On Thursday, August 20, President Paul Biya finally returned to Cameroon. His brief stay in Switzerland extended for an unexpected 74 days. Anticipating his arrival, citizens of Cameroon were met with a glimpse of his hand, visible through the partially lowered window of his presidential limousine.
Many Cameroonians had expected to see the seasoned leader descend the aircraft’s gangway, as is his custom, shaking hands with the influential figures at the Etoudi Palace. Instead, they were presented with merely a hand. In the realm of politics, such a detail is far from insignificant. The hand, in a political context, carries four distinct symbolic meanings: the hand that takes life, the hand that deceives, the hand that bestows blessings, and finally, the hand that governs.
The hand that kills
In ancient Rome’s gladiatorial arenas, silence descended upon the crowd, their gaze fixed solely on Caesar’s hand. A raised thumb meant life for the gladiator; a lowered thumb signaled death. On Thursday, August 20, in Yaoundé, the symbolism was inverted. It was no longer the emperor’s hand dictating a gladiator’s fate. Rather, it was the gladiator’s hand needing to assure the “empire” of his continued existence. The people of Cameroon witnessed President Biya’s hand wave in greeting, serving as confirmation of his return and vitality.
The hand that cheats
When physical capabilities wane, deception often enters the play. In 1986, Argentine football 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, everyone observed only a single hand. Yet, CRTV, Cameroon’s national television, with its extensive crew of 200 personnel assigned to cover the presidential motorcade, presented this limited appearance as a remarkable event.
The hand that blesses
Within liturgical traditions, power is often conveyed through the hand. Priests lay hands, the Pope bestows blessings Urbi et orbi, and monarchs are consecrated through anointing. Once blessed, the hand itself can become a relic. This past Thursday, an inverted liturgy unfolded. A relic-like hand emerged from behind a tinted window, much like a reliquary paraded during religious festivals, intended to sustain the faith of the loyal.
The hand that governs
This brings us to the ultimate symbol: the hand that signs. For 74 days, during President Biya’s extended “short stay” in Switzerland, the narrative was that the state’s functions persisted. The reason cited? The hand was still signing—decrees, appointments, laws. The hand was present, even if the physical body was absent. This aligns with the most ancient legal definition of power: manus, the hand. In Latin, manus signifies authority and might. There are no longer public addresses, no visible physical presence, no ceremonial walk on the tarmac. All that remains are the signature and the wave—the hand that signs and the hand that salutes.
In ancient Rome, a hand determined life or death. In religious contexts, it conferred blessings. In Yaoundé, it primarily signals that the individual waving it remains in power. After forty-three years at the helm, the people of Cameroon must now adapt to being governed by a hand for an indefinite period, likely one that will prove shorter than it is long. Cameroonian journalist Marie Roger Biloa offers a more direct assessment: “Cameroon,” she states, “must prepare itself for the definitive disappearance of a president who is already de facto absent.“
