Balikumbat In Gloom As Fon Doh Drops Dead Suddenly

Bid To Stage Grand Political Come-Back Foiled

The mighty has fallen! It happened last Saturday, September 1, 2012 at about 8a.m. News filtered that Fon Doh Gah Gwanyin III of Balikumbat collapsed at his Up-station Bamenda residence and immediately died. Chronicle was told that the move was so sudden, so much that the Fon embarrassed his entire household, including his wives and kids. His demise came at the heels of numerous controversies that surrounded him, having been cleared. Fon Doh, Chronicle is aware had thus been preparing himself to resurface within the political landscape, when he was snatched by the cold hands of death.

What actually killed Fon Doh has become a major question, within Bamenda, Balikumbat and nationwide. Some Balikumbat elite, whom Chronicle spoke to, on phone, shortly after the news was broken, were still not convinced. Ignatius Dingha, Balikumbat section president and BADU president, whom many considered as a Fon Doh-man, told Chronicle early Saturday that he was in Kribi and was still to be briefed; Barrister Henry Kemende another elite told Chronicle that he was en route to Balikumbat to be clarified about the rumour. While Dr. Dewah told Chronicle that he had just left Ebolowa and was in Yaounde and was not aware.

Donald Suffo, a journalist with Le Messager newspaper told Chronicle that he saw Fon Doh being driven in his Toyota Hilux last Friday, August 31, 2012 around the city chemist roundabout. Some other journalists confided in Chronicle that they saw Fon Doh checking into the Ayaba hotel less than a week ago, looking hefty.

Chronicle’s publisher came close with Fon Doh, a fortnight ago. He was looking frail. He complained that he was not sound and had been advised by his physician to cut down/check his weight. He even advised the large-stomached publisher to also check his weight.

Fon Doh’s demise, comes to confirm his earlier plea to have been granted hospital respite, when he was jailed at the Ndop prison some 8 years ago, following his alleged involvement in the death of John Kohtem, the SDF district chairman for Balikumbat.

His death has attracted varied interests. Chronicle gathered that the presidency had been informed, given Fon Doh’s strong political pedigree. As former CPDM mayor and parliamentarian and one who in 1996/7 rescued CPDM from not having a national character, he remains a force. Fon Doh died as a CPDM central committee member and an outstanding contractor.

He could not have been loved by many given his determination to always assert his authority. Yet, as Chronicle came to realize, Fon Doh was a man of principles and dignity.

Considered as the political kingmaker in Balikumbat, his funeral would be massive and explosive. Yet, his death would ignite another giant political tussle within Balikumbat. Would it be Hon Banmi, Sama Juna, Dr. Nwana, Dingha Ignatius or Gabsa Sixtus to call the shots in Balikumbat, with Fon Doh gone? But as the Balikumbat tradition holds, one of Fon Doh’s sons would succeed him. By press time, he had not been singled-out.