National homage to fallen soldiers:

Biya uses one stone to shoot several birds

While paying tribute to the fallen soldiers, President Biya also called on Cameroonians to show respect for the national flag and ensure unity and oneness as symbolized by the golden star on the flag

By Ojong Steven Ayukogem in Yaounde

President Biya had a field day on Friday at the Quartier Generale

President Paul BIYA has described Friday 3 February 2017 as a sad and painful day in the history of Cameroon. The President made the remark in his scripted address while presiding over a ceremony to pay tribute to four military officers who died in the helicopter crash of 22 January 2017 in Tchoffo in the Far North Region. The four officers including an army general, a colonel of the gendarmerie and two lieutenants died when their helicopter crashed as they were returning from a reconnaissance mission they undertook to the Waza zone where the Boko Haram insurgency is endemic.

                Paul Biya who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces posthumously elevated the fallen soldiers to higher ranks and gave them special decorations as a symbol of the sympathy and honour of the entire Nation.

                Thus Brigadier General KODJI Jacob was raised to the rank of Major General; Colonel NKAMENI Alphonse was raised to the rank of Brigadier General and Lieutenants CHINDA MU TANKAM Brice Aurelien and SOULOUKNA NGRASSOU Basile were raised to the rank of Captain. The four officers were also decorated with the Cameroon Cross of Military Valour.

                Expressing his condolences to the wives of the fallen heroes, President Biya held their hands and assured them that the Nation will always show solidarity with them because their husbands are heroes who sacrificed their lives for the nation. He enjoined the minister of defence and his colleague of finance to ensure that all the dues and benefits owed to the officers as provided for by the law are paid to their families within the earliest delay.

                The head of state used the occasion to enjoin all Cameroonians to emulate the good example of the valiant soldiers by showing unreserved respect for the national flag and rallying around the gold star in the flag that symbolizes the unity within a one and indivisible Cameroon.

                Commentators at the event said the president could not miss the opportunity offered by the tribute ceremony to fire a clarion call to agitators in NW and SW regions of the country, some of whom are clamouring for a separation of the country, while others notably SW elite continue to preach divisive and hate propaganda against their NW brothers.

                The presence of foreign diplomats resident in Cameroon and state dignitaries including the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Prime Minister, authorities of the Supreme Court, Government ministers, senior military officers; families of the departed and a huge crowd of sympathisers was telling of the solemnity and importance of the event.

Needless to state that the presence of the head of state at a tribute event is a mark of the highest respect and honour that the state can give to fallen soldiers or soldiers going on retirement. See President Biya’s address below.