Oswald Baboke: Casualty in battle for succession!.

While the full view of what some may be dreaming or aiming at is yet to be understood, what has been animating the polity in the last couple of years are majorly not unconnected to the summit of the State.

Men and women, some of whom have stood with the Head of State, Paul Biya; and demonstrated unquestionable loyalty, are increasingly being targeted for destruction.

The sweetest equation through which enemies are holding the feet of some of the President’s most trusted collaborators to fire is that of citing and labelling them as nursing the ambition to succeed Biya as Head of State.

Analysts have stated that in so doing, those behind such tactics hope to provoke the downfall of such giants who have gained the President’s trust. 

In years past, those specialised in such maneuvers used archaic methods, but with the advancement in technology, the evil geniuses have stepped up their game.

They are now designing and framing look-alikes of major State seals, attributing them to the President’s collaborators and painting them as ambitious horsemen overstepping their limit. 

But when things are viewed through the prism of Polish-Jewish pediatrician, Janusz Korczak, that: “The lives of great men are like legends, difficult but beautiful,” it is easy to understand the attacks.

True to Korczak, the lives of great men, especially those in public offices, are mostly made difficult by enemies, whom in most cases, are always angry with their targets’ level of exploits, loyalty and dedication.

In today’s Cameroon of President Paul Biya, what is topping the chart as the easiest way to blackmail anyone in the corridors of power is to indicate that they are battling to be appointed Vice President!

With many seeing it as a path to succession, just anyone with the slightest composure and intelligence around Biya gets up every morning to varied and oftentimes absurd narratives that they are eying the second highest top job in the nation.

This is the case but not exclusively limited to the Minister, Deputy Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency, Oswald Baboke.  

Baboke, a man whom many say has kept his integrity, unquestionable loyalty and service to the Republic and his principal, Paul Biya, has been at the centre of many strange narratives of recent.

When succession breeze sets enemies against loyal servant 

The latest of such episodes is that of the famous June 12, 2026, fake Presidential decree, appointing a Vice President. The bearer of the fake document has since been arrested with investigations ongoing. 

Yet, power gangs are believed to be those spinning the wheels and twisting the narrative to the effect that it was Minister Oswald Boboke’s name that was originally on the said fake Presidential decree.

Without waiting for investigations to draw to a close and the competent institutions work out the truth, tech-savvy individuals have manipulated several documents with which they have flooded the social media. 

The latest outplay, which observers say point to a cabal, certainly seeking to sink the usually calm, humble and soft-spoken Baboke out of favour with the President, is not the first.

When the Head of State, Paul Biya, ordered investigations into trafficking of gold, the same pattern of narratives and sophisticated Artificial Intelligence, AI and photo shopped documents also had their hours in the public space. Not surprisingly, their main target, again, was Baboke.

Of course, people like tech billionaire, Elong Musk, while warning of the gangers of AI, had once said: “With Artificial Intelligence, AI, we are summoning the demon”. 

Analysts say the demon in the Cameroonian context appear to have been hired by prophets of doom and detractors, to spread lies and denigrate the God-fearing and harmless Baboke.

Pundits have in varied forms indicated that the political climate and timing show the Deputy Director of the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency is a casualty in the battle among those scheming and dreaming to succeed the Head of State, Paul Biya. 

They are vehement that Baboke did not find himself serving at the Unity Palace today. 

To them, for over two decades, he has remained loyal, hardworking and focused in discharging his service as directed by the Head of State.

Baboke, they are insisting, is a consummate loyalist to the Head of State and The First Lady, Chantal Biya.

Usually-dependable sources have it that in all these years, his voice has never been heard on any national issue. 

It is a truism that but for the repeated attacks against him, even his picture is not known to many a Cameroonian. 

Soft target for power mongers

If the repeated attacks on Baboke have gone on and on for this long, many say it is because those behind it see him as a soft target for destruction.

Political watchers say that Baboke doesn’t talk, is not pompous and maintains a calm posture, even in the face of what would normally have provoked anyone at his level to fight back, is what even those attacking him are yet to understand.

Baboke, a known lover of God, it is being said, seems to have left those attacking him to his Maker and is focused on his usually-selfless service to the nation and his master, President Biya. 

Observers have it that the more the machinations and schemes, the quieter Baboke becomes and goes about his assigned duties with wisdom-laden serenity. 

Baboke & Biya Code

Those who understand what it takes to work around Biya and remain steadfast, say all the attacks on Baboke are dead on arrival. 

As a career public servant who has been serving and continues to work loyally as a trusted collaborator of the Head of State, Baboke is pictured as being an exemplary student of the Biya style.

In what some describe as the Biya Code, Baboke, many are stating, has survived the storms for having a quick understanding that President Biya is not distracted by the noise and arrows from within or outside. 

Like American poet, Marx Ehrmann, wrote in Desiderata, Baboke continues to “go placidly amid the noise and the haste,” knowing the level of peace in silence while maintaining a sane relationship with all persons.

Paying huge price for unquestionable loyalty 

In basic terms, those with a deep understanding of Cameroon’s political dynamics, are picturing Oswald Baboke to be paying a huge price for being loyal and dedicated to serving the Presidential Couple and the State.

His style of service, which echoes serenity and prioritises the satisfaction of President Paul Biya, who incarnates the institutions of the Republic, is said to be what is giving many power mongers sleepless nights.

Analysts say, the Minister, Deputy Director of Civil Cabinet, has worked hard to be where the President has placed him. 

Ganging up against his person or seeking to shortchange him overnight under bogus accusations and destructive narratives, bookmakers say, won’t erode the credibility in service he has built over the years.

He is on record as having authored three books on the Head of State’s activities. Among them are; The Reunification Letter The Cameroonian People, 2013; The President’s Seven-Year Term, 2018; Paul Biya & Great Achievements, 2018.

It has been 26 years and still counting, that the discrete man of faith has been rising through the ranks since drafted to serve at the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency. 

He has risen through the ranks on the strength of his untiring work ethic and commitment to hierarchy. 

The weak-minded and under-achievers attacking him out of envy, may be enjoying the buzz from the gullible public.

Unfortunately for the doomsayers, Baboke boasts of several things that make stand him out among the Head of State’s closest collaborators. 

Top among them are unquestionable and unmatched loyalty, integrity, humility, selfless service and consistency in serving the President of the Republic. 

Analysts are unanimous that power-mongers who have hired Facebook users to destroy Baboke, will see their machinations crumble like a pack of cards.

This, they say, is not only because President Biya knows Baboke better than those crying wolf, but more so because as a God’s faithful servant, Baboke is beyond human destruction. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3833 of Tuesday June 30, 2026