DOUALA, CAMEROON – June 14, 2025 –CNA- Cameroonian opposition politician, Celestin Djamen, showered accolades on the Minister of Territorial Administration, Paul Atanga Nji, for his exemplary performance in ensuring public order and security across the nation. Djamen’s remarks, shared with the public on his Facebook page, highlight what he describes as a remarkable shift in the state’s approach to maintaining peace, particularly during public demonstrations.
In his commendation, Djamen asserts that, with the sole exception of Ahmadou Ahidjo in 1957 when Cameroon was not yet a fully formed state, Minister Atanga Nji stands out as arguably the best Minister of Territorial Administration the country has ever seen. Djamen praises Atanga Nji for diligently fulfilling his mandate, stating, “In an ocean of confusion and timidity, it must be acknowledged that he does his work, all his work, and nothing but his work.”
Drawing on a personal experience from 2019 where he was an “eyewitness and expiatory victim,” Djamen notes a profound improvement in the Minister’s methods for maintaining order and security, which he believes has given the state “a more convenient face.” In a surprising turn, given his past experiences, Djamen declared a “heart full of forgiveness” towards those who caused him harm in the past, emphasizing a call for national unity over “hate and bitterness.”
A notable point in Djamen’s statement is the recent demonstration in Douala on June 8, where he observed high-ranking officials of the MRC (Cameroon Renaissance Movement) praising the professionalism of the Gendarmerie (FMO) and police forces upon the arrival of their leader. This, Djamen states, “gives hope in this country and at the same time disqualifies all inveterate Taliban.”
While acknowledging what he views as a “notorious incompetence” within the broader government, Djamen maintains that Minister Atanga Nji remains “a model in his field who saves the furniture and inspires confidence.” He concluded by reiterating Cameroon’s profound need for “order and not chaos,” and “peace and not pandemonium,” expressing renewed gratitude to the Minister for the “serenity displayed by the security forces in Douala during the deployment of demonstrators,” and declaring that “Another Cameroon is possible.”
Djamen has been with the SDF, then CRM and now his own party called APAR.
