Simon Achidi Achu

Achidi Achu was born in Bamenda and grew up in Santa, located in the Northwest Province of Cameroon. He completed primary education in Santa and then continued to Cameroon Protestant College, where he had his GCE Ordinary Level. Pa Achu later continued to the University of Yaoundé, where he participated in the creation of the Student Association, which still exists. He also served as the association's first president. He continued his studies in Marseille, France.

Achidi Achu was a state magistrate from October 1965 to October 1966.Christophe Dongmo, [http://www.camerounlink.net/fr/experts.php?nid=38290&pid=2205 "CL-Experts : Achidu Achu and the “Opposition Devil Plan” during the 1992 Presidential Elections"], Camerounlink.com, 10 June 2008. Later, he was appointed Minister Delegate at the State Federal Inspectorate in late October 1971.[https://books.google.com/books?id=1f5xAAAAMAAJ&q=achidi Africa Research Bulletin] (1971), page 2,281. He was subsequently appointed Minister of Justice by Cameroonian President Ahmadou Ahidjo on 3 July 1972,[http://www.spm.gov.cm/showgouv.php?module=showindividu&lang=fr&pers=106 Cameroonian government page on Achu] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220502/http://www.spm.gov.cm/showgouv.php?module=showindividu&lang=fr&pers=106 |date=27 September 2007 }} {{in lang|fr}}. remaining in that position until 1975.{{cite web |title=Rétro - CELCOM MINJUSTICE |url=https://minjustice.cm/retro/ |publisher=Ministry of Justice of Cameroon |date=29 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240529055036/https://minjustice.cm/retro/ |archive-date=29 May 2024 }} Pa Simon then returned to Santa and started the Rock Farm Ranch as a farmer.

He stayed out of politics for several years, then he was elected as a member of the National Assembly. President Paul Biya later appointed him Prime Minister on 9 April 1992, following the March 1992 parliamentary election. He was the first Anglophone Prime Minister of Cameroon.Piet Konings, "The Post-Colonial State and Economic and Political Reforms in Cameroon", Liberalization in the Developing World (1996), ed. Alex E. Fernández Jilberto and André Mommen, Routledge, page 260.

On 10 October 1992, the day before the 1992 presidential election, Achidi Achu appeared on Cameroon Radio and Television and addressed the people in French, his second language. In this address, he accused the opposition, led by Social Democratic Front (SDF) candidate John Fru Ndi, of having a "diabolical plan" (plan diabolique) to prosecute and execute the leading figures of the state, government, and military if it won the election, and he urged the people to reject the opposition in order to avert potential violence and instability.

Following Biya's victory in the 1992 election, Achidi Achu remained Prime Minister until 19 September 1996, when he was replaced by Peter Mafany Musonge. Achidi Achu was later appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Investment Corporation (Société nationale des Investissements) on 3 March 2003.[https://archive.today/20120730062710/http://www.cameroon-info.net/cmi_show_news.php?id=12527 "Achidi Achu fait le tour du propriétaire"], Cameroon-info.net, 19 March 2003 {{in lang|fr}}.

Achidi Achu was a member of the Central Committee of the ruling CPDM.{{cite web |url=http://www.rdpcpdm.cm/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=56 |title=List of members of the RDPC Central Committee |accessdate=30 June 2007 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630200238/http://www.rdpcpdm.cm/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=56 |archivedate=30 June 2007}}, RDPC website {{in lang|fr}}. He was also a member of the National Commission for the coordination of Biya's election campaign in the 2004 presidential election and was the president of the campaign's support and follow up committee in the Northwest Province.[http://www.presidentielle2004.gov.cm/detail_art.php?id_art=79&lang=en "President Paul Biya selects campaign team"] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20070610203214/http://www.presidentielle2004.gov.cm/detail_art.php?id_art=79&lang=en |date=10 June 2007 }}, 2004 presidential election website. He has also headed the discipline commission of the CPDM.Essama Essomba, [http://www.cameroon-info.net/cmi_show_news.php?id=21398 "Retrouvailles: Achidi Achu chez Paul Biya"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229053737/http://www.cameroon-info.net/cmi_show_news.php?id=21398 |date=29 December 2007 }}, Cameroon Tribune (Cameroon-info.net, 26 December 2007 {{in lang|fr}}. During the campaign for the July 2007 parliamentary and municipal elections, Achidi Achu was a member of the CPDM's Central Campaign Committee; he was also President of the CPDM Provincial Campaign Committee in the Northwest Province.{{cn|date=May 2021}}

In 2009, Achidi Achu became one of three members of the CPDM North West Section's newly established Council of the Wise, which was intended to formulate strategy and tactics to enable the CPDM to attain dominance in the North West Province, where the opposition Social Democratic Front (SDF) has been traditionally dominant.

In the April 2013 Senate election, Achidi Achu was elected to the Senate as the top candidate on the CPDM's list for Northwest Province.[http://www.cameroonvoice.com/news/news.rcv?id=10716 "Dossier. Les visages des premiers sénateurs élus au Cameroun (Suite et fin)"], Le Messager, 2 May 2013 {{in lang|fr}}. When the Bureau of the Senate was elected on 12 June 2013, Achidi Achu received the post of Vice-President of the Senate.[http://www.cameroon-tribune.cm/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74279:le-bureau-elu-du-senat&catid=1:politique&Itemid=3 "Le bureau élu du Sénat"], Cameroon Tribune, 13 June 2013 {{in lang|fr}}.

He died on 4 May 2021, at the age of 86, after recovering from an illness in the United States.[https://www.voaafrique.com/a/simon-achidi-achu-ancien-premier-ministre-camerounais-est-mort-aux-etats-unis/5878068.html Décès de l'ancien premier ministre camerounais Simon Achidi Achu] {{in lang|fr}}

{{Reflist}}

{{s-start}}

{{s-off}}

{{succession box|title=Prime Minister of Cameroon|before=Sadou Hayatou|after=Peter Mafany Musonge|years=1992–1996}}

{{s-end}}

{{CameroonPMs}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Achu, Simon Achidi}}

Category:1934 births

Category:2021 deaths

Category:Members of the National Assembly (Cameroon)

Category:Prime ministers of Cameroon

Category:Justice ministers of Cameroon

Category:Cameroon People's Democratic Movement politicians

Category:People from Bamenda