After Academic Honours:Bate Besong Buried In Ndekwai

By Walter Wilson Nana & Elvis Tah

Dr. Jacobs Bate Besong, Lecturer, Department of English, University of Buea, UB, who died in a ghastly car crash, March 8, alongside two other Cameroonian literary juggernauts, Dr. Hilarious Ngwa Ambe, Thomas Kwasen Gwangwa'a and a driver, Samson Tabe Awoh, was Thursday, March 22, laid in his final resting place in his native Ndekwai in Mamfe, Manyu Division.

BB's remains being remove from the Buea Hospital Mortuary Annex

Prior to the final stopover at Ndekwai, the UB community, friends, well wishers of Dr. Bate Besong, Wednesday, March 21 paid him Academic Honours at the Amphi 750 of UB, which turned-out to be too small to accommodate the more than one thousand mourners.

In an ecumenical service by UB Chaplains and led by Fr. Anthony Murphy, the clergymen prayed that the vacuum created by BB, as Dr. Bate Besong was fondly called be filled.
Fr. Murphy said BB was a man sent by God and that he did his task faithfully and a time well spent on earth.

He said the accident that befell BB and others was not because God could not avert it. "God knows everything that happens on earth," Fr. Murphy commented.The Priest advised that there should be no sense of doom in our midst. "God is overall and in His great hand we live," he said.

A lecturer of African Literature, Playwriting and Critical Theory, some of the students of BB put up a sketch dubbed-Breakfast With BB. The Theatre students re-enacted, in a succinct manner some of BB's teaching idiosyncrasies.
                           

Tributes

Dr/Mrs Joyce Ashutangtang Abunaw from Morgan Town, USA, described BB as 'A Literary Kaiser".She saw BB as a one-eyed giant in the midst of the blind.Babila Mutia, an intimate friend of BB, fluted for BB, accompanied with tears of remembrance.

Dr. John Nkengasong, President, Anglophone Cameroon Writers' Association found in BB an assertive, firm and committed writer.He said BB had his impact on the younger generation of Anglophone Cameroon writers.

Head of Department, English, UB, Dr. George Dopgima Nyamndi wrote: "BB was a labourer who has handed to us the legacy of a prismatic epitaph. Each reader will find in it, just evidence for his conviction."

Prof. Albert Azeyeh, Dean, Faculty of Arts was devastated. "Faculty of Arts has lost its pride, its pearl. I doubt if Cameroon would be able to produce another BB in the next four or five decades.According to Azeyeh, BB was not only a scholar, artist, poet but also one of extraordinary qualities.

"His prophetic vision was outstanding. He was also very duty conscious. A meticulous and indefatigable researcher, in fact in his words "an authentic scholar."Despite the splenetic atmosphere, BB's Dean still had a moment to be happy. "One thing I am happy about is that as a writer, BB will never die. A hero has left us so, let the world come and mourn with us awhile," he requested.

A friend of BB, Prof. Bole Butake said he is one of the rare persons who never quarrelled with BB. "It is strange," Butake added.UB's Vice-Chancellor, VC, Prof. Vincent Titanji cautioned mourners to "desist from baseless speculations and mourn our dear friends in dignity".

Titanji had this reading of BB. "He was like a mirror, reflecting and decrying what he perceived as mundane, corrupt or unjust in society." He highlighted BB's independence of spirit. "I remember calling him a "Red Feather" on the cap of UB, not because I agreed with all that he said and stood for, but more in recognition of his independence of spirit, his creativity and boldness."

The VC said Bate Besong did not sit around regretting that he did not have money or had not been appointed to a duty post. "He wrote and published profusely, so that no one was left in doubt where he stood. He lived up to his calling as an intellectual," Titanji noted.

Titanji expressed worry on how the vacuum created by BB will be filled. "Bate Besong was a poet, a critic, a dramatist and above all a devoted lecturer. He leaves behind a vacuum that his many students will now strive to fill." 

Minister of Higher Education, Prof. Jacques Fame Ndongo said BB's demise was a big loss not only for Cameroon's Higher Education system but also to the African continent. "Dr. Bate Besong was, without doubt, one of the greatest names in Cameroonian and African writing. Dr. Besong died en route to obtain a visa for an international conference in America," he said.

Fame Ndongo advised lecturers in the higher education system to be careful on how they travel in and out of the country, as well as on what and how they write. "Quite often, and without our knowing it, it is how we travel that saves us, just as it is what we write that saves us too!!

We must, therefore, be careful. The Ministry of Higher Education has lost enough of its teachers. I exhort all of you to be careful in the way you drive; in fact, in the way you travel," he said. 

Comments

[Agbor T]

Mr Minster, If I may ask; What do you mean by lecturers should be careful of what or say the way they write???????????

[M Nje]

BB is bigger than life. He will remain with us forever. Heros never die. BB is an idea, a way of life, a struggle....etc etc. BB represents justics and intellect. All these qualities will be forever.

Mr. Minister what do you mean when you say:

"lecturers in the higher education system to be careful on how they travel in and out of the country, as well as on what and how they write. "Quite often, and without our knowing it, it is how we travel that saves us, just as it is what we write that saves us too!!"

[katakata]

THE TRUTH NEVER HIDES

Truth, or some elements of it dont hide. It is a shameful thing for MEN to lie (King Arthur to Sir Bedivere)..and it is honourable to speak the truth.

If you hide truth in a hole, the wind comes and blows away the plug and whispers it to the whole wide world( remember King Midas).

If you seal the "mouth" of Truth, it comes out through its anus.

Mr Minister, it is good you have an anus that would force the truth out..at least giving us ideas, and confirming our remote suspicions about BB,s death.

BB did not write what you and your regime would want him to write( praises to your daemon god popol).

So according to your own suggestions, BB died because of the things he wrote, since I can tell he wasnt the one behind the steering.

Thank you Mr Minister for shedding light on this enigma...

Just how many more shall your despotic regime kill...

YOU SHOULD CARELESS MR. MINISTER ON HOW YOU SQUANDER STATE FUNDS AS YOU TRAVEL IN AND OUT OF THE COUNTRY...

WHAT A SHAME!!!!

katakata

[Bill]

May his soul rest in peace. His death is a big lost in the Cameroon society

[Bill]

May his soul rest in peace. His death is a big lost in the Cameroon society

[Neba Fuh]

"Dr. Bate Besong was, without doubt, one of the greatest names in Cameroonian and African writing. Dr. Besong died en route to obtain a visa for an international conference in America,"...

…"Quite often, and without our knowing it, it is how we travel that saves us, just as it is what we write that saves us too!!"

These are the utterances of the Higher Education Minister of Cameroon at the funeral of the learned scholar- Dr Jacobs Bate Besong.

If 'logic in truth' is anything to go by, then one is not suppose to praise his fellow man at his funeral, except he could have done same if he was alive.

For the Minister to describe Dr BB as '...without doubt one of the greatest names in Cameroonian and African writings'; but whose administration allegedly stifled a golden opportunity Dr BB had to dissipate his knowledge abroad, in a Fulbright Fellowship last year; is a cause for concern.

The Minister's use of the verb 'save' in the second quote is an intentional polemic raised to judge Dr BB's demise from the choices he made. The Minister is callously interpreting the causative effects on the courses we choose in life. What a display of intellectual cramp from the so called Minister.

Without going into the flimsy argument of who determines how long man lives on earth, I would like to make the following points to the 'eternal' Minister:

1) Most great men have always quitted this earthly stage in spectacular ways. e.g Jesus , the Christ; Martin Luther King, President Kennedy , Steve Biko, etc.
These people made choices that put them on the steering wheel, while cowards like the Minister are always lost in the wagon's crowd. They led while you, Mr Minister, always follows. Mr Minister, you are a follower-that is your choice; or else you won't have been eating the maggots from wounds of the oligarch in Yaounde. Mr Minister, I am sure you know 'how' to travel and 'what' to write, so that you will live forever. What a callous mind!!!

Dr Jacobs Bate Besong is a legend- a rare gem. His works ‘save’. His choices are exemplary. His struggle will not stop.

You can kill the flesh, but not the spirit.
Here, we have their errand boy mimicking the words of the plot masters... Go party in Yaounde with Madame and Co, but remember your nightmares will always be clouded with the ideals BB preached; and then tomorrow you will answer in the people's courts even if you decide to live FOREVER. Intellectual coward!!!!

Mr Minister,'Yours Truly' would not have invited you to his funeral, if that were possible. Your realm and his, cannot cross. You live in a realm of continual denial while 'Yours Truly' was emancipated from mental slavery.

Let me remind you, Mr Minister that the only common denominator we share is mortality. You may claim to know the 'how' and the 'what' to postpone the inevitable, but why can you not just eliminate physical death? keep your cheap lessons from your unsolicited 'gnostics' , 'mystics' and 'marabouts' to yourself.

Jacobs Bate Besong's exit leaves an indelible influence. He quitted doing what he loved most, just like the American astronauts on board the space shuttle 'Columbia' who lost their lives, while returning to Earth(February 1, 2003).

Jacobs BB lives on.

Neba-Fuh
snebafuh@yahoo.com

[Ma Mary]

Honorable minister's statement indeed sounds like a thinly veiled threat to his audience of academics and students. Write hosannas to the fake emperor in Yaounde or what? Is this the same chap who tried to impose a list of unqualified students into the UB Medical school? The slain students' blood has scarcely dried when he comes to gloat.

Pay no heed to the pathetic toad.

[casara]

BB's family
My heartfelt condolences goes out to y'all.
I read with lots of sorry your comments about your courageous and intelligent father in this forum and couldn't stop tears from running down my cheeks.
I want to believe i was the first person in this forum to read about BB's death.In fact,i could not believe the story and thus found it very defficult making comments.

Well,we now beleive BB and friends did actually pass away.

May y'all keep his work afloat.Make sure the flame keeps burning.
Be courageous and don't worry God is in control.

[vally England]

The minister assertions only goes go confirm the fear that BB was murdered. The fear of his pulling factor, with his inginuity and creativity scared the CPDM junta must have been.
In the united State BB would shouted loudest about the Anglophone problems. CENNER, must have done all to silence him.
Mr minister, where is the driver of the timber truck? who owns the company of the Timber truck? Can we have the names of those CENNER workers in Edea/douala? Retarliation will be metted with equal force.
Rest assured BB will be back hunting his Killers,we know them and they know themselves.
Watch this space.
Vally England.

[mk the southerner]

That was a good one Vally. Who knows the truck
driver might be now in one of the luxurious hotels in France waiting for temperaments to coll before he comes for his next Southern Cameroonian victim. Who knows it might be your father this time or mine lets keep our fingers crossed. MK the Southerner.

[Roki of Shanghai]

I said it. I was hoping that this time, it would be a "natural death" and the minister has just confirmed it.In my useless country, the government has the right to snuff out the lives of those who write against them.When they get hold of such people's travel itinerary, then timber trucks will suddenly appear on their way to the embassy.
The ministers' message is loud and clear.He carries this from Etoudi, "if you want to be the next Bate Besong,then this will be your fate".
Courage brothers do not stumble.
The truth about Bate Besong's car being crushed by an "unidentified" timber truck is coming to light.

TRUTH PRESSED TO EARTH SHALL RISE AGAIN AND IT IS NOT DIFFERENT IN THE CASE OF ACE WRITER,POET,DRAMATIST BATE BESONG.......BEST BOY.RIP

[Roki of Shanghai]

I said it. I was hoping that this time, it would be a natural death but i was mistaken and the minister has just confirmed that.The "timber-truck-crushed-BB's-Car" theory honestly doesn't make much sense to me.
In my useless country, the government has the right to snuff out the lives of those who write and criticise their regime's corruption and unholy marriage to English Cameroon.When they get hold of such people's travel itinerary, then timber trucks suddenly appear on their way to the embassy.
The ministers' message is loud and clear.He carries this from Etoudi, "if you want to be the next Bate Besong,then this will be your fate".
Courage brothers do not stumble.
The truth about Bate Besong's car being crushed by an "unidentified" timber truck is coming to light.

TRUTH PRESSED TO EARTH SHALL RISE AGAIN AND IT IS NOT DIFFERENT IN THE CASE OF ACE WRITER,POET,DRAMATIST BATE BESONG.......BEST BOY.RIP

[naddy]

We missed you BB. May you rest in peace. Amen