Ahidjo, Ahmadou (1924-1989)

first president of Cameroon (1960-1982). He was born in Garoua and educated at Yaoundé. Beginning his career as a radio administrator, he soon turned to politics and was elected to the Cameroonian territorial assembly in 1947. After an interim in the assembly of the French Union, he was re-elected to the territorial assembly and was its president from 1956 to 1957, when he was appointed minister of the interior and deputy prime minister; he was elevated to the post of prime minister in 1958.

When Cameroon became independent in 1960, Ahidjo was elected president. Re-elected at five-year intervals through to 1980, he resigned the presidency in 1982. As a result of deteriorating relations with his successor Paul Biya, Ahidjo went into exile in France in 1983 and gave up his leadership of the ruling National Cameroonian Union. While in exile, he was accused of plotting to overthrow Biya.