[3] Born Jeanne-Irène Atyam Ndoumin, she married Paul Biya on 2 September 1961, in Antony, Paris.

[4] She studied at the midwifery school in Nantes and, after her return to Cameroon, worked as a qualified midwife in the Pavillon Baudelocque of the Yaoundé Central Hospital.

Rumors arose in Cameroon that Jeanne-Irène Biya's death had occurred in an unnatural manner, and that he had been out of the country at the time for alibi reasons.

[5][6][3] It is also speculated that the two nuns of Djoum, who had close relations with Jeanne-Irène Biya, were also assassinated.

[6] He was named Franck Emmanuel Olivier Biya, and is considered to be the successor to his authoritarian father.