"January 30, 2021, a black Saturday for Cameroonian veterans"

The National Office for Veterans, Former Military Personnel and Victims of War of Cameroon "ONACAM", represented throughout the national territory by Regional and Departmental Delegations and Amicales at the level of the Districts, experienced "a black Tuesday" on December 29, 2020. While all eyes, illuminated with hope, were riveted to the New Year's bells, a group of veterans were unaware that the worst was about to happen. Trapped in a shipwreck, they were victims of a tragic accident. The boat that was carrying them (seventeen in total), including veterans from the Amicale de Nkolmetet in the Department of Nyong and So'o, accompanied by some of their wives as well as two (02) pilots, capsized in the "Nyong" river at the level of the village of Nkolmbong, while the delegation had just taken part in a meeting in the village of Zalom on the left bank of this river, in the district of Dzeng. The toll of this terrible accident is nine (09) deaths by drowning, including seven (07) veterans, one (01) wife, and one (01) pilot and eight (08) survivors.

Organized by the Minister Delegate to the Presidency in charge of Defense, the official ceremonies of homage took place on Saturday, January 30, 2021 in two phases; the first one at the morgue of the 1st Military Region Hospital at the Armed Forces Technical Training Center (CFTA) in Yaoundé and the second one at the esplanade of the Town Hall of Nkolmetet.

During the burial, at the military mortuary of the Armed Forces Technical Training Center (CFTA) in Yaoundé, several veterans mobilized to pay their last respects to their comrades in arms. At the mortuary, the burial ceremony was presided over by the retired Battalion Chief OSSONGO ADA Jean Léonard, Deputy Director General representing the Director General. Also taking part in this ceremony were the Director of the 1st Military Region Hospital, officers and personnel without troops as well as grieving families. In his tribute to the deceased, the Deputy Director General, after thanking the participants, praised their compassion as well as the spirit of solidarity that animated them. He also praised their massive presence at this funeral ceremony. Continuing his speech, he reminded the audience of the dramatic circumstances during which these veterans died, before honoring their memory. He also praised their moral values, their spirit of solidarity, their attachment to republican values and their love for their country. They are examples for the young generation, he added.

After this ceremony, the remains were taken to the esplanade of the Nkolmetet Town Hall, which was already crowded at 9:00 a.m. by veterans from the Nyong and So'o Department, neighboring departments, the local population, supporters of the fighting world, a delegation of ONACAM staff and many curious people. The delegation of veterans was coordinated by the Departmental Delegate of ONACAM of Nyong et So'o, Squadron Leader ® AWOUMOU.

Once the stage was set, the Prefect of the Department of Nyong and So'o, Mr. Pierre René SONGA, made his entrance into the ceremonial square of the Nkolmetet Town Hall shortly before 11:00 am. The military honors were given to him by a troop made up of a battery of the Main Band of the Armed Forces, the ONACAM flag, a platoon of the Mbalmayo Gendarmerie Company, a Section of the Nyong and So'o Veterans and the National Security Police.

It was at 11:00 a.m. that the remains of the veterans were installed in the ceremonial square of the town hall. At this precise moment, we had a sudden impression that time was going to stop, so much sadness and pain were read on the faces of the participants. The military ceremony itself began under the presidency of the Prefect, in accordance with the planned structure, namely: the funeral evocation by the Head of the Nyong et So'o Departmental Unit of the Secretariat of State for Defense in charge of Veterans and War Victims, followed by the tribute to the remains by the Prefect. Once the military ceremony was over, the coffins were taken to their respective burial sites.

From the beginning of the ceremonies, the atmosphere had become heavy; shock and emotion had invaded all the participants. The pain of the families was unbearable as they were inconsolable.

The ceremony was very moving. It was attended by a visibly distressed population in Yaoundé and Nkolmetet, whose memory recalled that "sad day of Black Tuesday, December 29, 2020", an accident that on the one hand, shook the Community of Veterans and the whole of Nkolmetet; and on the other hand, made the headlines of both the national press and social networks 48 hours before the New Year's Eve celebration.

Deserved tributes were paid to the illustrious departed through a military funeral ceremony which reflected in a significant way, their loyalty to the national institutions and to those who embody them. This ceremony visibly relieved and reassured the families of the deceased as well as the local populations. The latter welcomed the strong involvement of the High Command with a military deployment on the scale of the event. The will of the hierarchy to be sensitive to the problems of the veterans was manifest and the populations were convinced. To this effect, they were particularly grateful to the Head of State His Excellency Paul BIYA, President of the Republic of Cameroon for all the attention he gives daily to everything that concerns the Cameroonian veteran. This ceremony will have been the materialization of his permanent concern to be at the bedside of this category of military population of the 3rd age.

                                                                                (é) La Rédaction