Comrades of late Senator Awanga Zacharia paid a condolence visit to his bereaved family at his home in Yaoundé, on Saturday July 2, 2022.
The militants were mostly from his (Awanga) Momo division where he was erstwhile head of its Permanent Divisional Delegation, somewhat their political leader. They were supported by members of the CPDM party from other parts of the region including CPDM section presidents, MPs, and councillors.
During the bright-sunny afternoon event, the militants praised the late Senator to heaven. His comrades had only kind words for the member of the Central Committee of the CPDM. Panegyrics flew aplenty. The late business mogul seemed to have carved his name on the hearts of people, and touched many lives.
Minister Mbah Acha Rose Fomundam who fielded up for late Awanga in the last two years when his health took a downturn heaped praises on the departed. “You were an icon and you mentored young militants in the party. Our massive presence is a testimony that he was greatly appreciated and loved by his fellow militants. He was gentle, kind, soft spoken but resolute, firm and duty conscious,” Minister Mbah Acha said. Adding that there is “no gainsaying” that members of the CPDM will “miss his company. The Momo CPDM family shall forever remember him.”
Grass to Grace
Awanga Zacharia did etch his legacy in the minds of people, and at his demise beautiful stories about him were shared. Philemon Yang, Head of the North West Permanent Regional Delegation who worked with the late Senator for over a decade cited, among other examples, the bank (National Financial Credit) he created and his gilt-edged Azam Hotel in Bamenda.
Senator Awanga might have left a story of long-lasting legacy. Of a man who trained as an elementary teacher, later metamorphosed into a nurse, travelled to the United States of America, and switched gears into the complex world of finance. He returned to Cameroon and introduced gambling, and was named “bale bale boy”, a local name given to the gambling game that he promoted. He later opened and operated Samaritan insurance and NFC with other activities in-between, as mentioned by the preacher of the day Rev. Anyambod Emmanuel Anya.
His corpse will leave Yaounde for burial in his native Oshie village on Friday July 8. He died on May 24, 2022 at the Yaounde General Hospital.
Jude VIBAN
