After taxi burnt by Amba fighters: Mbayu, Fongod two others offer car to physically challenged B’da cab driver.

Suspected Amba fighters had pulled Fru Nde out his cab and set it ablaze on June 18, 2024, at Che Street in Bamenda, Mezam Division of the North West Region. The incident had left Nde Fru helpless.

But yesterday, he received a new car during a brief ceremony in Yaounde. It was an emotion-packed moment for Fru Nde, who could not stop shedding tears of joy.

The beneficiary showered praises on his benefactors for putting smiles on his face. Fru Nde, saluted the North West elite present and two others who were absent for their show of compassion. A pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, was on hand to dedicate the car to God. 

The Woman of God, in a brief exhortation, prayed God to bless the works of Fru Nde’s benefactors. She also asked for security and heavenly blessings on the beneficiary, as he puts the new car to commercial use.

 After the prayers and dedication ritual, Fru Nde then received the documents and keys to the car from the hands of Dr Asheri Kilo.  Dr Asheri said as elite, they all lived the driver’s pain when enemies of peace destroyed his source of livelihood. She praised Fru Nde’s resilience to live a decent life, despite being physically challenged. 

Dr Asheri reminded the cab driver of the symbolism of handing him the car at the court yard of a church house, assuring him of more strength to put the car to use.

For the Director General of Customs, Edwin Fongod, the gesture from the elite is synonymous to combined blessings. He cautioned the driver to put the car to proper use and take good care of his family.

Fongod prayed God to forgive those who burnt Fru Nde’s car. Such, he said, is a means of also ending the suffering of those who could be victims of such attacks.

Taking the queue, Minister Mbayu, initiator of the gesture, reminded Fru Nde that any challenge that doesn’t kill a person makes him or her stronger. 

Mbayu enthused that the joy   the driver expressed and the prayers received will usher him and his family into a new era of living a fulfilled life.

“One thing which is certain is that good always overcomes evil. That is why you saw us at the church yard today to pray for goodness. God did not allow this to happen to you for nothing. He allowed it so that it will bring the best out of even others,” Mbayu told Fru Nde, adding that: “This will not be your only car, God will give you other cars. Let God guide you and other taxi drivers in Bamenda, because he is a good God”.

In addition to buying the car for Fru Nde, Mbayu and Co., offered the luxury of insurancing the vehicle for one year. That was not all; they also gave him money to fuel the car for one month!

Snippet of Mbayu’s humanitarian gestures

Recall that what happened yesterday in Yaounde is not new when it comes to Minister Felix Mbayu. He has in recent times initiated several of such moves. In February this year, he marshalled a campaign that saw elite raising over 75 million FCFA to support victims of the Bamenda Main Market fire disaster.

Between 2021 and 2023, he was at the heart of popular fund raising campaigns that resulted in the buying of a new bus for PWD Football Club of Bamenda and boosting popular support for the same team when it played the Cup of Cameroon final.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3179 of Thursday July 25, 2024