By Noela EBOB BISONG
The residence of late Nelson Mbu Eyeni in Limbe continues to receive and harbor scores of mourners, following his death on Wednesday, June 19, apparently from a heart attack.
Mbu Akime, an insurance guru and South West Manager of Compagnie Professionelle D’Assurance, elder brother to the deceased, though struggling to cater for visitors and friends says “the shock is beyond any proportions”. He recounts how close he was with his second follower, saying they shared a lot together.
Okie Johnson Ndoh, Director General of CSPH and General President of Catholic Men Association tells The SUN, “It is a very big blow but we have to bow to God’s decision, because God certainly has a reason to allow a vibrant personality like Eyeni to die now.” Okie says, “It has taken me a lot of prayers to absorb the shock”.
As president of Elati-Bebum, the late Nelson Mbu Eyeni worked hand-in-gloves with Okie Johnson Ndoh to bring peace and development to Nguti Subdivision.
The rich international brain, Eyeni, succumbed to the cold hands of death in Limbe following a heart attack he suffered on June 18, The SUN gathered.
Other Nguti elite and those who knew the man Eyeni have continued to react since the news of his death broke out.
Hon. Dr. Fonge Julius Fongouck remembers the deceased as a “very practical man with a lot of insights in so many things to help Nguti Subdivision.” The Member of Parliament reveals that, “I was even supposed to travel with him this month end to the United States on a very important assignment”, he says.
Vice president of the Nguti Elite Association, Esapa Patrick regrets that they have lost two great sons of Nguti in no time, recalling the recent demise of Divisional Officer-Abali Simon Akime.
The Nguti born Nelson Mbu Eyeni who bows out at 55 was a Jurist, Human Rights management and development expert in governance and capacity building with over 20 years of working and teaching experience. He was an expert in the areas of governance, juvenile justice, access to justice, peace and security. Aside Cameroon, his expertise took him to other countries like Rwanda, Congo Brazzaville, Liberia, Ghana, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Sudan, and Liberia where he had a successful career.
After graduating with a Masters degree from the University of Lund in Sweden with distinction at the age of 28years, he obtained a scholarship to do Ph.D in Denmark. He was later hired by the Danish government and sent to Rwanda where he opened the Common law department in the University of Rwanda and was the lead lecturer in the University during the post-genocide era of the country.
Eyeni also headed the rule of law in the Darfur Nyala district for over a year before moving to Liberia where he worked for seven years in the Justice and rule of law programme. He returned to Cameroon following the outbreak of the Ebola virus in Liberia.
Eyeni worked with various UN agencies and programmes including UNDP, UN MISSIONS (UNAMID UNAMSAL in Sierre Leone, UN RWA etc), UNHCR, etc, which took him to some fragile conflict and post conflict countries like Rwanda, Congo, Ghana, Sierra loene, South Sudan, Darfur -Sudan and Liberia.
Until his demise, he was a consultant to several UN agencies. Eyeni was married and a father of four.