Simon Achidi Achu
5th Prime Minister of Cameroon
In office
9 April 1992 – 19 September 1996
Preceded bySadou Hayatou
Succeeded byPeter Mafany Musonge
Personal details
Born(1934-11-05)5 November 1934
Bamenda, British Cameroon
Died4 May 2021(2021-05-04) (aged 86)
United States
Political partyCPDM

Simon Achidi Achu (5 November 1934 – 4 May 2021) was a Cameroonian politician who served as the prime minister of Cameroon from 1992 to 1996. Previously he was Minister of Justice from 1972 to 1975. A leading member of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM), Achidi Achu was appointed Chairman of the National Investment Corporation in 2003, and he was elected to the Senate of Cameroon in 2013.[1][2]

Early life and career

Achidi Achu was born in Bamenda[1][2] and grew up in Santa, located in the Northwest Province of Cameroon. He completed primary education in Santa and then continued to Cameroon Protestant College, where he had his GCE Ordinary Level. Pa Achu later continued to the University of Yaoundé, where he participated in the creation of the Student Association, which still exists. He also served as the association's first president. He continued his studies in Marseille, France.

Political career

Achidi Achu was a state magistrate from October 1965 to October 1966.[3] Later, he was appointed Minister Delegate at the State Federal Inspectorate in late October 1971.[4] He was subsequently appointed Minister of Justice by Cameroonian President Ahmadou Ahidjo on 3 July 1972,[5] remaining in that position until 1975. Pa Simon then returned to Santa and started the Rock Farm Ranch as a farmer.

He stayed out of politics for several years, then he was elected as a member of the National Assembly. President Paul Biya later appointed him Prime Minister on 9 April 1992,[5] following the March 1992 parliamentary election. He was the first Anglophone Prime Minister of Cameroon.[6]

On 10 October 1992, the day before the 1992 presidential election, Achidi Achu appeared on Cameroon Radio and Television and addressed the people in French, his second language. In this address, he accused the opposition, led by Social Democratic Front (SDF) candidate John Fru Ndi, of having a "diabolical plan" (plan diabolique) to prosecute and execute the leading figures of the state, government, and military if it won the election, and he urged the people to reject the opposition in order to avert potential violence and instability.[3]

Following Biya's victory in the 1992 election, Achidi Achu remained Prime Minister until 19 September 1996, when he was replaced by Peter Mafany Musonge.[3] Achidi Achu was later appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Investment Corporation (Société nationale des Investissements) on 3 March 2003.[7]

Later life

Achidi Achu was a member of the Central Committee of the ruling CPDM.[8] He was also a member of the National Commission for the coordination of Biya's election campaign in the 2004 presidential election and was the president of the campaign's support and follow up committee in the Northwest Province.[9] He has also headed the discipline commission of the CPDM.[10] During the campaign for the July 2007 parliamentary and municipal elections, Achidi Achu was a member of the CPDM's Central Campaign Committee; he was also President of the CPDM Provincial Campaign Committee in the Northwest Province.[citation needed]

In 2009, Achidi Achu became one of three members of the CPDM North West Section's newly established Council of the Wise, which was intended to formulate strategy and tactics to enable the CPDM to attain dominance in the North West Province, where the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) has been traditionally dominant.[11]

In the April 2013 Senate election, Achidi Achu was elected to the Senate as the top candidate on the CPDM's list for Northwest Province.[12] When the Bureau of the Senate was elected on 12 June 2013, Achidi Achu received the post of Vice-President of the Senate.[13]

He died on 4 May 2021, at the age of 86, after recovering from an illness in the United States.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b Les Elites camerounaises: who's who in United Republic of Cameroon (1976), Bulletin de l'Afrique noire, page 6.
  2. ^ a b Africa Year Book and Who's Who (1977), Africa Journal Ltd., page 1,033.
  3. ^ a b c Christophe Dongmo, "CL-Experts : Achidu Achu and the “Opposition Devil Plan” during the 1992 Presidential Elections", Camerounlink.com, 10 June 2008.
  4. ^ Africa Research Bulletin (1971), page 2,281.
  5. ^ a b Cameroonian government page on Achu Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine (in French).
  6. ^ Piet Konings, "The Post-Colonial State and Economic and Political Reforms in Cameroon", Liberalization in the Developing World (1996), ed. Alex E. Fernández Jilberto and André Mommen, Routledge, page 260.
  7. ^ "Achidi Achu fait le tour du propriétaire", Cameroon-info.net, 19 March 2003 (in French).
  8. ^ "List of members of the RDPC Central Committee". Archived from the original on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 30 June 2007., RDPC website (in French).
  9. ^ "President Paul Biya selects campaign team" Archived 10 June 2007 at archive.today, 2004 presidential election website.
  10. ^ Essama Essomba, "Retrouvailles: Achidi Achu chez Paul Biya" Archived 29 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine, Cameroon Tribune (Cameroon-info.net, 26 December 2007 (in French).
  11. ^ a b Décès de l'ancien premier ministre camerounais Simon Achidi Achu (in French)
  12. ^ "Dossier. Les visages des premiers sénateurs élus au Cameroun (Suite et fin)", Le Messager, 2 May 2013 (in French).
  13. ^ "Le bureau élu du Sénat", Cameroon Tribune, 13 June 2013 (in French).
Political offices Preceded bySadou Hayatou Prime Minister of Cameroon 1992–1996 Succeeded byPeter Mafany Musonge
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