Filmmaker warns of impending crisis in Cameroon

In a striking recent op-ed, Jean-Pierre Bekolo argues that Cameroon is already sliding into a permanent state of unrest that could escalate dramatically without President Paul Biya at the helm. The nation is trapped in a cycle of unrelenting contestation unfolding across media platforms, social networks, and behind-the-scenes power struggles.

Bekolo paints a bleak portrait of a country where authority figures—despite occupying high-ranking positions—command neither respect nor trust from the public. Every day brings fresh evidence of institutional decay and the erosion of state credibility.

Erosion of authority and growing distrust

The Cameroonian public is increasingly questioning the role of presidential entourages in managing national wealth, state-owned enterprises, and public resources. Whispers of influence peddling suggest that some networks now operate above the law itself.

Recent controversies—such as a Mines Minister’s admission that the much-talked-about gold reserves weren’t state property—have fueled suspicions that key resources are being diverted to private interests rather than serving the nation. Similarly, the Constitutional Council’s validation of disputed political decisions has left many questioning the legitimacy of a body once seen as a pillar of justice.

Ministries appear paralyzed, unable to address citizens’ daily struggles, while their leaders cling to the privileges of office. Extended mandates for board members and CEOs—often far beyond intended terms—have become the norm, with no clear succession plans in sight.

The looming succession crisis

Bekolo warns that Cameroon’s future without Paul Biya is not uncertain—it is terrifyingly predictable. The current system relies entirely on the President’s symbolic authority, which no other figure or institution can replicate. Without him, the factions jockeying for power will no longer be content with behind-the-scenes maneuvers.

Rivalries that have simmered beneath the surface could erupt into violent conflicts, assassinations, or institutional breakdowns. Even within state bodies, dissent is brewing, with some voices openly challenging decisions made in the name of a fading authority.

The financial system and public funding mechanisms are particularly vulnerable to this succession war, threatening to plunge the country into deeper crisis. Every decision will be contested, every appointment scrutinized, every transition disputed.

The only way forward: a responsible exit

Bekolo calls for a historic act of responsibility: those who have held power long enough must step aside—not out of weakness, but to prevent catastrophe. Their final service to Cameroon should be organizing a transition, not clinging to power.

He proposes a temporary government tasked with rebuilding trust, reforming institutions, and establishing transparent electoral rules. Any attempt to prolong the current system artificially risks accelerating the chaos everyone fears.

In his words: “All backroom deals, secret meetings, and shadowy schemes to bypass the people’s will only serve to hasten the collapse we all want to avoid. Their architects will answer to history for the consequences.”