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By Hippolyte Ikome
Cameroonian author Calixthe Beyala has launched a forceful public appeal to President Paul Biya, urging him to acknowledge what she describes as the “resounding and flawless victory” of the opposition, embodied by His Excellency Issa Tchiroma. In a text posted on her Facebook page, Beyala argues that the long-serving head of state is now “internationally isolated” and should recognize that “there is a time for everything.”
According to the novelist, Paul Biya — who has governed Cameroon for 43 years — owes it to the people who “gave him an exceptional life” to step down gracefully instead of responding with repression. She denounces widespread arbitrary arrests across the country and deplores the “horrific conditions” in which young Cameroonians are being detained for demanding political change.
Beyala also calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners, insisting that their only “fault” was to advocate for the well-being of all Cameroonians. She accuses the regime of using intimidation and violence, citing in particular the death of political figure Anicet Ekane, which she describes as an “assassination” intended to discourage demands for democratic transformation.
Despite these pressures, Beyala insists that the youth and opposition activists will not relinquish their dream of building a prosperous, equal and peaceful Cameroon. She reaffirms that “assassinating our idols” will not undermine the determination to create a nation free from war and rooted in justice and harmony.
“Mr. Paul Biya, we will not let you destroy what is left of our beautiful country,” she concludes in her message, which is already circulating widely on social media. Calixthe Beyala is one of Cameroon’s most widely recognized writers. Her political interventions often spark national debate. Paul Biya, in power since 1982, is one of the world’s longest-serving presidents. Recent tensions have intensified following the death in detention of opposition figure Anicet Ekane and a wave of arrests surrounding the 2025 presidential process.
