Sons and daughters of Manyu have resolved
that no matter the context of AgborTabi’s death, and given the legacy he has
left behind, he must be given the burial of the king that he was. (Prof.
AgborTabi was also the ‘Ntufam’ or better still, the ‘Nfor’ of Ndekwai village,
in Eyumojock sub-division of the South West region).
Manyu
elements have unanimously resolved that given the multi-dimensional roles, and
especially the many caps that he wore, AgborTabi’s funeral must reflect his
status as political leader and chief.
“We
are lamenting the fall of a general on the field of battle. So we must stand
like one man and talk with one voice. We must all put hands on deck and give
our departed brother a burial befitting of the people that he incarnated,” said
Dr. Agbor-AmbangAntem, who reiterated that “no matter the context of
AgborTabi’s death, it is the identity of Manyu that is at stake.”
He
added that “AgborTabi epitomized the Manyu image and character; and that that
identity has to be protected and preserved at all times, no matter what it
takes.”
Manyu
sons and daughters are also determined that irrespective of what the state will
allocate for AgborTabi’s funeral, especially given that he died in active service,
his Manyu brothers and sisters must put together all it takes to make his
burial colourful and historic.
They
took the firm commitment at a meeting of Manyu elements in and out of Yaounde,
last Monday 2 May 2016, at AgborTabi’s sumptuous and expansive palace at
Biteng, Yaounde.
Held
under the canopy of the Manyu Elements Cultural Association, MECA, the meeting
was presided over by the Minister in charge of Special Duties at the
Presidency, H.E. Victor MengotArrey, who was assisted by Prof. Ako Edward,
Rector of Maroua University, who is also head of AgborTabi’s maternal siblings.
During
the meeting, MECANS maintained that no mater the state of the road, AgborTabi’s
corpse must get to Mamfe only through the Kumba-Mamfe road.
“As
Minister in government, our patron, father, brother and son did not only
represent Manyu but the entire South West. And so, his body should be made to
pass through all the major towns of the SW region before it gets to Mamfe,”
suggested one MECAN. The suggestion was unanimously accepted.
It
was also agreed that because none of AgborTabi’s several compounds in Mamfe
would be expansive enough to contain the thousands of people that would come
for the funeral, his body would be laid at the Mamfe grandstand during the
funeral ceremonies.
Then,
as it is the tradition in Manyu, his body will be conveyed to his village,
Ndekwai, in Eyumojock sub-division, for
burial by the Ekpe society.
No
alcohol during funeral
But
one point might pose a problem to mourners during the funeral ceremonies. We
were told that AgborTabi before his death, expressed the wish that if ever he
died, alcohol should not be served during his funeral. He said those who were
thirsty for alcohol should do him the honour and wait until after he had been
buried. It should be told that in his life time, AgborTabi neither drank
alcohol nor smoked cigarettes. But it is not known if he also spared the babes.
Tentative Funeral Program
Monday 30 May: Arrival of mortal remains at Nsimalen Airport.
-
Conveyance to Yaounde General Hospital
Thursday, 02 June: Corpse removal at Yaounde General Hospital.
-
Academic Honours at IRIC, UNIYAO II
-
Laying in state at family residence in Biteng
-
All-night vigil
Friday, 03 June: Conveyance of corpse to Mamfe via Kumba
-
Laying in state at Mamfe grandstand
-
State and other honours
-
Wake keeping
Saturday 04 June: Conveyance to Ndekwai, village, Eyumojock sub-division
Burial
in by Ekpe society
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