A TRIBUTE TO Pa B.C. BONU
Dear Pa, I still find it difficult to believe that the journey we undertook in those wee hours of 20/03/2021 was a journey of no return. You led us in prayers before we left the house and as we took off you asked if I was in the car and I accepted. I felt you were satisfied with my presence and that’s why you uttered no other word till we reached the hospital. In the hospital, you were very co-operative with the medical team. We could tell you felt some relief after treatment commenced for/because you were calm and tried to catch some sleep. I left with some assurance that you would get well. Little did I imagine that you were going through your last hours on this earth. It came as a bomb to me when I was called at about 1:30pm on that faithful day to hurry back to the hospital. We immediately left Bambui just to arrive when you had crossed the boarder to the land of no return. Though very disappointed, I still thanked the Almighty Lord who made it possible for me to arrive Bambui and meet you a day before your demise and also for calling you back at a ripe age without much stress. With your demise, I have lost my greatest companion in Bambui as we always had a lot to discuss and shared meals. I can foresee a lot of emptiness during my next trips home.
Papa, my life’s history can’t be complete without the role you played in my life. Your Renault 4 was the first car I entered in my life when you came home on vacation and gave me a lift to Mile 9 after a Sunday mass in 1972. I vividly remember how the trees along the road appeared to be speeding pass us and I couldn’t understand till later in life.
In 1975 I passed in list “A” and gained admission into Bilingual Grammar School in Yaounde and everyone in the family was worried about my going to such a distant place given that I was barely 13yrs old. The school needed a letter from my parents/guardians to confirm their approval for me to school in Yaounde. A well educated and respected family member was contacted to write to the school. Surprisingly, it was never done until you came on vacation and wrote through the Post office to the school and about a month later, we received my prospectus through the Post office addressed to you. Without you I would have missed that opportunity and God alone knows what could have happened thereafter. Encouraged by my brilliant performance at the common entrance, you took it upon yourself to assemble members of the Chungong family at our compound in Ma-atoh to give me their blessings and any personal contribution for me to buy “bread” on my long journey to Yaounde. This happened at the end of every Summer vacation because I came home only once a year. I gladly admit that I benefitted from some form of scholarship from the Chungong family through this gesture of unity which I can never forget. You helped me to improve on my English while in secondary school by returning my letters to you with corrections in red and those corrections stayed forever in my memory.
Papa, you also sent me a “mandat” every third term for the five years I stayed in Yaounde which always helped to complete my boarding fee of 9,000Frs then.
You will always be remembered for inculcating the spirit of hard work in us while we were teenagers. You always ensured that we were busy with one form of work or the other during the holidays. I remember a day we went out to work and the work could not be carried out because of rains. When you learned of it, you exclaimed in total disappointment saying, “Oh, so the food today has been wasted!”.
Papa, you also made us appreciate the word of God - “Thou shall eat from thy sweat” as you made sure that every child around you carried out some assignment on daily basis before eating. Some of us are responsible today thanks to such guidance.
Papa, you had such an organized life style especially when it comes to eating habits, church programs, timely presence at all occasions, record keeping etc, etc.
Your legacy of not only preaching but doing everything to ensure unity within the Chungong family as enshrined by the first generation can never be forgotten. I can vividly recall the sad moments you went through when your efforts failed in resolving certain issues within the family leading to factions at some points. Despite your disappointments, you never gave up as you continued doing everything to bring everyone together until your last breath.
It is now a big challenge for the members of the family to uphold this legacy. It is a challenge for us to ensure the continuity of the Chungong family meeting and annual come-together which you so much cherished.
We shall never forget the meticulousness with which you kept records of all important happenings within the family in particular and the village at large; dating as far back as the forties. You were such a financially clean man that when some people accused you of embezzling funds while serving as pioneer Chairman of the Bambui Water Project, you asked for some time to search for your records. Finally, you disproved them when the whole village was summoned to the palace to witness your cross examination. You produced such clean evidence which even showed that you had spent quite a reasonable amount from your pocket without reimbursement. That is how you and late Teacher Maurice Tangang who was also a co-accused were vindicated and you gained the admiration of all.
Your great achievements in Bambui and beyond shall never be forgotten and the village will forever mourn the disappearance of their archives.
ADIEU PAPA.
Chungong Akongnui Polycarp – Nephew.
