Bamenda bids Councilor Nfor Francis Baleri farewell

The former 3rd deputy mayor of the Nkambe council in Donga Mantung in the North West Region of Cameroon who died on August 5, at the Bamenda Regional Hospital was removed from the Regional Hospital mortuary for Nkambe today. Friends and wellwishers stormed the Bamenda Mortuary to bid their final farewell to the departed hero.

The body arrived at Nkambe on August 15, at about 1pm as the church service commenced at the Nkambe Baptist Church. After the service sympathizers departed to his residence where a brief laying in state took place. According to the programme, viewing shall took place at the Nkambe Grandstand for about three hours before the laying of the corpse at the Nkambe mortuary.

Nfor Francis Baleri will finally be buried at about 1pm today at Wat village. Born in 1947 in Bonchup-Mba to Pa Baleri Tafu and Ma Yentoh, Nfor Francis Baleri made his debute in to school at CBM Wat in 1954. But moved to CBC Wat and later the Native Authority School Ndop where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate.

He later travelled to Bamenda where he enrolled at Longla Comprehensive College from 1963-1968 and obtained RSA Stage II. In November 20, 1968, he was employed by the local Government Wat Council of the (KNDP). When the Mbiyeh and Wat councils converged to form the Wimbum council, and relocated their headquarters, Nfor Baleri was appointed Market master to be transferred to Ntumbaw.

In 1972, he was transferred to Mbot as a court clerk under the Nkambe council and six years later, he was again transferred from Mbot as a court clerk to the Nkambe Appeal Court in the same capacity.

When the government took over the cotumary court, and personel he was transferred to the Nkambe Court of First Instance as a clerk. In 1972, he was posted to the Legal Department and was later appointed Chief of Service.

He went on retirement in 2003. Pa Baleri died as a career politician. He started politics in the days of Foncha and even voted during the plebiscite. In 1970, he was the organizing secretary for the YCNU and was re-elected to the same position when the CPDM was created.

He resigned from the CPDM to join the SDF in 1990. He died as the Legal Adviser of the SDF District, a position he held since 1997. In 2012, he was elected councillor for Mbaah and while as councillor he was chairman of environment and protection of nature. In 2007, he was elected for a second time as council and during his third mandate he was voted 3rd Deputy Mayor.