Rumour mongers in Meme Division, Southwest Region, Friday, June 16, went amok, peddling rumours in the neighbourhoods about Basic Education Minister,Yousouf Hadidja Alim.
According to them, a supposed telephone number of the Minister, which was reportedly given to the family of an eight-year-old, whom the Minister’s convoy knocked dead,last week, was not accessible.
Others spent time in beer parloursarguing that the family of the late Antonia Tiguh was demanding a compensation of FCFA 10million from Government.
Yet during the burial ceremony at Mabonji on the outskirts of Kumba over the weekend, administrative and political authorities dispelled such rumours describing them as false.
Speaking at the funeral, Honourable Martin Atinda, Member of Parliament for Meme West Constituency, expressed regrets over the mishap, but maintained that informationbeing spread about the Minister’s number not going through was false.
The MP assured the family and community of the Minister’s readiness and the powers that be to work towards immortalising the accident victim.
Atinda told the Mabonji population that he was going to personally see the Basic Education boss on what could be done for the people and the community.
Even before the MP could conclude his interventions, mourners shouted that if something of such must be done, it should be the provision of potable water.
The mourners bought the idea that since Tiguh died on her way to fetch water, the provision of potable water would be the best thing to give to the community to immortalise her with.
A family representative who spoke said they are gradually coming to terms with the fact that it was an accident.
He said all things have been committed into the hands of God. He equally appreciated Government’s reaction following the accident.
Beside the villagers, a delegation from the Meme administration, the CPDM party and other well wishers answered present at the funeral.
Eric Achankeng Akemnda,Technical Adviser at the Basic Education Ministry, represented the Minister. The Inspector General at the same Ministry, Mispa Itoe, was also spotted at the funeral.
Among the mourners was the Meme Senior Divisional Officer, Chamberlin Nout’ou Ndong, the head of the Permanent Divisional Coordination Committee of the CPDM for Meme, Benjamin Motanga Itoe. Other CPDM Section Presidents, the Divisional Delegate of Basic Education and Inspectors of Education were also present.
Section President ‘Resurrects’
Meanwhile, CPDM Section President for Meme IC, who was equally reported dead by the rumour mill, was presented to the population as a reason to discard social media fabrications.
Isaac Mukwelle Nguba, showed himself to the population declaring that he was still alive and kicking contrary to social media reports.
In spite of the heavy administrative and political presence at the funeral, nothing was mentioned in terms of compensation to the family.
Some mourners who appeared at the funeral in anticipation of getting the figures of money left confused.
Many had expected that an announcement would be made of Government’s intervention in an attempt to heal the pain of the family.
This didn’t happen and the rumour mills have gone grinding again to make possible calculations and announce figures.
It would be recalled that, the deceased was the victim of a Tuesday June 13 road accident involving the Minister’s convoy en route to inspect the 2017 First School Leaving Certificate Exams, FSLC.
The Post Newspaper