From his Kondengui cell in Yaounde, the detained Ambazonia leader, Julius Sisiku Ayuk Tabe pens tribute to his former prison-mate, the late President of the ACT/AGIR Movement whom he describes a stern and unbiased administrator.
Ten days after the passing on to glory of the former ally of Maurice Kamto of the Cameroon Renaissance Movement and technical adviser to the President of the Republic, Paul Biya, Christian Penda Ekoka, the leader of the “imaginary” state of Ambazonia, Sisiku Ayuk Tabe serving a sentence at the Yaounde Kondengui prison pens tribute to the latter.
He describes the deceased founder of the ACT/AGIR Movement with whom he spent nine months at the Kondengui prison as a rigid, stern, decisive, soft-spoken, reserved and unbiased administrator and politician.
Sisiku Ayuk Tabe appreciates the concerns and personal sacrifices of Christian Penda Ekoka in in his quest to ameliorate the living conditions, empowerment and liberty of the people which according to him were part of the stances that made him incompatible with “palace crew…”
Read the entire tribute below
TRIBUTE TO A FRIEND AND PRISON-MATE, CHRISTIAN PENDA EKOKA
Ten days ago, when we learnt of the passing away of Mr Christian Penda Ekokan we were filled with sadness. On behalf of my people and in my name, I extend our profound condolences to his immediate family and to the larger community he created through his activism within ACT/AGIR.
In the nine months that Mr Penda Ekoka spent at the Yaounde Principal prison, my people and I got to know him. The memory of him and his teammates in the prison courtyard where we met to pray, exercise, eat, relax or meditate lingers on.
He came across as a rigid, stern, decisive, reserved, unbiased administrator and politician. At all time, his intellect and technical mastery was on display. He was soft-spoken, especially while gazing eyeball to eyeball for frank talks. Even when and where we disagreed, we did so respectful of each other.
We learnt and appreciated his keen interests, concerns and personal sacrifices to ameliorate the living conditions, empowerment and liberty of his country-people from their plight. We understood how some of his stances made him incompatible with palace crew and colleagues.
His death must leave a huge vacuum and an unwavering legacy. We join in prayers that those whom he has mentored through ACT/AGIR and through his other partnerships will carry his mission further.
May his family, friends and community be granted fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.
Adieu dear friend Christian Penda Ekoka. May you journey well into God’s heavenly kingdom and find rest.
As a reminder, Christian Penda Ekoka died on August 8 at the Princess Margaret Cancer Center in Toronto, Canada after succumbing to pancreatic cancer at 69.
Ariane Foguem
