President Paul Biya made his long-anticipated return to Cameroon on Thursday, August 20, concluding a 74-day sojourn in Switzerland. For many Cameroonians eagerly awaiting his arrival, the glimpse offered was brief: merely his hand, visible through the slightly lowered window of the presidential limousine.
Citizens in Cameroon had expected to witness their long-serving leader descend the aircraft steps, typically engaging in handshakes with the dignitaries and power brokers from the Etoudi palace. Instead, they were presented with just a hand. In the intricate world of politics, such an image carries significant weight, as the hand itself embodies four distinct levels of power: the hand that kills, the hand that deceives, the hand that blesses, and ultimately, the hand that governs.
Degree 1: the hand that kills
In ancient Roman arenas, crowds held their breath, fixated on César’s hand. A thumb raised meant life for the gladiator; a thumb lowered, certain death. On Thursday, August 20, in Yaoundé, the symbolism was inverted. It was no longer the emperor’s hand dictating fate, but rather the “gladiator’s” hand needing to reassure the “empire” of his continued existence. Cameroonians observed President Biya’s hand extended in a wave, a silent affirmation of his safe return.
Degree 2: the hand that deceives
When physical presence falters, the hand can become an instrument of deception. Recall 1986, when Argentine legend Diego Maradona famously scored against England using his hand, dubbing it the “Hand of God.” Despite widespread recognition of the foul play, the referee allowed the goal. Similarly, on Thursday, observers noted only a singular hand. Yet, Cameroon’s national broadcaster, CRTV, deploying an extensive team of 200 personnel to cover the presidential motorcade, presented this singular appearance as a validated miracle, a testament to the president’s full return.
Degree 3: the hand that blesses
In various religious liturgies, power and sanctity emanate from the hand. Priests lay on hands, the Pope bestows his Urbi et Orbi blessing, and monarchs are consecrated through anointing. Once hallowed, the hand transforms into a relic. Thursday’s event in Yaoundé presented an inverted liturgy: a relic-like hand emerging from behind tinted glass, akin to a sacred reliquary paraded on holy days, intended to sustain the faith of the populace.
Degree 4: the hand that governs
This brings us to the ultimate level: the hand that signs. Throughout the 74-day absence for his brief stay in Switzerland, the narrative maintained that the state continued its operations. The justification? The presidential hand was still signing — decrees, appointments, and legislation. The hand was present, even if the body was not. This aligns with the most ancient legal definition of power: the manus, the hand. In Latin, manus signifies authority and might. Now, there are no more speeches, no physical presence striding the tarmac. All that remains are the signature and the wave – the hand that signs and the hand that greets.
In Rome, the hand determined life or death. In the church, it conveyed blessings. In Yaoundé, it primarily signals that the individual wielding it remains in power. Following forty-three years of leadership, Cameroonians may need to adjust, for an uncertain period—likely shorter than longer—to being governed by a hand. Cameroonian journalist Marie Roger Biloa offers a starker assessment: “Cameroon,” she states, “must brace itself for the definitive disappearance of a president who is already de facto absent.“
