Introduction

“He was fearless right? Someone who would never say no in the fiercest of moments… Someone who, without even thinking or blinking in the moment, would always try to respond to the crisis which he faced.”

Cameroon has only known one President during the last 40 years: Paul Biya. And for 30 of those years, John Fru Ndi was his only credible challenger.

The politician from the North-west Anglophone region died in June at the age of 81 – and this coming weekend his funeral will take place at his Bamenda home.

It’s a region where a violent conflict has been raging since 2016 as separatist groups fight for their own state – claiming the marginalisation of the anglophone population. More than 6000 people have died during the conflict.

But while he spoke up about this marginalisation, John Fru Ndi always opposed the idea of a separate Anglophone state – something which won him enemies as well as friends within the Anglophone community.

For today’s Africa Daily podcast, Mpho Lakaje discusses his legacy with his son Cornelius Fru Ndi, and analyst Arrey Ntui, and asks where his death leaves the opposition in Cameroon.