Bamenda media community blame Public administrators, politicians for ignoring them even in death

By Hilltopvoices Team 

Many from across the city of Bamenda have treated one of Bamenda’s most popular broadcasters to a rare funeral.

Their massive turnout from the Bamenda Regional Hospital Mortuary, along the streets, carrying of palm branches, display by a good number of commercial motorcycle riders, turnout of colleagues and musicians spoke volumes as to what level the ordinary man valued the fallen broadcaster Peter Tebit Chi though popularly known in Bamenda as Mac Chi.

 

Thousands of plants carrying mourners storm Radio Hot Cocoa with remains of Mac Chi

Despite the massive turnout, the noise and display by the population that interrupted traffic severally across the city even pulling the attention of the military, many a media person is yet to understand why no administrator or prominent politician showed up at the funeral even if not to sympathise with Mac Chi and Family but at least for Radio Hot Cocoa that like any other media organ has been playing a great role in the communication of political and government action in country. These are reactions from a few journalists in Bamenda. 

“I can’t say how our own politicians and administrators function. They cannot pretend that it is because of the crisis that they will not attend such a funeral. If truly they are for the people or they want the people on their side this is the kind of place they have to be because that is where the people are. Maybe it is because it was a media person and as you know they don’t care what happens to us. They are not friends of the media and you know that.” 

“What happened is a typical reflection of how politicians know and relate with us. Are you sure the Mayor of this locally can claim that he did not know about the burial of Mac Chi? Or was he waiting for an invitation? Even if he was not around could he not send someone? Even the chairman of the SDF is not far from here. Every time he keeps saying funny things about the press and passing for a friend of the press. Where is he? The Parliamentarian, DO or SDO as you asked did you see any. It’s so said because when they will be mourning tomorrow the press will still go and line up there.” 

“Those people don't care. Not to talk of politicians. For administrators, he was also a target. Mc chi was vocal to them. It wasn't a surprise to me”

“It only tells us that we are like bridges that connect the masses to politicians and once that bridge is out dated or destroyed, a new one is constructed. It made me realized that the neither state nor politicians value us. They are only interested in our resources and once they achieve that, they forget about us. We are more valuable to the masses. I hope other journalists realize this and know where they stand in life.” 

“For SDO, DO, Governor, I don't see much of a problem for nothing obliges them to be there and the area to in question was problematic too security wise. They could come if they had any personal relationship with him.  For politicians especially of Bamenda 2, it was an outright show of bad faith and a missed opportunity to gain political capital” 

 

Thousand scream to the top of their voices as the remains of Mac Chi emerge from the Morgue

Their absence did not however prevent the media from laying one of theirs to rest in grand style. Speaking at the funeral of the popular broadcaster, Ambe Macmillian Awa said “we are here today to mourn Mac Chi, because he was one daring journalist, and we remember his suspension from practice by the National Communication Council, in early 2018, for stepping on the toes, or scratching too deep on some government actions. We remember he has been incarcerated many times at the JUDICIAL POLICE in Bamenda, accused of defamation by some high-up persons, some VIPs in society. Each time locked up, he was always in good spirits, not remorseful at all. Upon all the instances he was locked up in a police cell, he was always released without appearing in court, because his accusers realized that his facts were correct.

Nimpa Francis Chief of News at Radio Hot Cocoa, General Manager at same radio Gideon Taka regret the departure of the pidgin news presenter admitting that he had created a vacuum that will require a lot of work to be filled. Mac Chi who will later be buried in his native Guzang village died on the 16 of May after an illness.