By Hilltopvoices Team
Many from across the city of Bamenda have treated one of Bamenda’s most popular broadcasters to a rare funeral.
Their massive turnout from the Bamenda Regional Hospital
Mortuary, along the streets, carrying of palm branches, display by a good number of
commercial motorcycle riders, turnout of colleagues and musicians spoke volumes
as to what level the ordinary man valued the fallen broadcaster Peter Tebit Chi
though popularly known in Bamenda as Mac Chi.Many from across the city of Bamenda have treated one of Bamenda’s most popular broadcasters to a rare funeral.
 |
Thousands of plants carrying mourners storm Radio Hot Cocoa with remains
of Mac Chi
|
Despite the
massive turnout, the noise and display by the population that interrupted
traffic severally across the city even pulling the attention of the military,
many a media person is yet to understand why no administrator or prominent
politician showed up at the funeral even if not to sympathise with Mac Chi and
Family but at least for Radio Hot Cocoa that like any other media organ has
been playing a great role in the communication of political and government
action in country. These are reactions from a few journalists in Bamenda.
“I can’t say
how our own politicians and administrators function. They cannot pretend that
it is because of the crisis that they will not attend such a funeral. If truly
they are for the people or they want the people on their side this is the kind
of place they have to be because that is where the people are. Maybe it is
because it was a media person and as you know they don’t care what happens to
us. They are not friends of the media and you know that.”
“What
happened is a typical reflection of how politicians know and relate with us.
Are you sure the Mayor of this locally can claim that he did not know about the
burial of Mac Chi? Or was he waiting for an invitation? Even if he was not around
could he not send someone? Even the chairman of the SDF is not far from here.
Every time he keeps saying funny things about the press and passing for a
friend of the press. Where is he? The Parliamentarian, DO or SDO as you asked
did you see any. It’s so said because when they will be mourning tomorrow the
press will still go and line up there.”
“Those
people don't care. Not to talk of politicians. For administrators, he was also
a target. Mc chi was vocal to them. It wasn't a surprise to me”
“It only
tells us that we are like bridges that connect the masses to politicians and
once that bridge is out dated or destroyed, a new one is constructed. It made
me realized that the neither state nor politicians value us. They are only
interested in our resources and once they achieve that, they forget about us.
We are more valuable to the masses. I hope other journalists realize this and
know where they stand in life.”
“For SDO,
DO, Governor, I don't see much of a problem for nothing obliges them to be
there and the area to in question was problematic too security wise. They could
come if they had any personal relationship with him. For politicians especially of Bamenda 2, it
was an outright show of bad faith and a missed opportunity to gain political
capital”
 |
Thousand scream to the top of
their voices as the remains of Mac Chi emerge from the Morgue
|
Their absence did not however prevent the media from laying one of
theirs to rest in grand style. Speaking at the funeral of the popular
broadcaster, Ambe Macmillian Awa said “we are here today to mourn Mac Chi,
because he was one daring journalist, and we remember his suspension from
practice by the National Communication Council, in early 2018, for stepping on
the toes, or scratching too deep on some government actions. We remember he has
been incarcerated many times at the JUDICIAL POLICE in Bamenda, accused of
defamation by some high-up persons, some VIPs in society. Each time locked up,
he was always in good spirits, not remorseful at all. Upon all the instances he
was locked up in a police cell, he was always released without appearing in
court, because his accusers realized that his facts were correct.
Nimpa Francis Chief of News at Radio Hot Cocoa, General Manager at
same radio Gideon Taka regret the departure of the pidgin news presenter
admitting that he had created a vacuum that will require a lot of work to be
filled. Mac Chi who will later be buried in his native Guzang village died on
the 16 of May after an illness.