Paddy Mbawa: The Journalist Who Refused to Be Silenced

Paddy Mbawa was a proud alumnus of Sacred Heart College and a journalist par excellance

By The Editorial Desk – The Independentist

Journalism is rarely a safe profession—especially under authoritarian regimes. In Cameroon, during the decades-long rule of President Paul Biya, truth-telling became a perilous act. Yet amidst censorship, intimidation, and imprisonment, one voice stood tall: Paddy Mbawa.

A proud alumnus of Sacred Heart College, Paddy Mbawa may not have been formally trained in journalism, but he exemplified the core principles of the craft—integrity, courage, and accountability. As a writer for The Cameroon Post during the twilight of West Cameroon’s autonomy, Mbawa earned a reputation as one of the region’s most principled and fearless reporters.

Among his most consequential work was a series of investigative articles probing financial mismanagement within the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC), during a period when Peter Mafany Musonge held senior management roles. While official records remain limited, Mbawa’s reporting reportedly led to his arrest, triggering condemnation from press freedom advocates and human rights organizations, including Amnesty International. Following mounting pressure, he was eventually released—an early testament to the power of international solidarity for imprisoned journalists.

In the wake of Cameroon’s contested presidential elections, Paddy Mbawa again found himself at the center of a dangerous revelation. He reported on a French naval frigate said to have been discreetly docked in Douala, allegedly equipped and poised to launch an operation targeting civilian areas in the Northwest Region, particularly Bamenda. Though these claims were never officially acknowledged, they reflected the level of fear and volatility gripping the country at the time—and the grave risks journalists undertook in their pursuit of truth.

Paddy Mbawa’s career was marked not just by what he reported, but by what he represented: a refusal to bow to fear. He wrote in defiance of intimidation, believing that an informed public was the cornerstone of liberty. His pen became a beacon for young reporters navigating the same treacherous terrain, especially in Ambazonia where journalism continues to be an act of resistance.

Today, as press freedom continues to face existential threats in Cameroon and beyond, Mbawa’s story reminds us that journalism matters most when it is most under threat. His legacy is not just one of defiance, but of service—to the truth, to the people, and to history.

In remembering Paddy Mbawa, we honor all journalists who risk everything to keep the truth alive.

The Editorial Desk – The Independentist