By NOELA EBOB BISONG
Tangwa Stephan Lizenus, Chief of Cabinet at the South West Governor’s Office in Buea, has left the stage, in circumstances quite pathetic but worrisome. The mid-30-year-old died at about 3am, Sunday, August 4, 2019 following a ghastly road accident where his car crashed against a tree, rooting the tree and squeezing the entire frontage of the car beyond repairs. The incident reportedly occurred around the Bilingual Grammar School in Molyko-Buea.
Reports say Tangwa met his doom as he drove home at a neck-breaking speed after what must have been a spree with friends. The SUN gathered that while he had, around 1am tried giving lifts to some of his friends, a couple of them had stopped half way, worried of his state and the nature of his driving. Such had preferred taking taxis to their homes. Reports continue that Tangwa, who lives in the Governor quarters in Buea, after haven dropped those who could manage his state, had taken a u-turn around the council building to Clerk’s quarters, where he had a drink and had again driven down to Molyko. The SUN also gathered that efforts by a companion to keep Tangwa out of the driving sit were all abortive, as he insisted on driving. While in Molyko, Tangwa reportedly had a drink, before finally deciding to go home. Unfortunately, he never did. It took elements of the BIR some effort to separate Tangwa’s car from the tree he crashed to, after which his remains will be taken to the Buea Regional Hospital annex mortuary.
The news of the demise of Tangwa Stephan Lizenus has been quite disturbing to the South West Governor’s office family, as well as to many others who knew the youth. South West Governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai, while reacting to The SUN in an exclusive on Sunday morning, agreed that it is indeed a tragedy. The shock of losing a close collaborator has saddened the administrator.
Tangwa, an indigene of Kumbo in Bui division, North West region of Cameroon is the son of former Senior Divisional Officer of Mifi, Tangwa Fover Joseph, remembered for unofficially banning the song “Coller la petite”, few years ago.
Tangwa who had his first major appointment last February 2018 as Chief of Cabinet in the South West Governor’s office is a father of two, and he also leaves a pregnant fiancée.
Many in Buea and across the South West in general have continued to wonder aloud how and why Tangwa could be out at such ungodly hours, considering the present security situation in Buea and elsewhere in the South West.