The funeral of Françoise Foning, former CPDM darling and Mayor of Douala V, kicked off today as announced in a release from the Presidency.

Her remains were removed from the Yaoundé Central Hospital Morgue in the presence of the Prime Minister who accompanied the corpse to the Our Lady of Victory Cathedral at the center of Yaoundé city.

The Prime Minister, Philemon Yang, is chairing the funeral after the head of state and National Chairman of the CPDM party, Paul Biya decreed from abroad, an official burial for madam Foning who was a darling supporter of the party.

Yang is representing Biya at the funeral.

A huge crowd that turned out at the mortuary quadrupled when the casket reached the cathedral. The church couldn’t contain everyone and some mourners were forced to follow the sermon from the streets.

The archbishop of Yaoundé, Mgr. Jean Mbarga who said the mass turn up indicate that Foning was an icon who influenced lives both in Cameroon and beyond. He said that she is an icon of the Cameroonian dream.

The corpse of the deceased 66-year old former Member of Parliament, who died on January 23, will be conveyed to Douala for viewing and honours at the council and a grand wake at the Reunification Stadium in Douala.

After Douala, the funeral convoy will then make a final stop at Foning’s native Baleng village in the West region on Friday March 20, where another wake will take place. By 9am on Saturday, she will be interred in Baleng in the presence of the Prime Minister, members of government and CPDM bigwigs.

Following Biya’s decision to accord an official burial for the deceased former mayor of Douala V, many have seen it as a reward for Foning who was known for singing praises to Biya and the first lady.

A legal adviser we accosted but who elected anonymity noted that official burials are reserved for former and serving ambassadors, past and present ministers as well as top senior government officials. However, he noted that the president has the discretion to accord the honour to whosoever he wishes.

Against this backdrop, analysts argue that Biya is merely compensating one of his sycophants, Foning; who does not fall in the mainstream category of those eligible for official burial.

It is worth noting that Foning, who was a substantive member of the CPDM Central Committee and President of CPDM Douala V section, stood unrivalled in showering praises on Paul Biya and wife, during her life time.

She had even at one point in time likened Biya to Jesus Christ before making a spectacular display during the 50th anniversary of re-unification in Buea.

She had equally actively taken part in crying when Biya lost the elder brother and almost rolled on the ground at the Yaoundé cathedral during the funeral of Chantal Biya’s mother.