We are here today at ESSENG NDONG by AKOM II to honor the memory of Veteran ANGO Ruben, one of the mythical figures of these great Cameroonians who fought in World War II. The event is both painful and very moving.

Also to remind the audience, the Cameroonians and the whole world of the career of this patriarch and worthy son of Boulou becomes a very difficult exercise. But the duty of memory to which I am subjected commands me to present you the Man and what he represents for his brothers in arms and for his country. Papa ANGO is no more and the great family of Cameroonian veterans, former soldiers and war victims has lost a wise man in the purest sense of the term.

Mr. Governor Honourable guests Ladies and Gentlemen Before continuing my speech, I address my sincere and heartfelt thanks to his family who accepted that we organize this ceremony; a ceremony of recollection, a ceremony of evocation, a ceremony of recognition to this great Cameroonian whose courage, strength, strength, self-sacrifice and self-sacrifice were recognized in France on August 15, 2004 by President CHIRAC on board the aircraft carrier CHARLES DE GAULLE, while he had just been decorated in the same morning with the Legion of Honor medal in CAVALAIRE, a city located not far from TOULON, by Mrs. MICHELE ALLIOT-MARIE, French Minister of Defense.

I would like to thank you in particular, Mr. Governor, who, despite your multiple occupations, agreed to enhance with your presence the dimension of this event that we, Veterans, Former Military and War Victims of Cameroon, want to be highly solemn. It is the same for all of you who came to share with the family of the deceased, the pain and the memory. You wanted to honor the memory of a father, a relative, a friend, a comrade in arms, someone you loved so much, someone who honored our country by his bravery and his merits in the Free French Forces as well as in the Cameroonian Customs that he served until his retirement.

At 82 years of age, one does not die, one rests. Here is a real library that leaves us and we wanted to pay our respects at his grave today.

WHO WAS THIS GREAT MAN WHOSE MEMORY WE HONOR TODAY

Born on December 02, 1919 in Ebemvok by AKOM II, just after the beginning of the 2nd World War, the young ANGO Ruben voluntarily enlisted in the Free French Forces on December 16, 1941 as a driver for the duration of the war under the Cameroon Artillery 01 year 05 months and 29 days after the Appeal of General DE GAULLE of June 18, 1940. Thus began a long, hard and perilous journey. Assigned to the Battalion n° 15 in Chad, he will station thereafter from 1944 to 1945 in INGUEZZAM and BRISKA in Algeria, HAMMAMMET and MENZEL DJEMIL in Tunisia, will return to Algeria this time in ORAN, he will embark in MERS EL KEBIR for France, where he will disembark on November 15, 1944 in MARSEILLE and will station one month later in ANTIBES. On March 25, 1945 he arrived at VERTHEUIL, and took part in the operations at the point of GRAVE until April 20. The point of GRAVE is located at the end of the MEDOC peninsula, whose possession by the enemy allowed the allied ships to use the important port of BORDEAUX

Without armor and with weak means of artillery support, his March Battalion, including himself, crossed the area in force to seize VIEUX-SOULAC, taking more than 300 prisoners. On April 28, 1945, he arrived at LUCON, took part in the operations in the pocket of la ROCHELLE. He then stationed in ROCHEFORT, BORDEAUX, PAU and OLORON. On September 22, he was stationed at the Camp of SAINT DENIS d'AMBARES and then assigned to the 3rd Company of Battalion n° 14. On February 7, 1946, he embarked at BORDEAUX for Cameroon where he was demobilized on June 1, 1946 and joined his family whom he had not seen for five years.

Thanks to his audacity in all phases of the fight, he bravely faced the test of fire, fear and suffering because for him, it was necessary to fight with courage, faith and honor so that one day he would be one of the artisans of the final victory, in order to inscribe his name on the stele of the glorious combatants of the Second World War and thus mark history.

President Jacques CHIRAC described him and his comrades as "African chasseurs, goumiers, tabors, spahis, riflemen, zouaves, exemplary combatants, often heirs to immemorial war traditions, admirable for their courage, daring and loyalty". To conclude, he declared "that they were the tireless artisans of victory".

Mr. Governor Honourable guests Ladies and Gentlemen

This is the man for whom we are gathered here at ESSENG NDONG.

To the veterans and ex-servicemen present and to those whose distance, illness and various constraints did not allow them to join us, I address the testimony of the honourable services they rendered to the Nation and to the friendly peoples of our dear and beautiful Country Cameroon. On this highly memorable occasion, the entire people recognize your merits.

In the name of the Minister Delegate to the Presidency in charge of Defense, In the name of the Governor of the South Province here present, In the name of all the comrades in arms, members of the National Office of Veterans, Former Military and Victims of War of Cameroon and in my personal name,

I address to the family so severely tried, our most saddened condolences as well as the expression of our deepest sympathy. May they be assured of our solidarity, our support and our solicitude.

Papa ANGO, the poet Léopold Sédar SENGHOR wrote in his introductory poem onaties noires, I quote: "You Senegalese Riflemen, my black brothers with their warm hands under the ice and death, Who will be able to sing to you if not your brother in arms, your brother in blood" end of quote. Today, we are all here, your brothers and children of the National Office of Veterans, Former Military and War Victims of Cameroon to sing your merits. You fought for the pacification of peoples and served your country with love, honor and loyalty. In your life, you have trained men and women in the customs profession and worked for others to make their life in the military career. Today, they continue the work you have undertaken.

You have given everything to posterity; your name will remain forever engraved in the hearts of your comrades-in-arms, of all your family, of all those who knew and loved you. You will remain for us an inexhaustible source of inspiration, an example of courage and honor in glory. And as Marc ARTHUR said so well, "Soldiers do not die; they fade away.

May the Lord grant you heavenly happiness and may the land of your ancestors be light to you. Rest in Peace.