[3] A native of northern Cameroon and a friend of President Ahmadou Ahidjo,[4] Ousmane Mey was appointed as Federal Inspector of Administration for the North Province in 1968.
[5] He was part of the small circle of Ahidjo's associates who crafted the 1972 constitution providing for a unitary state, and he was responsible for typing the initial draft.
[1][2] Described as "the immovable governor", he was entrusted with maintaining firm control over Ahidjo's native region and primary support base, and he strongly favored the appointment of members of the Fulbe ethnic group to administrative posts in the province.
[7] In an entirely unanticipated move, President Ahidjo announced his resignation on 4 November 1982 and was succeeded by Paul Biya, a southerner, two days later.
[9] Although key Ahidjo loyalists were removed from office during the power struggle, President Biya later restored some of them to administrative posts.