It is being reported that Cameroon’s (mis)leader, Paul Biya, has returned home after a quick patch-up in Switzerland where he is known to always get world-class treatment.

The 90-year-old tyrant also visited Paris where he had discussions on succession planning with French political authorities and the French secret service responsible for France oversea territories.

The French are very concerned about Mr. Biya’s health and they know that if a smooth succession does not take place in Cameroon, the entire sub-region could be enveloped in unprecedented chaos.

The French are pushing for a constitutional amendment which will result in the appointment of a vice president who will take over after Mr. Biya exits the scene unceremoniously.

The French are still skeptical about accepting an Anglophone as the president of Cameroon, but they also think that a Frenchified Anglophone like Yang Philemon could be a good president to help end the man-made catastrophe playing out in the two English-speaking regions of Cameroon.

Another name that is being floated is that of David Abouem à Tchoyi who has been the governor of the two English-speaking regions of the country and has in-depth knowledge of the Anglophone problem, as he was a member of the commission which was set up by the country’s first president to investigate grievances put forth by the English-speaking minority.

Abouem à Tchoyi is bilingual, flexible and very willing to negotiate with the country’s English-speaking minority which has total faith in him.

Biya’s forty years in power have created a complicated situation for the country and the international community.

Corruption, nepotism and tribalism have transformed the country into a ticking time bomb, with many parts of the country holding that they have been marginalized under Biya.

A Cameroon Concord News Group correspondent in Paris said that the discussions with the French authorities were tense, as Mr. Biya wants full protection of those who have been loyal to him over the last forty years.

Abouem à Tchoyi seems to be the ideal candidate because of his temperament and understanding of the issues confronting Cameroon, but some experts hold that he is from the Center region and this does not augur well for the country’s unity.

For now, no agreement has been reached, but the discussions are ongoing and in the days ahead, there could be a massive cabinet reshuffle that will change a lot and will prepare the country for a new republic.

By Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai