₦airaland Forum

Cameroon President Paul Biya, the world’s oldest head of state, turns 92 years old on Thursday after more than four decades in power but remains tight-lipped on whether he will run for another term in elections this year.

Many people including the deeply divided opposition are in little doubt that the leader, who first won election in 1982, will stand for an eighth term in the October vote.

After highly contested elections in 2018, Biya further toughened his autocratic grip on power, with dissenting opinions firmly met with repression, arrests and prison terms, human rights activists say.

“The president has already said that he will make known whether or not he is a candidate in this election at the appropriate time,” government spokesman and Communication Minister Rene Emmanuel Sadi said last month

Biya has refrained from picking a successor and the subject of who would replace him remains taboo.

“In the current context, even if he were lying on a stretcher, candidate Biya will be re-elected,” said former minister Garga Haman Adji in an interview with the daily Mutations in July.

Concerns about Biya’s health grew last year when he disappeared from public view for several weeks.

Persistent rumours prompted authorities to release a statement saying Biya was in Switzerland, where the leader has regularly spent long periods staying at luxury holiday resorts.

The government then formally banned local media from discussing the state of his health.

Since his return to the country on October 21, Biya’s public appearances have been limited — a few official photos at the presidential palace, a regional summit in the capital Yaounde and a handful of speeches broadcast on television.

As in previous election years, voices from across society are calling on him to again stand for office.

“My determination to serve you remains intact and is strengthened on a daily basis, given the scale of the challenges we face,” Biya said in his end-of-year address, welcoming a “massive support”.

In January, traditional leaders expressed their “total and unwavering” support. On Facebook, some supporters said Biya was “still strong” and can withstand two more terms.

Biya and his government are regularly accused by international human rights organisations of repressing opposition.

Few openly call for him to relinquish power.

“In recent times, the anxieties of the vast majority of Cameroonians have increasingly transformed into cries of distress in the face of the misery they are experiencing and the degradation of our beautiful country,” Catholic bishops at an episcopal conference said.

They also criticised the “corruption”, unemployment and deadly violence that plagues parts of the country.

Since 2009, the far north of Cameroon has suffered attacks from Boko Haram jihadists and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

In the west of the country, a deadly conflict has pitted armed independence groups against security forces in two English-speaking regions since 2016.

Biya, for his part, praised in his last speech “the tremendous progress seen in recent years”.

In a hoarse, wheezy voice, he hinted at “the next electoral deadline” and called on young people “not to listen to the sirens of chaos that some irresponsible people are sounding”.

The government has not been reshuffled since January 2019 and the seats of four ministers who died in office are still vacant.

More than a dozen lawmakers — out of 180 — and five of the 100 senators have also not been replaced after their death.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday at the Faculty of Arts, involved a female student and a lecturer, identified as Dr. Chukwudi Michael.

The Acting Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Prof. Joseph I. Ikechebelu, has ordered a full-scale, transparent, and unbiased investigation into a shocking altercation in which a student allegedly bit and physically confronted her lecturer.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday at the Faculty of Arts, involved a female student and a lecturer, identified as Dr. Chukwudi Michael.

The conflict allegedly started when the lecturer interrupted a video recording the student was making, leading to a heated argument that escalated into a physical fight.

This is contained in a statement released on Tuesday, the Acting Head of Information, Public Relations, and Protocol, Njelita Louis, emphasised the university’s commitment to discipline and decorum.

He assured that appropriate actions and sanctions would be taken based on the outcome of the investigation.

The statement read, "The Management of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, has been made aware of a disturbing incident involving Dr. Chukwudi Okoye, a lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts and Film Studies and Goddy Mbakwe Precious a 3rd year student in the department of History and International Studies.


"The incident, which has gained significant attention on social media, is being taken very seriously by the university authorities.
"In line with our core values of discipline, self-reliance, and excellence, and in adherence to the principles of fair hearing, equity, and justice, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph I. Ikechebelu, has ordered a full-scale, transparent, and unbiased investigation into the matter.

According to Njelita, "We urge all concerned parties and members of the public to remain calm as we diligently pursue the truth.
"The university is committed to upholding discipline and decorum, and we will ensure that appropriate actions and sanctions are taken based on the outcome of the investigation."

He said that the Nnamdi Azikiwe University remains an institution of learning that upholds high moral and ethical standards.
"There is no place for indiscipline, misconduct, or any form of unacceptable behaviour within our community.
"Further updates will be provided as necessary," Njelita added.

In a video circulating on social media, the student was seen dancing at the entrance of a campus building while being filmed. As the lecturer, Michael, attempted to pass by, he tapped her on the shoulder to make way for himself.


The video showed that while Michael continued into the building, the student turned with a frown and said, “Imagine! Why would he touch me like that?”

However, the situation escalated into a physical confrontation when Michael overheard the student insulting him and returned to confront her.

Upon returning, he noticed she was recording a video. Not wanting to be captured, he reached for the student’s phone, but she aggressively grabbed his clothes. During the struggle, she bit him multiple times and tore his clothes.

In a statement circulating on social media, Michael narrated what happened: “I had just left Hall 19 where Dr Ebekue was teaching.
“Walking along the passage, I saw a girl doing a video with her phone (she had placed the phone on the window hood and was striking poses in the middle of the walkway). tapping her slightly, I asked her to excuse me as I walked past.

“After about 2 or 3 steps, I heard her say, "who does this man think he is?" I walked back to ascertain first if she was my student and second to make sure she deletes the video showing where I passed.

“I then demanded and reached for her phone only to be bitten by the girl on both arms in quick succession. I then held on to her left hand so she wouldn't get away.

“That was when she really lost it; she tore my clothes, slapped and scratched my face and generally went berserk on me all which I received with calm to my own admiration if I do say so myself."

MadamExcellency:
Real Estate development is not a bad thing since Gazans are refugees in Palestine. The refugees need resettlement for lasting peace. Unless the Palestinian Arabs are willing to renounce their refugee statuses.

How can you be a refugee in your land for 77 years?

Chibuzoc:
Are you a terror!st? Only terrorists should be afraid of Israel

Chibuzoc:
ISRAEL is welcome to West Africa and that would help in fighting the jihadist terrorists

Jennyclay:
you could see for yourself how terrible, heartless and wicked you men can be

Evil men!!

The European Union offered Monday its “full support” to South Africa’s leadership of the Group of 20 before this month’s talks in Johannesburg, after the country’s spat with US President Donald Trump.


Trump froze US aid to South Africa last week, citing a law in the country that he alleges allows land to be seized from white farmers, despite Johannesburg’s denials.

One of Trump’s allies is South African-born billionaire Elon Musk, who has accused South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government of having “openly racist ownership laws”.

South Africa will host G20 talks of foreign ministers in Johannesburg on February 20-21, which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said he will skip, accusing the host government of having an “anti-American” agenda.

European Council chief Antonio Costa spoke to Ramaphosa by phone and gave the EU’s support to South Africa ahead of the talks.

“On my phone call with President Cyril Ramaphosa, I highlighted the EU’s commitment to deepen ties with South Africa, as a reliable and predictable partner,” Costa posted on X.

“I expressed the EU’s full support to South Africa’s leadership of G20 and its ambition to strengthen multilateral cooperation and the Pact for the Future to address the most pressing global issues,” Costa added.

There will be a meeting between the European Union and South Africa on March 13, he said.

seunowa:
Every right thinking Nigerians should support president Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his task to reposition Nigeria for economic prosperity.

President Trump again reiterated his proposal for the United States to take over Gaza, telling reporters on Air Force One on Sunday that the strip of land was “a big real estate site” that the United States was “going to own.”

He also mentioned building “some beautiful sites for the people, the Palestinians, to live in.” The location of such sites was not clear. Mr. Trump has repeatedly suggested that the two million Palestinians from the enclave be relocated.

Mr. Trump’s comments added even more confusion around the proposal, which he first announced last week at a news conference at the White House alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel.

The idea has drawn widespread international condemnation, with some critics likening it to ethnic cleansing. The forced deportation or transfer of a civilian population is a violation of international law and a war crime, according to experts.

Top officials in the Trump administration attempted to walk back the president’s comments on Wednesday, a day after he first announced the idea. They insisted President Trump had not committed to sending American troops to Gaza and that any relocation of Palestinians would be temporary.

On Sunday, as Mr. Trump was traveling to attend the Super Bowl in New Orleans, he raised the proposal again.

“Think of it as a big real estate site, and the United States is going to own it,” he said of Gaza, according to an audio recording from Air Force One that was shared with reporters.

“There won’t be anybody there,” Mr. Trump added. “Hamas won’t be there,” he said, referring to the militant group that led the assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that touched off the war in Gaza. “We’ll be building through other of the very rich countries in the Middle East; they’ll be building some beautiful sites for the people, the Palestinians, to live in,” he said.

Mr. Netanyahu, at a government meeting in Israel on Sunday, praised Mr. Trump’s vision for the region following the war. “There are opportunities for possibilities that I think we never dreamed of, or at least a few months ago they did not seem possible — but they are possible,” he said.

“President Trump came with a completely different vision,” for the future of Gaza, Mr. Netanyahu said, “much better for the State of Israel, a revolutionary and creative vision, which we are discussing. He is very determined to carry it out.”

When Mr. Trump introduced the proposal at the White House last week, his administration had not done even the most basic planning to examine the feasibility of the idea, according to people with knowledge of the discussions. It would involve displacing two million Palestinians from Gaza; Mr. Trump suggested they should be relocated to countries like Egypt and Jordan, both of which swiftly rejected the idea.

At that news conference, Mr. Trump said that the United States would take over the Gaza Strip, “and we will do a job with it too.” He said the U.S. would be responsible for disposing of unexploded munitions and rebuilding Gaza, ultimately turning it into what he called, “the Riviera of the Middle East

The EFF has fired back at SA-born billionaire Elon Musk after he called for party leader Julius Malema to be declared an international criminal and sanctioned.

In the clip Malema said, “These people, when you want to hit them hard, go after a white man. They feel terrible pain because you have touched a white man. We're cutting the throat of whiteness.”

Musk retweeted the video, calling for Malema's immediate sanction and declaration as an international criminal.

Malema responded: “I think you have entirely lost your left brain: a typical spoiled brat and direct beneficiary of apartheid whiteness.”

He said he wouldn't stop fighting for black people's equality.

Musk's comments came in response to an old clip of Malema speaking about “cutting the throat of whiteness”.

Jennyclay:
Wonders shall never end

Probably, he learnt it from his father. Like father, like son

The police should please apprehend the father too.

Useless men!!