Third CPDM big shot drops dead in less than two years. The city of Limbe and Fako Division in general is yet to come to terms with the demise of the Mayor of Limbe III Subdivisional Council, Isaac Inongo who passed on last Thursday, July 3 at the tender age of 39.
Tongues are still wagging as to what must have sent the young and energetic mayor and CPDM faithful to his grave. Discussions on the real cause of his death have filled nearly all major and minor joints in the municipality with a deep divide between those who say adamantly that the young mayor died from spiritual and mystical attacks and those who say he succumbed to natural causes.
Though he was physically and medically declared dead in the Limbe Regional Hospital, by press time no autopsy or medial report had been released for public consumption due to the confidential claims.
Another group and a majority of the inhabitants of Limbe, family members and some close friends hold it on strong grounds that Isaac Inongo Dalle was “murdered” by his political adversaries.
Isaac Inongo Dalle came into the limelight in politics in 2007 when he was voted YCPDM Section president of Fako I in a dramatic fashion beating Mafany Carr with just two votes and later in the Municipal Elections of 2007 he was voted in as First Deputy Mayor for Limbe III Council. He pitched camp with the then Mayor Mokate Esebou Samuel.
He first had a big fall in his health almost four years into that mandate but came back strong after serious medical attention.As far back as that period, Dalle himself said he was being attacked spiritually.
He bounced back strongly and continued his politicking not only as Mayor, YCPDM Section President but also as a Senior Councillor to the Limbe City Council and Chairman of the Works and Development Committee of the Limbe City Council. He was also Quarter-head of the Church Street neighbourhood. In the build up to the September 30, 2013 Municipal and Legislative Elections, Dalle came up, this time to put up a stiff challenge for the post of Mayor of Limbe III.
Bitter primaries and elections During the primaries that were organised at the level of the CPDM party, Dalle was narrowly beaten by the incumbent, Esebou Mokate Samuel by 13 votes to 12. The consultations were however inconclusive at the level of nominations for deputies.
A few days after when it was the turn for the councillors to officially declare their votes in front of the administration for the choice of their Mayor, the tables turned and Dalle beat Mokate by 13 votes to 12, the same one vote difference to become Mayor of Limbe III. Those elections left serious wounds and divisions in the party not least in Limbe III and to date, the wounds and divisions still persist.
His installation as Mayor of Limbe III on November 25, 2013, was described by many as groundbreaking, given the circumstances surrounding his victory and the quality of speeches delivered by the various speakers at the event; one of them being that of Reverend Ekum Manfred. Fight against odds
He fell again barely a few weeks after his installation had rarely passed in his office in Bimbia.
He had another major breakdown in March this year and battled with it for months and was absent from major events both at party level and Council matters. Fortunately, Isaac Dalle was once again back on his feet during the CPDM Thank You Rally organised for the electorate on May 17.
During the rally, Dalle’s message was clear, saying the past should be forgotten and that it was time to face the future and work for the development of the various municipalities.
His coming back was received by many who had the opportunity to visit him on his sick bed as a miracle. Once on his feet, the agile young man who was just turning 39 got back to work to meet up with his dream for Bimbia.
He attended meetings, seminars both for the CPDM and for the Council, one of the recent being the CPDM Mayors’ meeting in Buea. He was also present in Church during the thanksgiving service organised by the Secretary General of the Limbe City Council, Charles Arrey Nkongho at the Holy Family Parish New Town Limbe.
Isaac Dalle was also part of the official delegation that launched the 2014 Limbe City Inter Quarters Competition on June 21 at the Limbe Centenary Stadium Dalle was very strong and optimistic that he was going to make it as he kept on saying that “My enemies will not succeed”
According to family sources, Dalle complaintedof chest pains and was rushed to Douala for medical attention and then back to Limbe for observation while waiting for test results from Douala. His elder brother, Luma Dalle said “As in all the tests that have been carried out on Dalle, nothing was detected in his body as he was negative for the entire tests run on him”
He died on Thursday July 3 at 1:30 PM after spending hours under an oxygen tent at the Limbe Regional Hospital. News of his death sent the city into chaos as the mortuary was thronged by people of all walks of life though a majority of them politicians and members of the CPDM.
At the mortuary just like at Dalle‘s Half Mile residence, accusing fingers were pointing at some CPDM bigwigs for masterminding the death of the young man. His elder brother wept saying “This is real wickedness, let the architects of this not die, let them live for ever.” As far as Dalle’s wife is concerned “They have killed my husband for the sake of his position as Mayor”.
Some other members of the family are even planning to swear on his grave for ‘revenge’ to take its course.His family members say throughout his sickness, he trusted God and always invited men of God to pray for him. The CDPM party through the Section President has expressed deep sorrow over the incident and has said it is another big loss to the party and especially to the family of the late mayor.
Being a political father to the fallen mayor, the Section President and Government Delegate, Motanga Andrew Monjimba was very shocked with the situation especially since he is said to have been the one facilitating his treatment.
A few days before his demise, precisely on Sunday, June 29, late Mayor Dalle spoke with journalists concerning the Council’s Administrative Accounts Session that was billed for the second week of July.He leaves behind a wife, two children, brothers, relatives, friends and sympathisers of the CPDM to mourn him.
Another CPDM big shot drops again The death of Isaac Inongo Dalle brings to three, the deaths of CPDM big names in Fako Division in just over three years. The first, being Henry Njalla Quan, the CPDM Resource Person for Limbe who died inn December, Thursday 13, 2012.
His death was followed by that of Honourable Celestine Rachael Lyonga who died in a few weeks to the September 30, 2013 elections, precisely in the morning of Sunday, August 11, 2013.
It should be noted that, what is unfolding now is the same scenario that happened during the demise of the Honourable Celestine Lyonga. Accusations and counter accusations were the order of the day amongst members of the CPDM party.