Defence minister pays hommage to late Inspector General of Armed Forces.

The elite of the South Region died in Paris, France, on June 7 after suffering from an illness. He gave up the ghost at the Ambroise-Pare Hartmann Hospital in Paris at the age of 85.

The ceremony was organised in honour of the deceased military official on the instruction of the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

The sorrowful event was attended by some members of government, the military and civilian authorities, friends and family members of the deceased. It was marked by a brief church service led by a college of priests. 

In the preacher’s message, he exalted the mourners to give God a pride of place while alive on earth as no one knows the time or the hour the cold hands of death will knock on his or her door. 

The deceased’s family representative, on her part, said the Vice Admiral was a gentle, and kind-hearted man with a mixture of level-headedness.

While reading a brief biography of the deceased, the family representative extended their gratitude to the elite of the South Region and the church for their support and encouragement during the period of mourning.

Also, members of government present at the ceremony, included amongst others Minister of Higher Education, Jacque Fammes Ndogo; Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Jules Doret Ndongo; Minister of State Properties, Surveys and Land tenure, Henri Eyebe Ayissi; Minister of Public Health, Dr Manaouda Malachie, and Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Minette Libom Li Likeng, to comfort the mourners.

At the end of the funeral mass, the sealed casket of the late Vice Amiral was conveyed to the Yaounde General Hospital mortuary pending official state burial.

About the Inspector General

Born on September 7, 1939, in Bikui, Lolodorf Subdivision, in the South Region, Vice Amiral N’gouah N’gally completed primary education in Ocean Division, in the same region. 

He later moved to General Leclerc Government High School Yaounde where he continued with his higher education. He later graduated from the French Naval Academy in Brest from 1961 to 1963 and earning him his paratrooper certification in 1962. 

He further enhanced his skills at the French Gendarmerie Officers’ School in Melun from 1968-1972 and the Joint Higher War College in Paris from 1986 to 1988.

Thanks to his dedication and exceptional leadership qualities, Vice Amiral N’gouah N’gally ascended to the prestigious position of Chief of Staff of Cameroon Navy in 1980, a role he occupied for over three decades. 

Also, under his visionary guidance, the National Navy underwent a remarkable transformation, earning it the respect and admiration of the international community.  

Beyond his military accomplishments, the deceased N’gouah N’gally was renowned for his expertise in the fields of defence, maritime security and naval strategy. 

He also played a crucial role during the conflict between Cameroon and Nigeria over the Bakassi Peninsula as he served there as first Commander of DELTA. 

The fallen soldier equally earned a degree in Degree in Law and Economics, a Master’s degree in Law and Political Science as well as from a Graduate of the Institute of Criminology of the Paris Faculty of Law. 

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3148 of Monday June 24, 2024