Senator Francis Nkwain’s funeral programme out

The Guardian Post has stumbled on a-yet-to be made public funeral programme of the late senator of the North West region, Francis Bochong Nkwain, who died at the Yaounde central hospital in the morning of October 19, 2014 after a brief illness.

The 84-year-old senator had complained of light fever and was rushed to the Yaounde central hospital where he spent only four days before giving up the ghost.

Contrary to expectations that Senator Nkwain, who played a crucial role in Cameroon’s admission into the Commonwealth would be given a state or at least an official burial, the burial programme made available to The Guardian Post simply indicates that President Biya will be represented at the funeral.

According to the appointed senator’s funeral programme, his remains will be removed from the Yaounde general hospital mortuary on November 13, 2014 and taken straight to the Mvolye minor Basilica for a requiem mass.

From the Basilica, his remains will be taken to the senate and later to his son in-law’s (Minister Mengot Victor Arrey’s) residence for wake-keep that would last till mid-night. From Mengot’s residence, Senator Nkwain’s remains will be transported to Bamenda on October 14 where it would on arrival be conveyed to the Bamenda congress hall for public viewing.

Later same day, his corpse will be laid in state briefly at his Bamenda Up Station residence. Thereafter, his body will be transported to Njinikom for an-all night wake-keep and burial rites on Saturday November 15.

Senator Nkwain, who formerly served as minister of mines and later minister delegate in-charge of the Commonwealth until 1998 when he was dropped from government was later appointed board chairman of the University of Dschang.

He was appointed senator in 2013 with Fon Chafah Isaac as his alternate. He leaves behind a sick wife and seven children to mourn his departure to the world beyond.