Nation mourning four prominent Anglophones.

The nation is still in a pensive mood, following the demise of four eminent Anglophones who bowed out at the close of last year and the early days of this year.



The personalities are former presidential candidate and retired magistrate, Justice Ayah Paul Abine; Social Democratic Front, SDF heavyweight, Hon Peter Cho Fonso, the President of the Common Law Division of the Supreme Court, Justice Wanki Richard Tenikontsa and Jaji Manu Guidado, who was Secretary General in the Ministry of Livestock, Fisheries and Animal Industries. They all died on separate days and places.

The deaths of the prominent Anglophones have left the nation in shock and consternation.

While former Supreme Court judge, Justice Ayah Paul and Hon Peter Cho Fonso, simply known as PC Fonso, died on Christmas eve, Justice Wanki Richard, for his part, bowed out on January 2, 2025, following a protracted illness.

The death of Justice Ayah Paul Abine was first confirmed by the Popular Action Party, PAP, where he served as National President and Founding Father.

The former Supreme Court Advocate General passed on at the Buea Regional Hospital, after a protracted illness.

His body has been preserved at the Fako Funeral Home in Buea. The veteran politician died at the age of 74.

Meanwhile, mourning has engulfed his home in Buea, as friends, mentees, and family members continue to gather to grieve. 

Justice Ayah Paul graduated from the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM in 1976. He went on to become the Vice President of the Court of Appeal in Buea, until he was elected member of the National Assembly in 2002. 

In June 2006, along with other MPs, Ayah Paul called on the government to investigate allegations of high-level corruption involving one of its ministers, Augustin Frédéric Kodock, regarding Kodock's earlier tenure at the helm of the ministry of agriculture.

In early 2008, Ayah was an outspoken critic of the changes to the constitution, which removed term limits that would have prevented President Paul Biya from seeking re-election in 2011. 

According to Ayah, the changes were "not democratic", and he had said that if the bill was adopted, it would "will take us back some 200 years".

Despite not being present during the election at the National Assembly and declaring that he had not made a procuration for his vote, a vote was reportedly made in his name. 

On January 3, 2011, Ayah resigned from the CPDM and ran for the presidential election of that year.

He was later appointed a sitting judge at the Supreme Court of Cameroon.

On March 4, 2019, he announced his resignation as president of the Popular Action Party, PAP. 

Ayah Paul was arrested on January 21, 2017, in connection with the ongoing Anglophone crisis.

Ayah was released from prison by a presidential decree on August 30, 2017, after spending more than eight months in detention.

 

Hon PC Fonso dies at 90

For his part, Hon PC Fonso, another prominent Anglophone figure, died on December 24, 2024, aged 90.

The former Member of Parliament, MP, under the ticket of the Social Democratic Front, SDF, is said to have died after suffering from a long illness. His political party confirmed his demise and said his departure was not only a loss to the SDF but the nation as a whole. He served as a Member of Parliament between 1997 and 2013.

He was onetime eldest member of the National Assembly and was known for his professionalism, diligence and contagious enthusiasm.

The SDF described PC Fonso as an individual who “was always prepared to work towards solving issues and was actively engaged in the constituency he represented”.

The party said he was “an invaluable member of the SDF and will be remembered for his deep love and loyalty for the party”.

 

 

 

Justice Wanki Richard: The exit of a legal colossus

Meanwhile, the nation and the judicial family in particular, are mourning the departure of Justice Wanki Richard, discreet legal luminary, who died on January 2, 2025.

The senior judge who was serving as President of the Common Law Department at the Supreme Court, is said to have died in Yaounde.

News of his demise fell like bombshell with several of his admirers, friends and family members taking turns on social media to mourn him. 

One Mengnjo Elvis, who knew the late judge so well, took to Facebook January 3, to pay him his last respect.

He wrote: “Back in the early 90's, my small church in Mbengwi, Tuabi Baptist Church Mbengwi, had Hymes retyped for use in the church donated by Justice Wanki Richard. As a little boy, I never knew nor saw him but was inspired by his works. And as I grew into a man, I later met this man and knew him better as a faithful judge, a loving father, a humble servant and a faithful Christian”.

He continued: “For as long as I can remember, he served Cameroon Baptist Convention - CBCas their legal adviser…I saw a man that inspired hope, and a wife that supported him without surrender”.

Today, we mourn his passing away into glory. We would have wanted him to stay a little more so we get more of his wisdom but God had other ideas. Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his saints. He takes them into his rest. We pray the Lord's peace and comfort to the Wanki family, and especially Judith Mambo Awasom Wanki, aka Ma Baptist, who will miss him more than any of us,” Mengnjo added.

Born on January 31, 1959, in Mankon, Bamenda, Wanki Richard, attended CBC Primary School Musang before moving to Joseph Merrick Baptist College, JMBC Ndu for secondary school studies. 

In 1978, he was admitted into the Faculty of Law and Economics of the then University of Yaounde. In 1983, he was admitted into the Judiciary Department of the National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM. He graduated in 1985.

In his professional life, the late Justice Wanki served as Judge of the Supreme Court. Prior to that, he was 2nd Vice President at Special Criminal Tribunal. He had also served as 1st Advocate General at same tribunal.

Between August 2010 and June 2012, the late Justice Wanki was Sub Director in charge of follow up at the ministry of Justice. Earlier, he was State Counsel at Buea Court of First Instance and Fako High Court. 

Between January 2007 and July 2008, he was Advocate General at the South West Court of Appeal. Meanwhile, prior to that, Justice Wanki held a similar position at the North West Court of Appeal. 

Earlier between 1998 and 2001, he was President of the Court of First Instance of Kumbo and President of Bui High Court.

 

Livestock ministry SG also dies 

Another prominent Anglophone who died within this period is Jaju Manu Guidado. The elite of the North West Region was Secretary General of the Ministry of Livestock, Fishery and Animal Industries. Jaji died at a health facility in Yaounde on January 3, 2024.

He had been serving as scribe in the said Ministry since December 2015. Before being elevated to the post, he had worked at the Presidency of the Republic. 

He bagged a Master’s degree in Social Science from Bradford University, United Kingdom; in addition to studies in Cameroon and neighbouring Nigeria. He was a key advocate of the empowerment of Mbororos.  

He was also a Board member of the National Investment Corporation, SNI. He hailed from Njikwa in Momo Division of the North West Region. He was equally a staunch supporter of the CPDM party.

 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3330 of Monday January 06, 2025

 

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