NO MOBILE PHONES ALLOWED AT UNITY PALACE AS PAUL BIYA RECEIVES WAFCON CHAMPIONS
The Indomitable Lionesses, crowned African champions in Morocco after their 3-0 victory over Malawi, will be received this Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Unity Palace by President Paul Biya and his wife. The ceremony is scheduled for 4 p.m. But one mention on the official invitation has particularly drawn attention: “Mobile phones are not allowed within the premises of Unity Palace.”
This instruction takes on particular significance when compared with previous receptions held for the national teams. In December 2016, Paul Biya received the Indomitable Lionesses at Unity Palace following the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations hosted in Cameroon. The presidency still keeps the speech delivered on that occasion in its archives. A few weeks later, following the Indomitable Lions’ triumph at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, the reception held at the Palace included an extensive photo session with the president, his wife, the players and guests. The official account of the ceremony explicitly mentions this photo session.
The contrast is therefore worth highlighting. The 2026 African champions are arriving at the Palace under a rule that prevents guests from carrying their phones, whereas previous ceremonies had allowed plenty of room for photographs and close-up images. The difference is even more noticeable in the age of smartphones, which now allow guests to instantly capture and share their own images of a presidential ceremony.
The decision also comes in a particular context for Paul Biya. The head of state returned to Cameroon on August 20, after spending 74 days outside the country. His return was itself marked by unusual media coverage. The images broadcast from Yaoundé-Nsimalen airport were particularly limited: the president was seen greeting those who had come to welcome him, but the sequence did not feature the extended exposure on the tarmac that Cameroonians had become accustomed to during some of his previous returns.
@breakingnews.com
NO MOBILE PHONES ALLOWED AT UNITY PALACE AS PAUL BIYA RECEIVES WAFCON CHAMPIONS
