| Chantal Biya | |
| Office: | First Lady of Cameroon |
| President: | Paul Biya |
| Term Label: | Assumed role |
| Term Start: | 23 April 1994 |
| Predecessor: | Jeanne-Irène Biya (1992) |
| Birth Name: | Chantal Pulchérie Vigouroux |
| Birth Date: | 4 December 1969 |
| Birth Place: | Dimako, East Province, Cameroon |
| Children: | 4 |
| Parents: | Georges Vigouroux Rosette Ndongo Mengolo |
Chantal Biya (Chantal Pulchérie Vigouroux; born 4 December 1969) is the current first lady of Cameroon.
Chantal Biya was born in Dimako, East Province, Cameroon.[1] Her father was French expatriate Georges Vigouroux. Her mother, Rosette Ndongo Mengolo, was a Miss Doumé pageant winner. Her mother was elected mayor of Bangou following the July 2007 municipal elections.[2] She spent her adolescence in Yaoundé.[3]
She established the French: Fondation Chantal Biya in 1994.[4] In 1996, she hosted the inaugural First Ladies Summit in Yaoundé.[5] The Jeunesse active pour Chantal Biya is an organ of her husband's Cameroon People's Democratic Movement.[6]
Paul and Chantal Biya's corruption and the theft of national assets of Cameroon has been well-documented. With her son Franck, she purchased apartments in Paris despite no visible income. U.S. diplomatic cables confirm endemic corruption in Cameroon, which reportedly amounted to more than $650 million between 2017 and 2022.[7]
In November 2010, Bertrand Teyou published a book, French: La belle de la république bananière{{nbsp (English: "The Belle of the Banana Republic: ChantalBiya, from the Streets to the Palace"),[8] tracing Biya's rise from humble origins to become First Lady.[9] He was subsequently given a two-year prison term on charges of "insult to character" and organising an "illegal demonstration" for attempting to hold a public reading.[9]
Amnesty International and PEN International's Writers in Prison Committee both protested his arrest and issued appeals on his behalf. Amnesty International named him a prisoner of conscience.[9] [10] He was freed in April 2011 when a well wisher agreed to pay his fine in order that he might seek treatment for his worsening health.[11]
She married Paul Biya, who is 36 years her senior, on 23 April 1994, after his first wife, Jeanne-Irène Biya, died in 1992.[12] She has twin sons Franck and Patrick Hertz (born 1987) with her first husband.[13] With Paul Biya, she has two children: Paul Jr. and Anastasia Brenda.[14]
Chantal Biya is known for her elaborate hairstyles.[12] [15] Particularly Mrs. Biya's use of wigs,[16] her signature style is called the banane, and is used for formal occasions. Biya has popularised other styles. Collectively, they are known as the Chantal Biya. She is known for her exotic wardrobe. Among her favourite designers are high-end European labels such as Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton.[12]