Ahmadou Ahidjo

According to UNESCO, Ahmadou Ahidjo became Prime Minister of Cameroon under French trusteeship on 18 February 1958. He negotiated with Paris the territory's move to internal self-government and then to independence, while maintaining close ties with France. Cameroon gained independence on 1 January 1960 as the Republic of Cameroon, with Ahmadou Ahidjo as president. According to the Presidency of the Republic, Ahmadou Ahidjo resigned as president on 4 November 1982, citing health reasons, and his successor Paul Biya was sworn in on 6 November. He also resigned as chairman of the single party in August 1983 and went into exile. According to Africa Spectrum, a military tribunal sentenced 35 people to death after the 6 April 1984 coup attempt in Yaoundé. Ahmadou Ahidjo, then in exile, was also sentenced to death in absentia. Accounts differ on his actual involvement in the plot.

Official sourceUNESCO – General History of AfricaPublished 1 Jan 1993Verified 6 Sept 2026

Related events

Related events
Date	Event	Era	Source
18 February 1958	Ahmadou Ahidjo becomes Prime Minister as Cameroon gains internal autonomy	Independence and reunification	Official sourceUNESCO – General History of Africa
4 November 1982 – 6 November 1982	Ahmadou Ahidjo’s resignation and Paul Biya’s inauguration	The Renouveau era (since 1982)	Official sourcePresidency of the Republic of Cameroon
6 April 1984 – 30 April 1984	The 6 April 1984 coup attempt · Contested	The Renouveau era (since 1982)	Official sourceAfrica Spectrum (peer-reviewed journal)