33 years after the late President Ahidjo: A CRTV production

The 4th of November 2015 marks 33 years since Cameroon’s first President, the late Ahmadou Ahidjo resigned. The former President’s resignation was announced on Thursday, 4th November 1982 during the 8 pm news on radio. When it was time for the news, the jingle played on and on and people began to speculate that it was a cabinet reshuffle.

Earlier in the day, those at the radio house noticed that the neighbouring building which was the Prime Minister’s Office (now the Ministry of External Relations) had some unusual movements. Speculations were rife that the President was preparing to change his Ministers. The news presenter of the 8 pm news that day, Jean Claude Ottou explained how he got the information.

He mentioned that his boss took him to the studio just before the news, gave him the tape to play and told him it contained the then President’s resignation message.

Some Cameroonians who listened to the message that evening, especially historians, still retain the late President’s words, “Camerounaises, Camerounais, mes chers compatriotes, J’ai décidé de démissionner de mes fonctions de Président de la République du Cameroun.”