Prof. Tazoacha Asonganyi on DO Fonya's Death

I was informed right on the day of the incidence that DO Fonya was killed by "pirates" as they went out for a vaccination campaign. Although I immediately asked whether the medical officer died too, it turned out that there was no medical person in the team; therefore it could not have been a vaccination campaign. When the government later issued a communiqué and I read it between the lines, it was obvious to me that although the communiqué claimed that DO Fonya had been taken away by the assailants, he could not have missed death during the "sustained" shooting at their "boat" by the assailants from the firm grounds of the Island.

Since then, I have been one of the Thomases, wanting to see the corpse before I believe. In spite of all the discussions on the net, I still was not convinced, until I got an official announcement today that "five" corpses of the six people that were missing have been found. Since I believe that the corpse of DO Fonya is either among the five or will be found soon, I am forced to join those who, without seeing the corpse had drawn firm conclusions about our DO’s death.

I attended the "send-off" in Yaounde that flagged our brother Fonya to his first posting following his graduation from ENAM, so I was one of those to whom he declared his determination to serve Cameroon to the best of his ability. After serving the state as economic adviser to Governors in the South West and East, and then as DO in places like Bangem and Akwaya, he was posted to Muyuka, a sub-division heavily populated by Lebialem people. Since this was prior to the 2002 Legislative/ Municipal twin elections, it was generally believed that he was transferred there to ensure that “his people” voted for the governing party, the CPDM. This was buttressed by the fact that the opposition SDF controlled most of Fako, including the Muyuka Council ( since 1996) and the parliamentary seat in Muyuka (since 1997); the Prime Minister from Fako was anxious to let the CPDM control all of the South West Province, especially Fako Division, probably to secure his job.
When the 2002 twin elections came to pass, history has it that Muyuka was the only Council in Fako won by the SDF. History also has it that after the elections, DO Fonya was thought within CPDM circles not to have done his "job" well.

A Lebialem elite is known to have boated openly after the twin elections that they succeed to take over Fako and Lebialem which were controlled by the SDF, except Muyuka where “there is a small boy as DO”; he promised that “they” would deal with him!

When DO Fonya was later transferred to Bakassi, a war front, following the 2004 Presidential election, I believed strongly that this was "their" way of "dealing with him". DO Fonya has finally "fallen" at the war front! In other words, the wish of those who wanted to "deal with him" has been fulfilled.

Historically, the state has always been a neutral arbiter and facilitator of activities of society. Being the Lebialem man he was, and the representative of the state in Muyuka, he handled his job with seriousness, integrity, due respect for the wishes of the people he served, respect for the voice of his conscience and patriotism. The timing and manner of his death today cause all of us a lot of pain. This great pain and the burden he leaves behind can only be lightened with the knowledge that his death is a great lesson for us as individuals, Lebialem elites and as the state of Cameroon he served so gallantly.

As individuals, we should learn the lesson of dedication, integrity, the power of conscience and patriotism.

As Lebialem elites, we should integrate in our mindset the inevitable force of pluralism in human society and understand that strength comes not from selfishness, hatred, blackmail and punishment by containment or demotion but through togetherness, love, protection and encouragement by promotion. It does not speak well for Lebialem that is most unrepresented in the administration of Cameroon to have had a son like DO Fonya working for over a dozen years at the same level of DO...

The lesson for Cameroon is that she needs to review its policies in Bakassi and stop taking many things for granted; that a war zone is a war zone, with or without court decisions; and that the management of conflict there should be strictly in respect of the terms of the Greentree Accord, without extending the gross violation of human rights that is normal currency in Cameroon to the over 80% of the Nigerians that live in that territory of Cameroon, at the risk of compromising the peace process and inviting back our adversaries. ..

Our brother DO Fonya is no more! We can only pray for his soul to rest in perfect peace, and for him to intercede not only for those who loved him, but also for those who acted like foes. We pray the Lord Almighty to assuage the feelings of his dear wife, children and his entire family by letting them understand that it his His will that has been done.

Goodbye brother!!

Tazoacha Asonganyi
Yaounde.