Otto Alexander Abange:

Mukonje village chairman dies as land dispute with Bafaws escalates 

By Doh Bertrand Nua in Kumba

Otto Alexander Abange,

The ugly hands of death have snatched life out of the Traditional Council Chairman of the Mukonje community, Otto Alexander Abange. The news of his demise which spread like wildfire in the morning of Monday October 2, 2017  has left the population of Kumba in general and Mukonje in particular in surprise and shock, especially as it was not immediately known what caused the sudden death of Otto Alexander Abange. Many Kumba denizens testified the saw him cruising around town in his jeep just hours to his demise.

                The sudden death of Otto Alexander comes at a time when the court ruling on the Mukonje-Bafaw land crisis is still being awaited and also at a time when the lead counsel for the Bafaws, Barrister Awutah Atubah had dragged Otto Alexander to court for defamation.

                Otto’s death has however left a vacuum in the Mukonje Traditional council as another dynamic person will have to be chosen to continue handling the hot files of the Mukonje-Bafaw land saga.

                Otto Alexander Abange, considered by many as a courageous fighter, was the who almost singled-handedly handled and followed-up the land case pitting the Bafaws and the Mukonjes over ownership of the land earmarked to host the permanent structures of the Higher Technical Teachers Training College, HTTTC, Kumba, as well as the parcel of land lying directly opposite the HTTTC stretching to the Kumba Railway station.

                Otto Alexander’s death therefore leaves many unanswered questions in the minds of many, as to what now becomes of the land crisis. Many are asking who will now fight for the Mukonjes as Otto used to do? What will happen to the court case brought against him by Barrister Awutah? What will be the fate of those who bought plots of land at the disputed area from the deceased traditional council chairman? All these questions are blowing in the wind.

                At press time Sunday, Otto’s mortal remains had been deposited at the Kumba mortuary pending burial arrangements.