President Paul Biya joined his wife in the burial ceremony of his mother-in-law over the weekend in Mvomeka’a, South Region.
Mrs Mboutchouang née Ndongo Mengolo Rosette Marie, mother of Cameroon’s First Lady, will forever repose within the premises of the Presidential Residence in Mvomeka’a in the South Region.
On Friday October 17, 2014, scores of mourners joined the Presidential family in burying a woman whose passing on has not only created a void in the hearts of family members, but also to many Cameroonians who benefitted from her kind gestures.
President Paul Biya accompanied his wife during the most challenging moment in her life as she saw her mother laid six feet, during a ceremony that ended her final journey on earth. Enormous compassionate support was showed to the First Couple from all walks of national life from the time the death of the First Lady’s mother was announced, until when Rosette Mboutchouang was laid to rest.
From all over the nation, sympathizers and well-wishers thronged the home of the Presidential Couple in Mvomeka’a to bid farewell to the woman who was loved and celebrated for her welcoming spirit and motherliness.
Thus, last Friday, Mvomeka’a was in a rainbow of mourning colours. From the traditionally accepted all-black outfit and other less conventional shades, everyone and everything seemed to have embraced the glamour and simplicity that characterised the deceased while she lived.
As the coffin of Rosette Marie Mboutchouang was taken to Mvomeka’a, throughout the journey, banners and flyers from different localities posted along the road expressed condolences to the Presidential Couple and family while calling on the Lord to comfort the bereaved family.
The different messages on banners and flowers hosted around the funeral home in Mvomeka’a, indicated that people from all the nooks and crannies in the country had come to condole with the Presidential family.
In a homily, the Archbishop of the Sangmelima Diocese, Christophe Zoa, focused on the Biblical book of Matthew 25: 14-30 in which he urged mourners to build up their faith in God as a major prerequisite to enter into heaven.
While stating that an effective faith in God has an outcome, Mgr Zoa called on mourners to copy the example of Mama Rosette such as her charity works which was an example of Jesus Christ’s activities on earth.
The preacher said God will judge each person not on what the person knows about Him but what the person did in His name.
While praying for the peaceful rest of the deceased’s soul, the congregation also prayed for the First Lady as they said; “Oh Jesus Christ, He who knows the profound love between a mother and a daughter, support your daughter, Mrs Chantal Biya who is deeply in pains at the moment.”
Mrs Mboutchouang née Ndongo Mengolo Rosette Marie who died at the age of 60, in South Africa was the Mayor of the Bangou Council since 2007 in the West Region.
The former “Miss Bertoua” and “Miss Doumé” will forever remain in the hearts of Cameroonians.