By Ndi Cherrylane
The incident is headline in all
the beer parlours and drinking spots in Wum, Divisional capital of Menchum
Division. It was on January 14, 2014 that the corpse of late Ma Susana Nsi,
inherited wife of Fon Bahmbi III of Aghem clan was to be buried at the fon’s
palace. According to the funeral programme, a funeral mass was to hold at the
St. Martins De Porres Church but traditional authorities had an entirely different
burial programme. When the corpse of Ma Susan arrived Wum, after the laying in
state at her compound, church elders were taken aback when the programme was altered.
Instead of taking the corpse to the church as planned, grave diggers took the
corpse away to Naikom for burial whereas Christians have been waiting since 9
am for the funeral mass. Informed about this, Father Janvier and some church
leaders stormed the palace and disrupted the traditional rites. They seized the
corpse from the traditional authorities and drove it to the church for a
funeral mass. Addressing mourners, the Priest said that only prayers can ensure
the entry of the departed Christian’s soul into heaven and not tradition. This view
sharply contradicts those of the Aghem people who believe that the spirit of
the dead go to join the ancestors and not the Angels and Saints in Heaven. This
explains why traditional rites were still performed when the corpse was brought
back for burial. While Christians hailed the Reverend father for upholding the
teaching of the Bible and for his courage for defying the traditional
authorities, his critics see a mercenary motive in his action. Many say the
church was ignited by the money they make during funeral masses are conducted
given that funds are needed by the church and another way is by organizing
funeral masses many say.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. Minute by Minute Report on Cameroon and Africa
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