President Paul Biya finally made his return to Cameroon on Thursday, August 20th. His brief stay in Switzerland, which unexpectedly stretched to 74 days, concluded with a notable absence of his full presence. Instead, Cameroonians eagerly awaiting their leader were met with a glimpse of his hand, visible through the slightly lowered window of the presidential limousine.
The populace of Cameroon had anticipated the traditional sight of their elder statesman at the foot of the aircraft gangway, shaking hands with the prominent figures of the Etoudi Palace. Instead, they were shown a single hand. In the intricate world of politics, such an act is far from trivial. The hand in politics, as I see it, embodies four distinct levels of power: the hand that kills, the hand that cheats, the hand that blesses, and finally, the hand that governs.
Degree 1: The hand that kills
In the ancient Roman arena, the vast crowd would fall silent, their gaze fixed on one crucial element: Caesar’s hand. A raised thumb meant life for the gladiator; a lowered thumb signified death. On Thursday, August 20th, in Yaoundé, the dynamic was inverted. It was no longer the emperor’s hand dictating a gladiator’s fate. Rather, it was the gladiator’s hand that needed to demonstrate to the ‘Empire’ that he was still among the living. The people of Cameroon witnessed President Biya’s hand offering a salute, a gesture intended to confirm his survival and return.
Degree 2: The hand that cheats
When physical capabilities wane, one might resort to trickery with the hand. Consider 1986, when Argentine legend Diego Maradona famously scored against England using his hand, dubbing it the ‘Hand of God.’ Everyone saw the deception, yet the referee allowed the goal. Similarly, on Thursday, everyone observed only a hand. Yet, CRTV, Cameroon’s national television, despite deploying 200 personnel to film the presidential motorcade, chose to validate this ‘miracle’ as a full appearance.
Degree 3: The hand that blesses
Within liturgical traditions, power is often conveyed through the hand. A priest lays on hands, the Pope bestows blessings Urbi et Orbi, and a monarch is consecrated through anointing. Once anointed, the hand becomes a sacred relic. Thursday presented an inverted liturgy. A hand-relic emerged from behind a tinted window, much like a reliquary paraded on festive days, seeking to reaffirm faith among the devoted.
Degree 4: The hand that governs
We arrive at the ultimate degree: the hand that signs. For the 74 days of his ‘short stay’ in Switzerland, we were assured that the state continued to function. The reason? The hand was still signing. Decrees, appointments, laws. The hand was present, even in the absence of the body. This is the most ancient legal definition of power: the manus, the hand. In Latin, manus signifies power, authority. There are no more speeches, no physical presence, no walk across the tarmac. All that remains is the signature and the salute. The hand that signs and the hand that greets.
In Rome, the hand decreed life or death for others. In the church, it bestowed blessings. In Yaoundé, it primarily asserts that its agitator remains in power. After forty-three years of rule, Cameroonians must now grow accustomed, for an indeterminate period—likely shorter than longer—to being governed by a hand. Cameroonian journalist Marie Roger Biloa offers a more blunt assessment: “Cameroon,” she states, “must prepare to confront the definitive disappearance of a president already de facto absent.”