Profile of the late Captain Mbene

Captain Elvis Matute Mbene had served only nine days at the war front in Cameroon’s Far North Region when he met his doom on 25th February.

Possibly the most ranking officer yet to fall in the battle against the self-declared jihadist Boko Haram, Mbene may now be the face of the war casualties. He was 33 years.

The outpouring of grief over his calamity, praise by fellow citizens for sacrificing his life for the nation and total acceptance of his fate by his family may contrast with the tone of protest from the father of Lt Kevin Donfack, one of the earliest Cameroonian casualties in the war against the jihadist insurgency, Boko Haram.

In total surrender, his father says to different sympathizers repeatedly: “It’s God’s plan. We cannot ask questions”, “Be strong. We all have to be strong, else who will comfort the other?”, “If you meet a man without a smile, give him one.”

Mbene left his station in Douala on 16th February for a three-month tour of duty on the battlefront. He had just finished a six-month staff command course in at the Yaounde Combined Military Academy (EMIA) where he obtained the “Certificat d’Etat Major”.

He was born 3rd January 1982 at the Bota Hospital (General Hospital Annex), the second child, and lone son of four children.

According to sketchy notes from my conversation with his father Chief Emmanuel Matute Mbene who said he could not afford certain details in his present state of mind, the fallen soldier attended PNEU nursery and primary school from the mid 1980s to the early 1990s.

He proceeded to St Joseph’s College Sasse for secondary education, before enrolling to read Political Science in the University of Buea. He cut short his university studies after he passed the entrance into EMIA.

Out of EMIA as sub-lieutenant, Mbene’s first duty post was in Kenzo in the East region, on the border with Central African Republic. He later served at the Limbe Man O’ War bay naval base where, as a lieutenant, he was Chief of Section.

He received further training in South Carolina, USA and on his return was promoted to the rank of captain and reassigned to the island of Manoka near Douala as Company Commander.

It was from Manoka that he returned to EMIA for the six-month staff command training that preceded his tragic battle front assignment.

Before flying to the front, Captain Mbene visited his wife, Mirella in their matrimonial home at Mile 2 Limbe and his parents at their Towe (Alpha Club) Mile 1 residence.

His father, Chief Emmanuel Matute Mbene, 68, is a retired businessman. He was a contractor and was a customs clearing agent. He was appointed quarter-head or third-class chief of Towe in January 1995 by the late paramount ruler of Limbe, the late Fergusson Bila Manga Williams.

He was also SDF Limbe district chairman from 1998 to 2004.