An outpouring of grief and tribute marked the wake keep of veteran journalist and publisher Chris Mbunwe on Friday, 24 April 2026, at the Ntamukong neighbourhood in Bamenda, as family members, colleagues, friends, tribesmen and members of the wider community gathered to honour a man widely described as one of Cameroon’s most committed media professionals.
Chris Mbunwe, publisher of The Champion newspaper, longtime Bureau Chief of The Post newspaper and pioneer chapter president of the Cameroon Association of English-speaking Journalists, CAMASEJ, died on Sunday, 12 April 2026.
The wake keep began with a solemn requiem Mass presided over by Rev. Fr John Bintum Maimo, with Rev Fr Ignatius Beriliy, Parish Priest of Regina Pacis Parish Ntamukong, delivering the homily.
In an emotional reflection on life, death and legacy, the homilist urged mourners to see Mbunwe’s passing as a reminder of life’s fragility and the need to live purposefully.
“Stay awake, for you know neither the day nor the hour,” the priest said, quoting scripture. He noted that Chris Mbunwe appeared to have lived with a sense of readiness through faithfulness, integrity and service to others.
“The oil in his lamp was his goodness, his integrity and his kindness to others. These qualities do not develop overnight. They are cultivated through daily choices,” Fr Beriliy said.
The priest described the late journalist as a fearless defender of truth who used journalism as a calling to amplify the voices of ordinary people.
“Chris did not just work in the media, he lived journalism. He was committed to integrity and ensured that stories from our towns and villages reached the world,” he said.
Fr Beriliy further encouraged mourners not to grieve without hope, reminding them of the Christian belief in resurrection and eternal life.
“We believe that Chris has not truly gone, but has merely transitioned to a higher assignment where all stories are true and all reports are good,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the media corps, senior journalist and publisher of The News newspaper, Choves Loh, thanked the large crowd for showing solidarity with the journalism profession.
He said the turnout reflected how much society values journalists and the role they play despite the challenges attached to the profession.
“For all his life, Chris was a journalist and he died after writing news,” Choves Loh said as he extended condolences from media practitioners to the bereaved family.
Throughout the evening, tributes poured in from colleagues who remembered Chris Mbunwe as a disciplined professional whose contributions helped shape English language journalism in Cameroon.
His career spanned decades, during which he served as Bureau Chief of The Post Newspaper before founding The Champion, a publication he remained actively involved in until his death.
He was also remembered for his pioneering role in strengthening professional solidarity among journalists through CAMASEJ.
Chris Mbunwe will be laid to rest on Saturday, 25 April 2026.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices web
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