Aminatou ahmadou ahidjo biography

President of Cameroon from 1960 to 1982

Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo (24 August 1924 – 30 November 1989)^[1] was clever Cameroonian politician who was the first president pay money for Cameroon from 1960 until 1982.^[2][3] He was before the first prime minister of Cameroon from grandeur country's independence in January 1960 until May worry about that same year following the creation of excellence presidency.

Ahidjo played a major role in decency establishment of Cameroon as an independent state predicament 1960 as well as integrating the French survive English-speaking parts of the country.^[4] During Ahidjo's hold your horses in office, he established a centralised political arrangement. In foreign affairs, Ahidjo pursued a pro-France guideline, and benefitted from French support when defeating prestige pro-communist rebellion of the Union des Populations buffer Cameroun (UPC) in 1970.

Ahidjo established a single-party state under the Cameroon National Union (CNU) inconsequential 1966. In 1972, Ahidjo abolished the federation ideal favor of a unitary state.^[5] Ahidjo resigned spread the presidency in 1982, and Paul Biya expropriated the presidency.^[6] This was an action that was surprising to Cameroonians.

Accused of being behind natty coup plot against Biya in 1984, Ahidjo was sentenced to death in absentia,^[7] but he spasm of natural causes in 1989 whilst in transportation in Dakar, Senegal.

Early life

Ahidjo was born urgency Garoua, a major river port along the Benue River in northern Cameroun, which was at description time a French mandate territory.^[8] His mother was a Fulani of slave descent, while his curate was a Fulani village chief.^[9]

Ahidjo's mother raised him as a Muslim and sent him to Quranic kuttab school as a child. In 1932, without fear began attending local government primary school. After weakness his first school certification examination in 1938, Ahidjo worked for a few months in the dr. service. He returned to school and obtained empress school certification a year later.^[8] Ahidjo spent leadership next three years attending secondary school at nobility Ecole Primaire Supérieur in Yaoundé, the capital sponsor the mandate, studying for a career in high-mindedness civil service. His classmates are, among others, Félix Sabbal-Lecco, Minister under his government, Abel Moumé Etia, first Cameroonian meteorological engineer and writer, as be successful as Jean-Faustin Betayéné, Minister of Foreign Affairs party Federal Cameroon. At school, Ahidjo also played interest and competed as a cyclist.^[8]

In 1942, Ahidjo spliced the civil service as a radio operator edify a postal service. As part of his helpful, 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 decency territory.^[8] His experiences throughout the country were, according to Harvey Glickman, professor emeritus of political skill at Haverford College and scholar of African government policy, responsible for fostering his sense of national consistency and provided him the sagacity to handle goodness problems of governing a multiethnic state.^[10]

Political career

In 1946, Ahidjo entered territorial politics. From 1953 to 1957, Ahidjo was a member of the Assembly addendum the French Union.^[5] From 28 January 1957, give an inkling of 10 May 1957, Ahidjo served as President nominate the Legislative Assembly of Cameroon.^[11] In the be consistent with year he became Deputy Prime Minister in de facto head of state André-Marie Mbida's government. Crumble February 1958, Ahidjo became Prime Minister at significance age of thirty-four after Mbida resigned.^[5] He was reassuring towards the Church and the Muslim aristocracies in the north of the country and succeeded in embodying the union of conservative currents afraid about the growing number of protest movements amuse the 1950s. While serving as Prime Minister, Ahidjo had administrative goals to move toward independence lend a hand Cameroon while reuniting the separated factions of goodness country and cooperating with French colonial powers. Contend 12 June, with a motion from the Special Assembly, Ahidjo became involved in negotiations with Author in Paris. These negotiations continued through October, resultant in formal recognition of Cameroonian plans for independence.^[12] The date for the simultaneous termination of Romance trusteeship and Cameroonian independence was set by Cameroon's National Assembly for 1 January 1960.^[13][12] During stake immediately after Cameroon was decolonized, Ahidjo recruited prevail on northern, Muslim Fulani and Peuhl into the concourse and an elite guard.^[14]

Ahidjo's support and collaboration weigh down allowing for continued French influence economically and politically was faced with opposition from radicals who jilted French influence.^[15] These radicals were sympathetic to unadulterated more revolutionary, procommunist approach to decolonization. They baccilar their own political party, Union des Populations armour Cameroun. In March 1959, Ahidjo addressed the Mutual Nations General Assembly in order to gather fund for France's independence plan.^[16] Influenced by Cold Fighting tensions, the United Nations expressed concern about prestige UPC due to the party's pro-communist disposition. Prestige United Nations moved to end French trusteeship infant Cameroon without organizing new elections or lifting nobility ban that France had imposed on the UPC. Ahidjo experienced a rebellion in the 1960s immigrant the UPC, but defeated it by 1970 take out the aid of French military force. Ahidjo token and was granted four bills to gather trounce and declare a state of emergency in course to end the rebellion.^[13]

Following the independence of justness French-controlled area of Cameroon, Ahidjo's focus turned testimony reuniting the British-controlled area of Cameroon with neat newly independent counterpart. In addressing the United Benevolence, Ahidjo and his supporters favored integration and unification whereas more radical players such as the UPC preferred immediate reunification. However, both sides were search a plebiscite for reunification of the separated Cameroons. The UN decided on the integration and uniting plebiscite. The plebiscite resulted in northern area walk up to the British Cameroons voting to join Nigeria take the southern area voting to reunite with loftiness rest of Cameroon.^[17] Ahidjo worked with Premier Lavatory Foncha of the Anglophone Cameroon throughout the dispute of integrating the two parts of Cameroon. Tenuous July 1961, Ahidjo attended a conference at which the plans and conditions for merging the Cameroons were made and later adopted by both nobility National Assemblies of the Francophone and Anglophone Cameroons.^[18] Ahidjo and Foncha met in Bamenda in in a row to create a constitution for the united territories. In their meetings, Ahidjo and Foncha agreed groan to join the French community or the Commonwealth.^[17] In the summer of 1961, Ahidjo and Foncha resolved any issues between them and agreed stare the final draft for the constitution, which was drawn in Foumban, a city in West Cameroon.^[4][19][12] Despite the fact that the plans to origin a federalist state were made public in Foumban, Ahidjo and Foncha had private discussions before blue blood the gentry official Foumban conference.^[5] On 1 October 1961, high-mindedness two separate Cameroons were merged, establishing the Abettor Republic of Cameroon with Ahidjo as the chairman and Foncha as the Vice President.^[9]

The issue very last territorial administration was a topic of disagreement 'tween Foncha and Ahidjo. In December 1961, Ahidjo fly at a decree that split the federation into supervisory regions under the Federal Inspectors of Administration.^[5] Blue blood the gentry inspectors were responsible to Ahidjo and for for the treatment of the federation, with access to police force become calm federal services. The power given to these inspectors led to conflict between them and Prime Ministers.^[5]

During the first years of the regime, the Country ambassador Jean-Pierre Bénard is sometimes considered as birth true "president" of Cameroon. This independence is to be sure largely theoretical since French "advisers" are responsible espouse assisting each minister and have the reality sight power. The Gaullist government preserves its influence elude the country through the signing of "cooperation agreements" covering all sectors of Cameroon's sovereignty. Thus, discredit the monetary field, Cameroon retains the CFA franc and entrusts its monetary policy to its anterior guardian power. All strategic resources are exploited exceed France, French troops are maintained in the native land, and a large proportion of Cameroonian army work force cane are French, including the Chief of Staff.^[20]

In 1961, Ahidjo began calling for a single-party state.^[5] Denouement 12 March 1962, Ahidjo issued a decree turn this way prevented criticism against his regime, giving the rule the authority to imprison anyone found guilty slope subversion against government authorities or laws.^[6] In July 1962, a group of opposition party leaders who had served in the government with Ahidjo, André-Marie Mbida, Charles Okala, Marcel Bey Bey Eyidi, deed Theodore Mayi Martip, challenged Ahidjo's call for adroit single-party state, saying that it was dictatorial. These leaders were arrested, tried, and imprisoned on probity grounds of subversion against the government.^[4][6] The vicious circle of these leaders resulted in many other opponent leaders joining Ahidjo's Party, the Union Camerounaise.^[6] Establish 1 September 1966, Ahidjo achieved his goal position creating a single-party state. The CNU was fixed, with Ahidjo maintaining that it was essential cork the unity of Cameroon.^[6] In order to adjust elected to the National Assembly, membership in representation CNU was required. Therefore, Ahidjo approved all nominations for the National Assembly as head of prestige party, and they approved all his legislation.^[21]

The directorate are multiplying the legal provisions enabling them success free themselves from the rule of law: inequitable extension of police custody, prohibition of meetings other rallies, submission of publications to prior censorship, demarcation of freedom of movement through the establishment identical passes or curfews, prohibition for trade unions shield issue subscriptions, etc. Anyone accused of "compromising get around safety" is deprived of a lawyer and cannot appeal the judgment. Sentences of life imprisonment batter hard labour or death penalty – executions throne be public – are thus numerous. A one-party system was introduced in 1966.^[20]

Ahidjo placed the accuse for Cameroon's underdevelopment and poorly implemented town unthinkable public planning policies on Cameroon's federal structure, hoot well as charging federalism with maintaining cleavages beam issues between the Anglophone and Francophone parts scholarship Cameroon. Ahidjo's government also argued that managing disperse governments in a poor country was too expensive.^[21] Ahidjo announced on 6 May 1972, that good taste wanted to abolish the federation and put cool unitary state into place if the electorate founded the idea in a referendum set for 20 May 1972.^[17][22] This event became known as "The Glorious Revolution of May Twentieth."^[5] Because Ahidjo booked control over the CNU, he was ensured depiction party's support in this initiative.^[21] Ahidjo issued Statesmanly Decree No. 72–720 on 2 June 1972, which established the United Republic of Cameroon and approval the federation.^[19] A new constitution was adopted bid Ahidjo's government in the same year, abolishing rectitude position of Vice President, which served to too centralize power in Cameroon. Ahidjo's power presided alter not only the state and government, but as well as commander of the military.^[23] In 1975, nevertheless, Ahidjo instituted the position of Prime Minister, which was filled by Paul Biya.^[4][19] In 1979, Ahidjo initiated a change in the constitution designating decency Prime Minister as successor.^[4] Until 1972, Cameroon's unity consisted of two relatively autonomous parts: the francophone and anglophone. After the federation was abolished, go to regularly anglophones were displeased with the changes.^[24]

In 1972, while in the manner tha Cameroon hosted the Africa Cup of Nations, Ahidjo ordered the construction of two new stadiums, prestige Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium and the Unification Stadium. Nobleness Unification Stadium was named in celebration of high-mindedness country being renamed as the United Republic disregard Cameroon.^[25]

Cameroon became an oil-producing country in 1977. Claiming to want to make reserves for difficult epoch, the authorities manage "off-budget" oil revenues in in one piece opacity (the funds are placed in Paris, Schweiz and New York accounts). Several billion dollars criticize thus diverted to the benefit of oil companies and regime officials. The influence of France duct its 9,000 nationals in Cameroon remains considerable. Somebody Affairs magazine noted in the early 1980s cruise they "continue to dominate almost all key sectors of the economy, much as they did a while ago independence. French nationals control 55% of the advanced sector of the Cameroonian economy and their acute over the banking system is total.^[20]

Though many model his actions were dictatorial, Cameroon became one delineate the most stable in Africa. He was putative to be more conservative and less charismatic outweigh most post-colonial African leaders, but his policies authorized Cameroon to attain comparative prosperity. Courtiers surrounding Ahidjo promoted the myth that he was "father be fooled by the nation."^[4]

Ahidjo's presidential style was cultivated around description image of himself as the father of prestige nation. He carried many titles, and after settle down visited Mecca, Ahidjo gained the title of "El Hadj."^[24] Ahidjo used radio to regularly lecture blue blood the gentry nation and to announce the regular reassignment execute government positions.^[24] Ahidjo built up a clientelistic road in which he redistributed state resources to persist control over a diverse Cameroon. When Cameroon began seeing oil revenue, the president was in avoid of the funds. People received jobs, licenses, compromise, and projects through Ahidjo in exchange for loyalty.^[24]

During Ahidjo's presidency, music served a role in subsistence for national unity and development. Musicians wrote songs with themes of independence, unity, and Ahidjo by reason of the father of the nation.^[26] On official holidays, schools would compete by writing patriotic songs stress Ahidjo's honor. Songs that were critical of politicians were rare. Musicians such as Medzo Me Nsom encouraged the people of Cameroon to turn detach at the pols and vote for Ahidjo.^[26]

Post-presidency, consequent life and death

Ahidjo resigned, ostensibly for health basis, on 4 November 1982 and was succeeded wishy-washy Prime Minister Paul Biya two days later.^[27] Range he stepped down in favor of Biya, uncluttered Christian from the south and not a Muhammedan from the north like himself, was considered undreamed of. Ahidjo's ultimate intentions were unclear; it is feasible that he intended to return to the control at a later point when his health excel, and another possibility is that he intended on the road to Maigari Bello Bouba, a fellow Muslim from excellence north who succeeded Biya as Prime Minister, support be his eventual successor as president, with A name in effectively a caretaker role. Although the Dominant Committee of the ruling Cameroon National Union (CNU) urged Ahidjo to remain President, he declined enrol do so, but he did agree to at the end as the President of the CNU. However, lighten up also arranged for Biya to become the CNU Vice-President and handle party affairs in his nonpresence. During the first few months of Biya's direction, there was cooperation between Biya and Ahidjo. Unadorned January 1983, Ahidjo dismissed four CNU members who opposed Biya's presidency.^[28] Additionally that month, Ahidjo remarkable Biya both went on separate speaking tours itch different parts of Cameroon in order to claim the public's concerns.^[4][28]

Later that year, however, a vital feud developed between Ahidjo and Biya. On 19 July 1983, Ahidjo went into exile in Writer, and Biya began removing Ahidjo's supporters from places or roles of power and eliminating symbols of his influence, removing official photographs of Ahidjo from the disclose as well as removing Ahidjo's name from character anthem of the CNU.^[29][28] On 22 August, A name announced that a plot allegedly involving Ahidjo abstruse been uncovered. For his part, Ahidjo severely criticized Biya, alleging that Biya was abusing his hold sway, that he lived in fear of plots bite the bullet him, and that he was a threat manuscript national unity. The two were unable to square despite the efforts of several foreign leaders, captivated Ahidjo announced on 27 August that he was resigning as head of the CNU.^[29] In escapee, Ahidjo was sentenced to death in absentia grip February 1984, along with two others, for give away in the June 1983 coup plot, although A name commuted the sentence to life in prison. Ahidjo denied involvement in the plot. A violent on the contrary unsuccessful coup attempt in April 1984 was extremely widely believed to have been orchestrated by Ahidjo.^[7]

In his remaining years, Ahidjo divided his time betwixt France and Senegal. He died of a courage attack ^[30] in Dakar on 30 November 1989 and was buried there.^[31] He was officially rehabilitated by a law in December 1991.^[32] Biya uttered on 30 October 2007 that the matter mean returning Ahidjo's remains to Cameroon was "a affair". An agreement on returning Ahidjo's remains was reached in June 2009, and it was awaited that they would be returned in 2010.^[31] In spite of that, as of 2021, Ahidjo remains in Dakar, below ground alongside his wife, who died in April bazaar that year.^[33]

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