Gen. Tumenta’s Funeral: Pastor condemns human wickedness

Reverend Dr. Julius Ngwa has condemned those who prosper at the expense of others and those who take away human lives.

The Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC, Pastor emptied his emotions as he delivered a sermon at the funeral ceremony of General Martin Chomu Tumenta.

Late General Tumenta was buried on Saturday, February 6, 2016, in his Babungo Village, Ngoketunjia Division, Northwest Region.

“It beats my imagination that the level of insecurity at home, at our job sites, in churches, in marketplaces is worse than Boko Haram. Big people see young aspiring ones as threats to their jobs. From where I am standing, I am talking as a Pastor, let those who prosper at the expense of others know that they will never have happiness.

The level of insecurity makes one feel like alienating oneself from others. God rewards those who are persecuted. Human beings may have wicked plans, but God has the final say. Woe betides anybody who takes away the lives of others,” said Reverend Dr. Ngwa, who was flanked by the PCC Synod Clerk, other PCC Pastors and three Catholic Priests.

He called on Cameroonians to pray ceaselessly for evil to disappear because man has become a danger to the society.

A litany of eulogies streaming from UN, AU Officials, Cameroonians resident in the Central African Republic, the Central African Foreign Affairs Minister, described the fallen hero as a brave soldier who worked for his community diligently.

The UN and AU officials said as a charismatic soldier, Tumenta will be remembered for his focus and for restoring peace in Central African Republic that is able to organise elections after coming out from armed conflicts that almost tore that country apart.

Before the Minister of Defence, Joseph Beti Asomo, decorated late Tumenta’s casket with the Cross Order of Valour medal, General Ivo Yenwo, from the Presidency of the Republic, said Tumenta passed away due to illness and that he was a man of strong character, a critical soldier, full of wisdom, buoyant and brave.

To him, Tumenta had an excellent professional career and was a role model to many. That is how he spent 41 years and three months of uninterrupted service. The wife of late Tumenta, Rose Tumenta, said her husband has followed the path God made for him.

Regretting that the entire family cannot fill the big vacuum created by his departure, as a man of strong faith, they are certain that God will preserve him until they will meet in the heavenly kingdom to enjoy all the jokes he used to crack.

“Best Boh, BB, I will not grieve for you, for now you are free,” his widow said. The President of Ngoketunjia Development Cultural Association, NGODECA, Nganjo Mama, said Tumenta was a great developer who championed most of the projects in Ndop without making noise and appealed to President Biya to appoint another son of Ngoketunjia a General in the army to replace Tumenta.

The family head of the Tumentas, Thomas Tunge, appreciated Government for bringing the corpse to them, saying, the death of Tumenta is a great loss.

Tumenta’s son, Collins Tumenta, said their father incorporated so many Cameroonians into their family and was a loving and generous father.

REACTIONS

John Fru Ndi As a celebrated soldier, it is a great loss to Cameroonians and beyond and the issue now should be prayers for the family he has left behind.

Abakar Ahamat (former Northwest Governor) He was a great elite; I worked with him when I served here as Governor and when he was posted to the Northern regions.

He used to visit me on weekends and we shared all what we had together; talking development and how to combat insecurity. During the 50th Anniversary of the Armed Forces that took place in Bamenda, he was very instrumental.

Choh Isa Bouba (Mayor of Babessi) Gen. Tumenta gave us, the CPDM party, a lot of support and there are so many children whose entry into the army he facilitated. He was a wonderful developer of Babessi Subdivision.

Biodata

Born 1954 in Babungo, Gen. Tumenta, after obtaining GCE Ordinary and Advanced levels, proceeded to Yaounde University, before succeeding in the entrance Examination into the Combined Military Academy, EMIA in 1975 and graduating under a batch that was christened “Youth and Responsibility Batch”.

Tumenta rose through the rank and file steadily up to when he was in the limelight in 2010 that he was appointed Director of Human Resources in the Ministry of Defence.

In 2011, he was appointed Commander of the MISCA Forces at the height of the Republic of Central Africa crisis, that was later transformed to MINUSCA when the United Nations took over and he became its first Force Commander – the post he held until November 30, 2015, that he died. Tumenta was a father of six children.