From Silence to Hashtags: How Social Media Shattered the Wall of Silence in Cameroon 🇨🇲📱

Cliquez ici pour lire en français

For decades in Cameroon, cases of sexual abuse stayed hidden—trapped in private circles, silenced by fear, shame, or complicity. But in January 2024, the Hervé Bopda case broke that wall, propelled by the viral force of social media. What started as a single testimony quickly snowballed into a national reckoning, echoing the #MeToo wave that shook France in 2017.

The Digital Megaphone 📢

It all began with a Facebook post by whistleblower N’zui Manto, soon followed by leaked screenshots, voice notes, and anonymous testimonies flooding Twitter (X) and Instagram.

Suddenly, the name of Hervé Bopda, a businessman and socialite, became synonymous with accusations of sexual assault and predatory behavior. The story spilled out from one timeline to dominate the country’s feeds.

Victims shared eerily similar experiences, some detailing threats they faced after rejecting his advances.

“It was the first time I saw so many women daring to speak up. Even if it was risky, they supported each other. The only pity is that it remained anonymous,” says Élodie, a university student interviewed at a cybercafé.

Within days, hashtags began trending, amplifying voices long buried in silence. The story forced mainstream media—and even the authorities—to acknowledge what was happening.

“Without Twitter and Facebook, we would never have known what this man was doing. Victims were afraid to talk, but once testimonies started circulating, others found the courage to speak up. That’s the power of social media,” explains Odeline, a computer scientist.

#StopBopda and Cameroon’s #MeToo ✊

In less than 48 hours, #StopBopda dominated national trends. Instagram stories carried warnings like “Don’t go out alone” and “Be careful with your appointments.”

On Twitter, users built detailed threads that resembled crowdsourced investigations—dates, screenshots, timelines. It was citizen-driven journalism unfolding entirely online.

On the streets of Yaoundé, in taxis and public squares, people were talking about little else.

“This isn’t just a scandal—it’s a turning point. Now, every predator knows he can be exposed at any moment. Smartphones have become our citizen surveillance cameras,” says a young SIM card vendor.

While #MeToo took root globally years ago, it was the Bopda case that showed Cameroonians that the digital sphere could also break silence. Yet here, the risks are higher: whistleblowers face both social backlash and legal threats. Platforms are a space of solidarity—but also of cyber-harassment.

When Social Media Forces Action🚨

More than 70 anonymous testimonies accusing Bopda circulated online. The movement soon gained traction with artists, athletes, and influencers across Africa and beyond.

“Let’s be honest: if this case had stayed in the courts, it would have ended in dismissal. But with online pressure, with a hashtag that went global, the authorities had no choice but to act—even if it didn’t lead to full accountability,” says Nathalie, an entrepreneur.

By late January 2024, Bopda was arrested. State broadcaster CRTV described him as “a suspect accused of having raped or sexually assaulted a very large number of young women.” The government also responded, with the Minister for Women and Family Affairs welcoming the move by judicial authorities to investigate.

The Rights of the Accused ⚖️

Amid the uproar, Cameroon’s Bar Association and Human Rights Commission warned against mob justice, calling for a fair legal process. Human rights activist Bergeline Domou even penned an open letter urging the authorities to take Bopda into custody—not only to investigate, but also to protect him from vigilante reprisals.

Bopda was charged with offenses ranging from illegal possession of a weapon and fraud to sexual harassment. Later, after new complaints, charges escalated to include gang rape and attempted kidnapping at gunpoint.

He was placed in pretrial detention on February 29, 2024, in Douala, and released on bail on August 19, 2024.

The Web as a Court of Public Opinion 🌍

The Bopda case is more than a scandal—it’s a mirror held up to Cameroonian society. It shows the disruptive power of social platforms: transforming whispers into collective outcry, and pushing taboo debates into the open.

In a country where the justice system is often slow—or partial—the internet has become a court of public opinion. But that court has no appeals: it refuses silence, amplifies voices once buried, and forces society to face uncomfortable truths.

Cameroon has now entered an era where a hashtag can dismantle reputations and change the trajectory of history. In this digital age, every click can be evidence—or condemnation.

What Do You Think !?
👉 Should social media play this role of “people’s tribunal” in such sensitive cases? Share your thoughts.