Biya delivered speech in French on Belinga Eboutou's advice

Two minutes to President Biya’s speech, the director of the civil cabinet at the presidency, Martin Belinga Eboutou had pulled out a block note from his pocket, removed a leaf from it and scribbled something inside it. He then beckoned one of the junior officers of the state protocol.

He thrust the note in his hands and the protocol officer gave it straight to his boss; the chief state protocol officer, Simon Pierre Bikelle. Upon examination of the note, Bikelle then tossed it over to the chief of presidential security, Ivo Yenwo, who was sitting just adjacent him who later returned it to Bikelle.

Bikelle then forwarded it to the president’s personal body guard who was sitting just next to him. The body guard, dressed in official wear then handed a green file which was resting in his hands to Bikelle alongside the note.

Bikelle proceeded to unveil the file, scrutinized its content, alongside Ivo for several minutes. Two clipped papers were lying inside. After some concertation between him and Ivo, Bikelle juxtapositioned the papers; placing the one above to the bottom and the one at the bottom above.

He then closed the file and returned it to the body guard. Just then President Biya was called up to deliver his speech. We watched keenly. His body guard preceded him, carrying the same green file. He then unveiled it and pulled out one of the papers and placed it on the lectern. It was the president’s speech, delivered in French.

Journalists immediately concluded that Biya’s speech had been prepared in two versions, one in English and another in French. It was interpreted that Belinga’s note to Bikelle was authorizing him to ensure that they table the French version for presentation.

They might have agreed to study the atmosphere in the hall before deciding on which language the president should address the delegates. Had it been one of the French language speakers had delivered his speech in French as it was suspected, Biya may have read but the English version.