Paul Biya at 92: The Immortal President Who Outlived History

by All About Cameroon Today

Paul Biya of Cameroon

Paul Biya at 92: The Immortal President Who Outlived History

Cameroon has once again made history — though not the kind that brings celebration. On November 6, 2025, Paul Biya, born in 1933, was sworn in for his 8th presidential term at the age of 92. The date is symbolic — the same day he first took the oath of office in 1982, forty-three years ago. From then till now, Biya has not just ruled Cameroon — he has become an institution, a man who has seen the world rise, fall, and reinvent itself while he remained unchanged at the helm of power.

Born before the Second World War, Biya witnessed the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the rise and fall of the Soviet Union, the birth of the European Union, and the arrival of the internet age — all from the comfort of Cameroon’s presidency. He survived a coup attempt in 1984, reshaped the country’s political landscape to his favor, and built a regime so fortified that even time itself seems unable to unseat him.

Today’s swearing-in, however, is shadowed by turmoil and disbelief. The October 12 presidential election was among the most contested in the nation’s history. Opposition leader Issa Tchiroma Bakary claimed victory based on raw polling data, while the Constitutional Council — appointed by Biya himself — declared the incumbent winner. What followed was a wave of protests, strikes, arrests, and bloodshed** that have shaken Cameroon’s fragile unity.

From November 3 to 5, Tchiroma called for a nationwide lockdown, which was largely respected across the country. Streets stood silent, markets closed, and the economy paused — a symbolic defiance of Biya’s rule. Rumors now swirl that Tchiroma himself may be sworn in “by the people”, setting the stage for a political showdown unseen in Cameroon’s modern history. If that happens, Cameroon could find itself with two presidents — or even three, given that the breakaway Anglophone regions have long declared independence under the banner of Ambazonia.

Inside the capital Yaoundé, security is at its highest in decades. Soldiers line the streets, drones hover overhead, and the air is thick with both tension and fatigue. Many Cameroonians whisper that the nation stands on the edge of an unpredictable future — one that could redefine its destiny forever.

Yet, for Paul Biya, the ceremony today is more than a renewal of power. It is a statement to the world: that he, the man who has seen it all, is still here — older than most of his citizens, stronger than his challengers, and seemingly untouchable by time itself.

As the world watches, one question remains on every lip:
How much longer can a nation live in the shadow of one man?

The coming days will tell. For now, Cameroon waits — anxious, divided, and uncertain — under the unblinking gaze of the world’s oldest president.