“Minister Grégoire Owona is alive and right now at his residence in Yaoundé. Any other different information is false”. It was this post dated 15 December 2016 from Bertrand Didier Bougha, Manager of the Communication services at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, who put an end to the rumour spread on social networks in the evening of 14 December.

On the alleged Facebook page of Aminatou Ahidjo, daughter of the former President of Cameroon Ahmadou Ahidjo (5 May1960 – 6 May 1982) and current Chairperson of the Palais des Congrès of Yaoundé, it was possible to read until late in the night of 14 December: “I announce the passing of Minister Grégoire Owona”.

Except, once the rumour was denied, the post of the alleged Aminatou Ahidjo disappeared and was replaced by another: “Cameroon/Latest update \ Denying the rumour of his “death which occurred in Paris this evening”, journalist Bertrand-Didier Bougha, Communication Manager at the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (Mtss) writes: “Minister Grégoire Owona is alive and right now in his residence in Yaoundé. Any other different information is untrue.”.

These insubstantial and contradictory posts are indicators that the “Aminatou Ahidjo” account is fake. Furthermore, what is regularly posted on this “fake” account is rather flimsy. One can see questions such as : “do you think an age difference could be a problem in a couple?”. Or: “Live with your spouse by pity or to please his family! This is a situation which cannot make you happy and of you are not happy in your couple, you cannot bring joy to your spouse because your are a prisoner and he is your guard. If you loved him before, rewind and find out what killed the love, talk with him to set right the mistakes. If you were not in love before then best not to go any further because this will create heartache for many more people, in my humble opinion”.

As if this is the type of idle debate which interests the Chairwoman of a public administration.

Sylvain Andzongo