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249  Chapter Eighteen Milestones Here and There The First Thirteen While I was working on my Cameroon Political story, two significant events concerning two of my characters - Dr. Endeley and S.T. Muna overtook me. Both men, who had commenced parliamentary politics in the year 1952, surprisingly ended their careers as parliamentarians in the same year of 1988. This gives a staggering thirty-six years of unbroken parliamentary membership to their credit, and the strange coincidence both in their entry and in their exit from parliament apart, something even more striking took place, on July 1st , 1988 at Buea. On that day, Dr. E.M.L. Endeley was lying-in-state at Buea and one of those who spoke at his grave side was the towering Solomon Tandeng Muna travelling all the way from Mbengwi in the North West Province, to come and pay his last respects to a departed comrade. Of course, I too was there to say my own “Adieu” to the man I had closely known for forty years from 1948. If any reader of what I write here should wonder why I discuss these two names together, this is my answer: It was to me the height of tragedy to see these two political giants together on July 1st 1988 at Buea, one journeying to the great beyond, the other weeping by the side of a passing friend. The scene very much resembled a story out of the books of the Greek mythologies, a giant weeping by the side of a dead colleague. The difference lay in the fact that what was happening at Buea on that fateful day was not mythology; it was the harsh truth of the tragic drama of I our Muna weeping by the side of our dead Endeley. Those of us who watched this scene wept as well, but our tears went deeper than the normal sentiments of mourners at the passing of a member of a clan. They were tears being shed by many who saw the death of Doctor Endeley, so close to his exit from the National Assembly, and so close to the departure of S.T. Muna from that same Assembly, virtually as the sad end of an era that once was. Beyond the gloom that was so manifest at this touching scene, who could guess where our staggering steps next led? Amongst this lot, I 250  stood conspicuous. I had been there in January 1952 when our parliamentary march began, as the original thirteen representatives from the then Trust Territory of Southern Cameroons set out to take their seats in the Eastern House of Assembly at Enugu. We were thirteen: Endeley, Motomby, Mbile, Charley, George, Forju, Muna, Lainjo, Foncha, Kangsen, Ndi, Ndze and Ngala; a solid team that was once nicknamed the “Cameroon bloc.” That was thirty-six years ago, and many have gone since then. First went Martin Forju of Mamfe, followed by S.A. George of the same Division. J.T. Ndze went next, then Motomby Woleta in March 1962, just in time to evade the franc. Richard Charley took his turn and we thought we had lost enough. But, no, Sama Ndi and Jerry Kangsen, all of Wum later joined the train. As if to keep up the pace of the passing of these first thirteen, Dr. Endeley’s date followed close to that of Rt. Reverend Moderator Jerry Kangsen. Theirs were only months apart. The pace has been fast indeed especially amongst those from the forest zone. Here, five out of six have gone beyond, but of the seven from the Northwest, Muna, Foncha11 , Lainjo and Ngala still trudge along. I join my weary steps with them. In thirty-six years the first thirteen had come to five and none did die at a ripe old age. Though Dr. Endeley made seventy two, Motomby Woleta was a bare thirty eight when his gastric ulcer exploded at the Victoria General Hospital in March 1962. S.A. George and Martin Forju did not make it fifty when they went, while Richard Charley got to sixty but in failing health at his closing years. John Ndze did not make it fifty when he died while Sama Ndi and Jerry Kangsen just earned the name that they died old men. So, that’s the story of the first thirteen and when Muna wept as Endeley slept, he shed the tears of a thousand men. Indeed, the death of Dr. Endeley did not only mark the passing...

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