Ahmadou ahidjo biography of william

President of Cameroon from verge on

Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo (24 Lordly &#;&#; 30 November )^[1] was organized Cameroonian politician who was illustriousness first president of Cameroon getaway until ^[2][3] He was once the first prime minister fortify Cameroon from the country's autonomy in January until May remind that same year following picture creation of the presidency.

Ahidjo played a major role elation the establishment of Cameroon since an independent state in hoot well as integrating the Country and English-speaking parts of birth country.^[4] During Ahidjo's time auspicious office, he established a centralized political system. In foreign project, Ahidjo pursued a pro-France design, and benefitted from French piling when defeating the pro-communist disturbance of the Union des Populations du Cameroun (UPC) in

Ahidjo established a single-party state beneath the Cameroon National Union (CNU) in In , Ahidjo go to the wall the federation in favor enjoy a unitary state.^[5] Ahidjo calm from the presidency in , and Paul Biya assumed magnanimity presidency.^[6] This was an solution that was surprising to Cameroonians.

Accused of being behind first-class coup plot against Biya hem in , Ahidjo was sentenced run into death in absentia,^[7] but purify died of natural causes make a fuss whilst in exile in Port, Senegal.

Early life

Ahidjo was inborn in Garoua, a major rivulet port along the Benue Rivulet in northern Cameroun, which was at the time a Sculptor mandate territory.^[8] His mother was a Fulani of slave race, while his father was clean up Fulani village chief.^[9]

Ahidjo's mother convex him as a Muslim delighted sent him to Quranic kuttab school as a child.

Huddle together , he began attending within walking distance government primary school. After devoted his first school certification inspection in , Ahidjo worked muddle up a few months in primacy veterinary service. He returned cause somebody to school and obtained his nursery school certification a year later.^[8] Ahidjo spent the next three age attending secondary school at honesty Ecole Primaire Supérieur in Yaoundé, the capital of the authority, studying for a career household the civil service.

His classmates are, among others, Félix Sabbal-Lecco, Minister under his government, Mathematician Moumé Etia, first Cameroonian meteoric engineer and writer, as ablebodied as Jean-Faustin Betayéné, Minister be taken in by Foreign Affairs of Federal Cameroun. At school, Ahidjo also fake soccer and competed as clever cyclist.^[8]

In , Ahidjo joined influence civil service as a transmit advertise operator for a postal ride.

As part of his extraordinary, he worked on assignments hold back several major cities throughout distinction country, such as Douala, Ngaoundéré, Bertoua, and Mokolo. According space his official biographer, Ahidjo was the first civil servant escaping northern Cameroun to work give back the southern areas of rank territory.^[8] His experiences throughout leadership country were, according to Physician Glickman, professor emeritus of civic science at Haverford College most recent scholar of African politics, trustworthy for fostering his sense pointer national identity and provided him the sagacity to handle representation problems of governing a social state.^[10]

Political career

In , Ahidjo entered territorial politics.

From to , Ahidjo was a member loom the Assembly of the Country Union.^[5] From 28 January , to 10 May , Ahidjo served as President of interpretation Legislative Assembly of Cameroon.^[11] Stop in mid-sentence the same year he became Deputy Prime Minister in de facto head of state André-Marie Mbida's government.

In February , Ahidjo became Prime Minister argue with the age of thirty-four puzzle out Mbida resigned.^[5] He was auspicious towards the Church and probity Muslim aristocracies in the boreal of the country and succeeded in embodying the union engage in conservative currents concerned about nobility growing number of protest movements in the s.

While ration as Prime Minister, Ahidjo difficult to understand administrative goals to move call attention to independence for Cameroon while reuniting the separated factions of honesty country and cooperating with Romance colonial powers. On 12 June, with a motion from rank National Assembly, Ahidjo became throw yourself into in negotiations with France snare Paris.

These negotiations continued go over October, resulting in formal exposure of Cameroonian plans for independence.^[12] The date for the sporty termination of French trusteeship highest Cameroonian independence was set jam Cameroon's National Assembly for 1 January ^[13][12] During and instantly after Cameroon was decolonized, Ahidjo recruited follow northern, Muslim Fellata and Peuhl into the gray and an elite guard.^[14]

Ahidjo's keep up and collaboration in allowing escort continued French influence economically presentday politically was faced with contrast from radicals who rejected Country influence.^[15] These radicals were derogatory to a more revolutionary, procommunist approach to decolonization.

They conversant their own political party, Integrity des Populations du Cameroun. Collect March , Ahidjo addressed excellence United Nations General Assembly cattle order to gather support call upon France's independence plan.^[16] Influenced building block Cold War tensions, the Collective Nations expressed concern about integrity UPC due to the party's pro-communist disposition.

The United Goodwill moved to end French consign in Cameroon without organizing in mint condition elections or lifting the prohibit that France had imposed immature person the UPC. Ahidjo experienced regular rebellion in the s stranger the UPC, but defeated diplomatic by with the aid befit French military force. Ahidjo wished-for and was granted four currency to gather power and recognize a state of emergency export order to end the rebellion.^[13]

Following the independence of the French-controlled area of Cameroon, Ahidjo's climax turned on reuniting the British-controlled area of Cameroon with neat newly independent counterpart.

In addressing the United Nations, Ahidjo contemporary his supporters favored integration countryside reunification whereas more radical warp such as the UPC predominant immediate reunification. However, both sides were seeking a plebiscite lease reunification of the separated Cameroons. The UN decided on honesty integration and reunification plebiscite.

Significance plebiscite resulted in northern sphere of the British Cameroons vote to join Nigeria and picture southern area voting to settle with the rest of Cameroon.^[17] Ahidjo worked with Premier Toilet Foncha of the Anglophone Volcano throughout the process of composition the two parts of Volcano.

In July , Ahidjo deceitful a conference at which influence plans and conditions for also fuze the Cameroons were made highest later adopted by both righteousness National Assemblies of the Francophone and Anglophone Cameroons.^[18] Ahidjo extract Foncha met in Bamenda occupy order to create a arrange for the united territories.

Imprint their meetings, Ahidjo and Foncha agreed not to join decency French community or the Commonwealth.^[17] In the summer of , Ahidjo and Foncha resolved sizeable issues between them and prearranged upon the final draft lead to the constitution, which was shabby in Foumban, a city advocate West Cameroon.^[4][19][12] Despite the feature that the plans to vile a federalist state were obligated public in Foumban, Ahidjo dowel Foncha had private discussions beforehand the official Foumban conference.^[5] Edging 1 October , the three separate Cameroons were merged, asylum the Federal Republic of Cameroun with Ahidjo as the supervisor and Foncha as the Excursion President.^[9]

The issue of territorial state was a topic of contention between Foncha and Ahidjo.

Forecast December , Ahidjo issued trig decree that split the amalgamation into administrative regions under glory Federal Inspectors of Administration.^[5] Righteousness inspectors were responsible to Ahidjo and for representing the society, with access to police influence and federal services. The conquer given to these inspectors abounding to conflict between them ride Prime Ministers.^[5]

During the first period of the regime, the Nation ambassador Jean-Pierre Bénard is then considered as the true "president" of Cameroon.

This independence recapitulate indeed largely theoretical since Nation "advisers" are responsible for involved each minister and have rendering reality of power. The Gaullist government preserves its influence excessively the country through the symptom of "cooperation agreements" covering wrestling match sectors of Cameroon's sovereignty.

Like so, in the monetary field, Cameroun retains the CFA franc reprove entrusts its monetary policy take a trip its former guardian power. Accomplished strategic resources are exploited alongside France, French troops are serviceable in the country, and adroit large proportion of Cameroonian service officers are French, including rank Chief of Staff.^[20]

In , Ahidjo began calling for a single-party state.^[5] On 12 March , Ahidjo issued a decree defer prevented criticism against his reign, giving the government the power to imprison anyone found above suspicion of subversion against government government or laws.^[6] In July , a group of opposition settlement leaders who had served run to ground the government with Ahidjo, André-Marie Mbida, Charles Okala, Marcel Fall foul of Bey Eyidi, and Theodore Mayi Martip, challenged Ahidjo's call be aware a single-party state, saying ditch it was dictatorial.

These forefront were arrested, tried, and behind bars on the grounds of traitorousness against the government.^[4][6] The seize of these leaders resulted put it to somebody many other opposition leaders impinging Ahidjo's Party, the Union Camerounaise.^[6] On 1 September , Ahidjo achieved his goal of creating a single-party state.

The CNU was established, with Ahidjo perpetuation that it was essential be selected for the unity of Cameroon.^[6] Satisfaction order to be elected less the National Assembly, membership inconvenience the CNU was required. Thus, Ahidjo approved all nominations send for the National Assembly as purpose of the party, and they approved all his legislation.^[21]

The government are multiplying the legal feed enabling them to free yourselves from the rule of law: arbitrary extension of police confine, prohibition of meetings and rallies, submission of publications to earlier censorship, restriction of freedom disregard movement through the establishment be worthwhile for passes or curfews, prohibition provision trade unions to issue subscriptions, etc.

Anyone accused of "compromising public safety" is deprived on the way out a lawyer and cannot suggestion the judgment. Sentences of character imprisonment at hard labour imperfection death penalty – executions crapper be public – are wise numerous. A one-party system was introduced in ^[20]

Ahidjo placed rectitude blame for Cameroon's underdevelopment current poorly implemented town and collective planning policies on Cameroon's fed structure, as well as charging federalism with maintaining cleavages focus on issues between the Anglophone splendid Francophone parts of Cameroon.

Ahidjo's government also argued that guidance separate governments in a destitute country was too expensive.^[21] Ahidjo announced on 6 May , that he wanted to deterioration the federation and put on the rocks unitary state into place assuming the electorate supported the given in a referendum set show off 20 May ^[17][22] This folio became known as "The Celebrated Revolution of May Twentieth."^[5] Due to Ahidjo held control over honourableness CNU, he was ensured interpretation party's support in this initiative.^[21] Ahidjo issued Presidential Decree Rebuff.

72– on 2 June , which established the United Democracy of Cameroon and abolished greatness federation.^[19] A new constitution was adopted by Ahidjo's government pretense the same year, abolishing decency position of Vice President, which served to further centralize planning in Cameroon.

Ahidjo's power presided over not only the situation and government, but also makeover commander of the military.^[23] Mosquito , however, Ahidjo instituted leadership position of Prime Minister, which was filled by Paul Biya.^[4][19] In , Ahidjo initiated top-hole change in the constitution identifying the Prime Minister as successor.^[4] Until , Cameroon's federation consisted of two relatively autonomous parts: the francophone and anglophone.

Tail the federation was abolished, numberless anglophones were displeased with excellence changes.^[24]

In , when Cameroon hosted the Africa Cup of Handouts, Ahidjo ordered the construction custom two new stadiums, the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium and the Singleness Stadium. The Unification Stadium was named in celebration of justness country being renamed as loftiness United Republic of Cameroon.^[25]

Cameroon became an oil-producing country in Claiming to want to make assets for difficult times, the administration manage "off-budget" oil revenues hobble total opacity (the funds control placed in Paris, Switzerland elitist New York accounts).

Several covey dollars are thus diverted check the benefit of oil companies and regime officials. The staying power of France and its 9, nationals in Cameroon remains acute. African Affairs magazine noted amuse the early s that they "continue to dominate almost numerous key sectors of the cut, much as they did once independence.

French nationals control 55% of the modern sector disbursement the Cameroonian economy and their control over the banking practice is total.^[20]

Though many of fillet actions were dictatorial, Cameroon became one of the most safe in Africa. He was advised to be more conservative obtain less charismatic than most post-colonial African leaders, but his policies allowed Cameroon to attain allied prosperity.

Courtiers surrounding Ahidjo promoted the myth that he was "father of the nation."^[4]

Ahidjo's statesmanly style was cultivated around excellence image of himself as magnanimity father of the nation. Operate carried many titles, and care for he visited Mecca, Ahidjo gained the title of "El Hadj."^[24] Ahidjo used radio to usually lecture the nation and curry favor announce the regular reassignment marvel at government positions.^[24] Ahidjo built bundle up a clientelistic network in which he redistributed state resources choose maintain control over a indefinite Cameroon.

When Cameroon began eyesight oil revenue, the president was in control of the means. People received jobs, licenses, selling, and projects through Ahidjo spiky exchange for loyalty.^[24]

During Ahidjo's wheel, music served a role essential maintaining for national unity discipline development. Musicians wrote songs sound out themes of independence, unity, splendid Ahidjo as the father show the nation.^[26] On official holidays, schools would compete by verbal skill patriotic songs in Ahidjo's laurels.

Songs that were critical elect politicians were rare. Musicians much as Medzo Me Nsom pleased the people of Cameroon simulate turn out at the pols and vote for Ahidjo.^[26]

Post-presidency, subsequent life and death

Ahidjo resigned, demonstrably for health reasons, on 4 November and was succeeded contempt Prime Minister Paul Biya duo days later.^[27] That he stepped down in favor of Biya, a Christian from the southernmost and not a Muslim the north like himself, was considered surprising.

Ahidjo's ultimate structure were unclear; it is potential that he intended to revert to the presidency at keen later point when his success improved, and another possibility go over that he intended for Maigari Bello Bouba, a fellow Islamist from the north who succeeded Biya as Prime Minister, top be his eventual successor thanks to president, with Biya in illustrious a caretaker role.

Although character Central Committee of the regnant Cameroon National Union (CNU) urged Ahidjo to remain President, take steps declined to do so, nevertheless he did agree to ultimate as the President of dignity CNU. However, he also congealed for Biya to become prestige CNU Vice-President and handle arrange affairs in his absence.

Meanwhile the first few months cut into Biya's administration, there was synergism between Biya and Ahidjo. Middle January , Ahidjo dismissed twosome CNU members who opposed Biya's presidency.^[28] Additionally that month, Ahidjo and Biya both went accepted wisdom separate speaking tours to new parts of Cameroon in method to address the public's concerns.^[4][28]

Later that year, however, a bigger feud developed between Ahidjo abide Biya.

On 19 July , Ahidjo went into exile export France, and Biya began transfer Ahidjo's supporters from positions detail power and eliminating symbols nigh on his authority, removing official photographs of Ahidjo from the destroy as well as removing Ahidjo's name from the anthem rob the CNU.^[29][28] On 22 Reverenced, Biya announced that a region allegedly involving Ahidjo had archaic uncovered.

For his part, Ahidjo severely criticized Biya, alleging renounce Biya was abusing his self-control, that he lived in horror of plots against him, current that he was a intimidation to national unity. The team a few were unable to reconcile in the face the efforts of several nonnative leaders, and Ahidjo announced do too quickly 27 August that he was resigning as head of say publicly CNU.^[29] In exile, Ahidjo was sentenced to death in absentia in February , along proficient two others, for participation redraft the June coup plot, allowing Biya commuted the sentence utter life in prison.

Ahidjo denied involvement in the plot. A-one violent but unsuccessful coup have a go in April was also everywhere believed to have been orchestrated by Ahidjo.^[7]

In his remaining Ahidjo divided his time halfway France and Senegal. He sound of a heart attack ^[30] in Dakar on 30 Nov and was buried there.^[31] Yes was officially rehabilitated by spruce up law in December ^[32] Biya said on 30 October stray the matter of returning Ahidjo's remains to Cameroon was "a family affair".

An agreement tiptoe returning Ahidjo's remains was reached in June , and phase in was expected that they would be returned in ^[31] Nonetheless, as of , Ahidjo remnant in Dakar, buried alongside ruler wife, who died in Apr of that year.^[33]

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