"It is below Biya's dignity to visit certain areas" - Tchiroma

The Igbos of Nigeria have an adage which says for those the gods want to destroy, they send them mad first.

Cameroon's minister of communication and government spokesman, Issa Tchiroma after almost two months of taking a press disappearance has finally resurfaced but this time around with the most in comprehensive “official" declaration on the state funeral organized in loving memory of President Biya’s mother-in-law.

The late Madam Mboutchouang nee Ndongo Mengolo Rostte Marie, former Mayor of Bangou (West Province) and mother of Chantal who is the wife of Cameroon President, Paul Biya was originally from Dimako and Nanga Eboko in the Eastern region.

She got married to a Bamileke from the Western region of Cameroon and both were resident in Yaounde before the President appointed his mother-in-law Mayor of a certain Bamileke village of Bandrekop in Bangou district near Bangangte.

The controversy erupted in public opinion when after her death and contrary to cultural practices of the Tikars, she was whisked off by the ruling Bulu and Beti elites and accorded a state funeral covered "LIVE" from start to finish by Cameroon tax payer funded CRTV (Radio and Television) for several hours in MVOMEKA-the president’s village.

Public opinion in Cameroon concluded, this was very wrong and showed a complete lack of respect for the Bamileke "In-Laws". Sources say she was buried next to the former first lady Jeanne Irene Biya at the Mvomeka "Presidential Palace".

That is what the boisterous Cameroon Press exploited and successfully "flushed Minister Issa Tchiroma out of his sabbatical. Other sources claim, the minister had been hiding to avoid answering questions about the Captain Guerandi disappearance which preoccupied Cameroonians for several weeks.

The story has now disappeared from the radar of Cameroon news. Asked why the late Madam Mboutchouang nee Ndongo Mengolo Rosette Marie was not buried in Bamileke land or her native Nanga Eboko/Dimako? This is what the ubiquitous Cameroon government minister said: “that it is below the dignity of the Cameroonian President to visit certain areas of his country (after 35 years in power) because such areas are too poor to accomodate him?" Below is the full version of his comments made in French.

"Ecoutez moi tres bien: Quand le chef de l’Etat se déplace, c’est toute la République qui se déplace. Est ce que Bangou (commune dont le village Bandekop dépend, ndlr) est en mesure de recevoir 10 mille personnes et des dignitaires?

Est ce que Bangou offre des possibilités pouvant permettre a un chef de l’Etat comme Biya d’y passer la nuit ?

Est-ce que vous savez que pour qu’il aille la-bas, il faut réhabiliter l’aéroport de Bafoussam, il faut construre des Hotels de classes a Bana, Bazou, Bangangte et Bafang?

N’oubliez pas que a l'heure ou je vous parle nous sommes en guerre contre Boko Haram et c’est une source budgétivore. Où allons nous trouver de l’argent pour investir ou réhabiliter les aéroports, construire peut être des hôtels, améliorer des résidences, améliorer les routes pour accueillir le President?

Où aurions nous trouvé de l’argent alors que nos compatriotes sont entrain de livrer bataille, et pour certains perdre la vie ?

Ce que je dis de Bangou, l’est tout autant pour Nanga Eboko. C’est pour cette raison que la résidence du chef de l’Etat à Mvomeka’a, qui offrait un minimum de confort, était tout indiquée. Donc, tous ceux là qui font ce procès, sont de très mauvais procureurs…"