Pascal Charlemagne Messanga Nyamnding, member of the Central Committee of the ruling CPDM, has said, Minister of Communication, Issa Tchiroma who until his ministerial appointment was one of Biya’s angriest critic is now the biggest fan of the President.
“I am no longer the greatest ‘Biyaiste’; Tchiroma sitting over there has taken over the title. I brought these ‘opposants’ here to let people see that the opposition is now wise and lives with us.” Messanga made the remarks yesterday while launching his new book at the Yaounde Hilton Hotel.
The book titled PAUL BIYA, L’ETAT ET LE RDPC (Paul Biya, the State and the CPDM), was reviewed on the occasion by five university professors, including, Eric Mathias Owona Nguini, Sindjoum Pokam and Jean Koufane. Messanga referring to them, said they were once his famous adversaries. He said he added two other professors, Dolisane Ebosse and Vincent Ntunde Ebode, bonafide members of the CPDM to dilute criticism from the other professors.
“Everywhere, people now give more room for people of the opposition to talk. They make a lot of noise and end up getting the appointments we are looking for,” Nyamnding stated, adding that he has included names of opposition leaders who are now members of government, such as the Environment Minister, Helle Pierre, Tourism Minister, Bello Bouba, the Sports Minister, Adoum Garoua, and Benjamin Abama among others.
“When I go to the presidency, it is the presidents’ adversaries who tell me what the president has said or what the president wants to tell me. The General Secretariat of the presidency is full of veiled opposition. When I met President Biya recently, I told him everything,” he noted.
Pascal Messanga Nyamnding’s new book Messanga, a lecturer at the International Relations Institute of Cameroon, IRIC, said that Tchiroma has out maneuver him in the showering of praises on the president, so much so that he even contradict his (Biya’s) adversaries.
Reacting to a scornful look from Tchiroma who was in the room while Messanga made the remarks, CRTV radio’s Editor-In-Chief, Francoise Marc Monjom retorted, “please do not look at me like that Mr. Minister, it is Professor Nyamnding who appointed you Biya’s biggest fan.”
In the book, Messanga presents Biya as a visionary and a Mason. However, political scientist and lecturer at the University of Yaounde I, Eric Owona Nguini quoting from it, argued that the author’s writings are based on his convictions and not realities. He said the book is void of political science ethic of responsibility and simply illustrates Nayamnding’s passion for Biya.
“This is simply a political essay. The author politicizes a narration of historical facts. When the author says that transformation of the CNU into CPDM made the party a machinery for power and governance, it is more of politicking than politics.” Owona said.
He was also critical that Messanga presents Biya in the book as a champion but stigmatizes members of the party.
“This piece of work is not political science, it is politics. The author tries to establish the relationship between the ‘party and the state’ whereas in a multiparty system, one should talk about a relationship between parties and the state.
This is a case where a layman would say; ‘don’t bring in politics in this business.” Owona stated; adding that he would not want to go into psychoanalysis, but maintained that the author was simply demonstrating how much of a loyalist he is to Biya.
Professor Fokam, said the author gives the impression that Cameroonians have been swimming in abundant peace and stability since Biya made his way to power; that Biya is the engineer of the concept of rigour and moralization, though corruption has grown immensely under him.
“Biya was simply copying from former President Ahmadou Ahidjo. The deceased president introduced rigour and moralization and was bent on ensuring its survival.” Fokam noted.
He equally observed that the author quoted people who praised Biya and left out those who contradict him. He cited the case of a philosopher who stated at the celebration of the 24th anniversary of the CPDM that Biya was sent by God with special powers to maintain peace in Cameroon. He was later criticized by another philosopher, and theologist, Fabian Epossi.
Messanga also states in his book that after his encounter with President Biya, he has seen the head of state take certain decisions which he considers proofs that he listens to citizens. But Fokam questioned whether President Biya, would equally heed the author’s call to reshuffle the Central Committee of the CPDM to bring in young blood.
Pascal Charlemagne Messanga Nyamnding Another professor, Jean Koufane, former SDF member who currently belongs to a party of the opposition, said, he hesitated to honour the invitation when he was invited.
“You see, I have been presented as a former member of the SDF. He harped on the politicization of the political history of Cameroon by the author.
Professors Ebode and Ebose reechoed portions of the book that portray Biya as a strongman. They noted how he came to power following constitutional provisions, faced challenges from coup plotters, riots, ghost towns and is now handling the Boko Haram war tactfully.
They, however, avoided contradicting earlier speakers like Professor Fokam who said, Biya changed the constitution to neutralize constitutional opposition to his long-standing rule.
Nyamnding has dedicated the book to deceased members of the party, including Francoise Foning, Charles Ateba Eyene, and Pius Otto who like him, were noted for criticizing every member of the CPDM except the party’s national chairman, Biya. He equally highlighted that school of thought in the book.
Following all the critique he admitted that his book is a collection of Biya’s successes in the management of the state and the CPDM. He stressed that the main challenge is for the party to survive after the president is gone.
Messanga, of all the praise singing he writes in the book, however, decries the poor management of the general secretariat of the CPDM and wonders why the party is still renting an office building for its headquarters, after over 30 years of existence.
President Biya wrote the Foreword to the book and was equally represented at the book launch.
