Cameroonians had anticipated the traditional image of their long-serving leader descending the aircraft’s steps, shaking hands with the influential figures of the Etoudi palace. Instead, they were shown only a hand. In the realm of politics, such a restricted gesture is far from insignificant. The symbolism of the hand in political discourse can be understood through four distinct levels: the hand that takes life, the hand that deceives, the hand that bestows blessings, and ultimately, the hand that governs.

Degree 1: The hand that takes life

In ancient Rome’s gladiatorial arenas, the vast crowd would fall silent, their gaze fixed solely on Caesar’s hand. A raised thumb meant life for the gladiator; a lowered thumb, death. On Thursday, August 20, in Yaoundé, the dynamic was inverted. It was no longer the emperor’s hand dictating a gladiator’s fate. Instead, it was the gladiator’s (the president’s) hand that needed to affirm his continued existence to the nation. Cameroonians witnessed President Biya’s hand offering a salute, a solitary gesture confirming his living return.

Degree 2: The hand that deceives

When physical capabilities wane, deception often takes over, particularly through a hand’s action. Recall 1986, when Argentine legend Diego Maradona famously scored against England using his hand, dubbing it the ‘Hand of God.’ Though everyone saw the illicit act, the referee controversially allowed the goal. Similarly, on that Thursday, while all observers noted only a hand, CRTV, Cameroon’s national television, with its substantial crew of 200 dedicated to covering the presidential motorcade, presented this limited appearance as a veritable miracle, validating the illusion.

Degree 3: The hand that bestows blessings

Within religious traditions, power and divine authority frequently emanate from the hand. Priests lay hands for blessings, the Pope delivers his Urbi et orbi benediction, and monarchs are consecrated through anointing. Once sanctified, the hand becomes a sacred relic. On this Thursday, however, an inverse liturgy unfolded. A ‘hand-relic’ emerged from behind a tinted window, much like a reliquary paraded on holy days, intended to reassure the faithful and sustain their belief.

Degree 4: The hand that governs

This brings us to the ultimate level: the hand that signs. For the 74 days of President Biya’s brief sojourn in Switzerland, the narrative maintained that the state continued to function. Why? Because, it was asserted, the hand was actively signing decrees, appointments, and legislation. The hand was present in its function, even if the body was physically absent. This concept aligns with the most ancient legal definition of power: the manus, the hand. In Latin, manus embodies potency and authority. There are no longer grand speeches, no full physical presence, no stately walk across the tarmac. All that remains is the signature and the salute. The hand that signs and the hand that greets.

In ancient Rome, the hand determined life or death for others. In ecclesiastical settings, it conferred blessings. In Yaoundé, it primarily signifies that the individual wielding it remains firmly in power. After an extensive forty-three-year tenure, Cameroonians must now adjust, for an indeterminate period likely to be shorter than longer, to a governance defined by a solitary hand. Cameroonian journalist Marie Roger Biloa offers a more blunt assessment: she declares that “Cameroon must prepare to confront the definitive disappearance of a president who is already de facto absent.“