal but also as the military's commander. However, Ahidjo created the position of Prime Minister in 1975, which was vacant by Paul Biya. Ahidjo started a change in the constitution in 1979, designating the Prime Minister as the Prime Minister's successor. Cameroon's federation consisted of two distinct groups before 1972: the francophone and anglophone. Many anglophones were dissatisfied with the reforms after the federation was abolished.

Ahidjo ordered the building of two new stadiums, the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium, and the Unification Stadium, which was in 1972, when Cameroon hosted the Africa Cup of Nations. In honor of the country being renamed as the United Republic of Cameroon, the Unification Stadium was named.

Cameroon became an oil-producing nation in 1977. The authorities claim to want to make reserves for challenging times, but the funds are held in Paris, Switzerland, and New York accounts). Several billion dollars have been diverted to the benefit of oil companies and regime officials. Cameroon's 9,000 nationals have a significant presence. The African Affairs magazine said in the early 1980s that they "continue to rule virtually every major sector of the economy, much as they did before independence." The French nationals own 55% of the Cameroonian economy's modern sector, and their influence over the banking system is largely intact.

Cameroon became Africa's most stable, although many of his behaviors were dictatorial. He was thought to be more conservative and less charismatic than most post-colonial African leaders, but Cameroon was able to achieve relative prosperity thanks to his policies. Ahidjo's lawyers argued that he was "father of the nation."

Ahidjo's presidential style was influenced by the image of himself as the nation's father. He held many awards, and Ahidjo earned the title of "El Hadj" after he returned to Mecca. Ahidjo used radio to regularly lecture the nation and to announce the regular reassignment of government positions. Ahidjo created a customer-centric network in which he redistributed state funds to protect a diverse Cameroon. The president was in charge of the funds when Cameroon began receiving oil revenues. People were given jobs, licenses, labor, and Ahidjo services in exchange for loyalty.

Music played a role during Ahidjo's presidency in preserving national unity and growth. Musicians wrote songs on the theme of freedom, integration, and Ahidjo, the nation's father. Schools will compete on official holidays by writing patriotic songs in Ahidjo's honor. Politicians' songs were unusual. Musicians like Medzo Me Nsom pleaded with Cameroon residents to vote for Ahidjo in the lands and pols.

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