2024-04-30 16:11:26
A bereaved family fights to honor their father’s memory
It is a story as poignant as it is revolting which comes to us from Cameroon. The family of the man who discovered the wreckage of the Kenya Airways Boeing, which tragically crashed in 2007 in Banga Pongo, is today demanding the compensation due to him. A fight for justice and memory led by her daughter, who chose 237online.com to make her voice heard.
In a message full of emotion, she recounts the ordeal experienced by her father, who died two years ago following a stroke, eleven years after fulfilling his duty as a citizen. Because by locating the debris of the aircraft, this courageous man allowed the authorities to recover the bodies of the victims and shed light on this tragedy which left an entire continent in mourning.
A national hero left behind by the authorities
But for this heroic act, what did he receive in return? A simple medal and a pat on the back. Nothing more. Neither the financial reward provided for by law, nor even the recognition of the authorities for his selfless gesture. An oversight all the more cruel since Kenya Airways claims to have paid the said reward to the Cameroonian government. A government which never saw fit to pay it back to this national hero.
Worse, when the latter went to the airline to claim his dues, he was abruptly informed that the matter no longer depended on them, but on Yaoundé. A real administrative ping-pong which lasted for years, wearing down the morale and health of this helpless father. Until this sad day in 2022 when, exhausted by this unequal fight, he ended up succumbing to a stroke.
A Hero’s Daughter Determined to Seek Justice
But his fight did not end with him. Today, it is his daughter who takes up the torch, determined to obtain justice for her father. A courageous and exemplary approach that commands respect. Because beyond the financial aspect, it is a question of principle, honor and memory.
How can a country treat its heroes like this? How can we leave a family in need after such an act of bravery and good citizenship? These questions, the daughter of this forgotten hero is asking them today in the face of Cameroon. And she has the right to expect answers, even apologies, from the authorities.
His testimony, shared on 237online.com, sparked a wave of emotion and indignation throughout the country. Many Internet users have expressed their support and admiration for this fight for justice. Many see it as a symbol of a Cameroon that struggles to reward its most deserving citizens, preferring to leave them in oblivion and disarray.
It’s time for this to change. It is time for Cameroon to honor its heroes as it should. It is a question of justice, but also of national pride. Because a country that does not know how to recognize its own is a country that is heading towards its ruin. So, for the memory of this courageous father and for the future of Cameroon, the truth must come out and justice must triumph. Finally.