The Chairman of the Social Democratic Front, SDF was the main attraction at the official ceremony of tribute to the late mother of Cameroun’s first lady, Chantal Biya who died in October 2014. The presidential couple were conspicuously absent from the event. The funeral of Rosette Mboutchouang was held on 25 February 2017 in Badenkop in the West of the country and recorded a rather surprising presence of Chairman John Fru Ndi.

The local population was waiting for the presidential couple, especially the first lady whose arrival was announced and a platform created overnight at Bangou for the landing of the presidential helicopter.  Bidoung Mpkatt, the Minister of Sports and Physical Education was the personal representative of the Head of State in the ceremony.

However, John Fru Ndi was present and the SDF leader was given a thunderous applause upon his arrival and a place was immediately set for him in VIP tribune. The SDF chairman overshadowed the ministers, senior officials of the CPDM and other state officials present. He was the most requested personality for ‘selfies’ by the mammoth crowd that attended.

The ceremony was to pay a well-deserved tribute to the late mother of the First Lady who many presented as a woman with a big heart. She marked the spirits especially in Bangou where she was mayor. She transformed the locality of Bangou through the realization of roads, schools, health centers, water supply and electricity.

By Rita Akana