Paul Biya Biography

Paul Biya, often dubbed as Cameroon’s ‘lion man’, is the President of Cameroon since 1982. He is one of the longest-serving leaders in the African continent. The octogenarian has been ruling the West African nation, after his predecessor, Ahmadou Ahidjo, announced his surprise resignation. Even though he was motivated by the Catholic missionaries of his village to become a priest as a child, he chose to educate himself in Paris and return back to join the civil services. Through his perseverance, dedication and hard work, he rose to various ranks and senior positions, eventually becoming the Prime Minister of Cameroon. Thereafter, he became the President but after assuming power as the President, he changed the prevailing methods of governing the nation and administered authoritarian rule. Despite enjoying a decent trade with other nations, he has failed to improve the economic condition of Cameroon, mainly due to his inability to exercise the right power, proper management, and peaceful political change. Today, he is counted among the world’s top 20 worst dictators, along with the head of states of other sub-Saharan African nations, namely, Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea, and Swaziland, by American populist historian David Wallechinsky.