#Elections2025 : From unpaid wages to viral fame: the unlikely political moment shaking Cameroon 📢

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As Cameroon’s presidential race heats up, social media has been busy spotlighting fresh faces far removed from the usual political heavyweights. One in particular has captured national attention—not for fiery speeches or sweeping reforms, but for a deeply personal fight that’s been dragging on for five years: getting back the rest of his salary, which he says was unfairly cut off.

That man is Léopold Bessiping, a rejected candidate for the Rassemblement des Forces Écologiques pour la Relance de l’Économie (RFERE). What started as an individual grievance has snowballed into a viral cause, drawing audiences with top officials to finally address his case.

It all started online 📲

The spark came during the filing period for Cameroon’s October 12, 2025, presidential election. As Bessiping left the room after submitting his candidacy, a quick interview clip hit social media—and exploded. His now-infamous line, “On ajoute pas l’argent sur l’Aaaaaar…” (“You don’t just add money to the Mooo…”), became an instant meme.

« On ajoute pas l’argent sur l’Aaaaaar… »

People liked, laughed, mocked, and shared it without realizing the frustration behind it. Then came the blow: when the provisional list of approved candidates was published, Bessiping’s name was missing. He appealed to the Constitutional Council, but his case was dismissed.

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From rejection to media revelation 📣

On August 5, visibly upset after the rejection, Bessiping spoke to reporters again—this time about something far more personal. He claimed that part of his salary as a retired physics and chemistry teacher had been cut without explanation since 2020. He pulled out years of unanswered official correspondence, including a formal complaint filed in 2022.

Within hours, the interview went viral. Hashtags like #RendezLuiSonSalaire (“Give him back his salary”) and #JusticePourBessiping started trending on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and WhatsApp.

“How can people laugh at this video? Are we listening to the same thing? This man says he almost got burned in his house by his landlord… Listen before you joke. God! Give him airtime and give him his money,” wrote Facebook user Camille Owono.

A personal battle turned collective cause 💡

What could have been dismissed as one man’s bureaucratic struggle quickly became something bigger—a rallying point for those fed up with public administration’s silent injustices.

“It’s good to solve his problem, but it would be even better to solve this for all those like him—retirees whose pensions are blocked by the Ministry of Finance until they show up and ‘negotiate’ a cut. Public service is supposed to be free, but the way things work here is shameful,” read a widely shared Facebook comment from Yves Ekome.

Others chimed in with similar experiences, pointing to years of delays, red tape, and systemic neglect. Calvin Beloko, for example, shared how his widowed mother has been waiting eight years for her late husband’s pension to be processed—despite countless follow-ups.

Meanwhile, satire took over TikTok, parody videos turned his ordeal into a serialized drama, and X users posted threads tracing every twist in his story. Supporters began praising him for having “the courage to turn his own struggle into part of the campaign narrative.”

Digital solidarity that couldn’t be ignored 🧠

Bessiping’s journey reflects a shift in how politics plays out in Cameroon: the internet has become a space to humanize candidates. His authenticity—plainspoken, unpolished, and relatable—has built him a base of support that didn’t exist at the start of the race.

The viral wave forced doors open. On August 6, he met with the Minister of Public Service and Administrative Reform. The Ministry of Finance has also scheduled him for an audience with the minister on August 11 to review the suspension of his payments and explore ways to restore his rights.

“He’s one of the few who didn’t try to ‘polish’ his Facebook image. He talks like everyone else, complains like everyone else. Naturally, people connect with that—and suddenly, the authorities are paying attention,” one Facebook user observed.

The internet breaking the institutional silence 🧨

What Bessiping is going through is no longer just his story—it’s a mirror of the quiet frustrations so many endure. His viral rise wasn’t about his presidential ambitions, but about his vulnerability and his decision to make it public.

In a country where administrative silence is the norm, his campaign—intended or not—has broken through the noise. And with just a click, the public turned a personal grievance into a national conversation.

The internet didn’t just transmit his plea; it transformed it into a symbol of resistance. This is no longer about a paycheck—it’s about an ordinary man thrust into the center of a debate on dignity, justice, and the power of digital solidarity.

And you—do you think the internet has become the last resort to be heard in the face of bureaucracy??