By Atia Tilarious Azohnwi
His Royal Majesty Dr. Ofonda Motia Esoh Itoh Stephen, paramount ruler of the Balondos and Traditional Ruler of Ekondo Titi has been buried. He was interred in his palace Saturday, September 15, 2018 as soldiers battled separatists.
The Royal Shepherd of the Balondos was dragged out of Baptist Church Ekondo Titi by armed men on Sunday, August 12 while he was worshipping and brutally assassinated.
It remains unclear why he was shot but his killing at the time sparked violent clashes between armed men and security forces in the locality.
On Friday, September 14, his remains were coffined at the Mortuary of the Buea Regional Hospital Annex and taken to Ebenezer Baptist Church Great Soppo Buea where a funeral service was conducted by a college of pastors.
Eulogy after eulogy presented the late former Board Chairman of Pamol Plantations PLC as a darling husband, a legend, a martyr, a legendary, patriotic and God-fearing.
Senator Mbella Moki Charles described the demise of the patriarch as painful as he conveyed the depths of his condolences to the family and the Cameroonaisn people. He said Chief Esoh Itoh was an icon, a living encyclopaedia and pillar of Cameroon’s politics..
Friday’s funeral service was attended among others by South West Governor and Pamol Board Chairman, Okalia Bilai Bernard; Senator Mbella Moki Charles; Pamol General Manager, Chief Charles Mekanya; Pamol Deputy General Manager, Chief Aloysius Asanga; and Ekondo Titi Mayor, Kenneth Nanje Ene.
The remains were returned to the mortuary. The corpse was taken to Ekondo Titi early Saturday by sea through Idenau. Mourners got to the Ekondo Titi beach to hear news of nightlong raging gun battles between soldiers and separatists who apparently wanted to disrupt the funeral.
The military put up a fierce fight, reportedly killing some members of the armed gang. The remains of Ofonda Motia were laid in his palace and later buried.
Sources from Ekondo Titi say almost every member of the population slept in bushes as the smoking guns attained deafening proportions. Matters apparently worsened when the corpse was brought in on Saturday and soldiers had to put up a spirited fight to push back the armed separatists.
Chief Itoh Paramount ruler of the Balondo Bananga clan in the Ndian Division was the former President of the South West Chiefs Conference as well as former Board Chairman of the Pamol Plantations Limited.
Born in 1942 in Ekondo Titi, Chief Esoh Itoh obtained his Advanced Level Certificate before picking up several teaching jobs. His love for football earned him a place in PWD Bamenda and he later became president of Veteran Club Ekondo Titi, Rumpi Strikers Club Ekondo Titi. He was a fine second division coach from 1974.
He was installed 3rd class chief of Ekondo Titi Town on June 30, 1973. In 1979,he was elected clan head of Balondo Chiefs in Ekondo Titi Subdivision. He worked hard to raise Ekondo Titi to 2nd class chiefdom on February 19, 1982. On September 30, 1986, he was appointed second class chief of Ekondo Titi including the Balondo clan.
Chief Esoh Itoh was baptised in 1963 at Ebenezer Baptist Church Great Soppo where his funeral service was held decades after. He held several positions in political, social and administrative circles. He also received several recognitions including a Doctorate Award (Honoris Causa) in leadership from Minesota Graduate School USA in 2009.