“Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Master.” (Matthew 25:23)
By Akere-Maimo J. Ano-Ebie, Yaounde – 7 June 2025

On Friday, 7 June 2025, gentle silence swept through the earth
For that was the day you answered the final call,
Leaving this temporal realm to enter your eternal reward.
We raise our hearts in solemn prayer,
Bidding you farewell as you begin
Your sacred journey to the world beyond.

You fought the good fight. You kept the faith.
You ran the race, unwavering,
Until the finish line met your steady stride.
Monsignor, you were strength clothed in simplicity,
Resilient, faithful, deeply rooted in Christ.
Monsignor, you embraced life with the calm confidence
Of a true and devoted Servant of God.

You were a no-nonsense man of principle,
A sculptor of souls, firm and unwavering.
You struck the iron while it burned with fire,
Guiding hearts with the precision of a master’s chisel.

“You cannot polish a Blackman without friction,”
You declared bold, resolute, unshaken
Each word a spark, each gesture a lesson.

Ordained on 8 December 1960 of the Buea Archdiocese
You bore the weight of truth with grace and grit.
Your formative years in Bigard Memorial Seminary Enugu
And years of rigorous moulding in Münster,
Forged a will both steel and sacred,
And so, they named you “Bismarck”
Not in jest, but in awe of your strength and stature.

All your contemporaries had long made their home in the heavens:
Prof. Bernard Fonlon, philosopher and patriot;
Archbishop Paul Verdzekov, gentle shepherd;
Christian Cardinal Tumi, courageous voice for justice and truth;

Prof. Daniel Lantum (Shufai Bastos), medical sage and traditionalist…
And now, you join their blessed company,
Among the Saints whose lives shaped the soul of a bleeding nation.

You were a walking encyclopedia,
A custodian of intellectual and spiritual wealth.
A proud son of St. Joseph’s College, Sasse —
A true SOBAN, heart and soul who moulded SHESANs.
“Dr. Dré”, as we fondly called you back in SAHECO City,
You embodied all-rounded excellence:
Scholar, spiritual guide, mentor and philosopher.
Your legacy will inspire not only today’s generation,
But countless others still to come.

I still hear your voice echo through the years:
“Simplicity is a virtue! Simplicity is a virtue!”
A lesson you lived, not merely taught.
And when I left Sacred Heart College Mankon in 2000,
You penned in my letter of recommendation:
“He works hard at his studies with a conscience.”
That single line has followed me like a silent blessing.

Your quotes remain timeless, etched into our spirits:

“He who knows, but doesn’t know that he knows, is asleep, wake him up.
He who doesn’t know and knows that he doesn’t know, is a child, teach him.
He who knows and knows that he knows, is wise, follow him.
He who doesn’t know but thinks that he knows, is a fool, avoid him…”

You spoke with depth. You taught with vision. You served with love.

So now as SHESANs we say:
Adieu, great and humble Padre of all times,
Adieu, unforgettable Principal of SAHECO,
Builder of minds and character.
Adieu, noble and selfless Monsignor of the Bamenda Archdiocese,
A beacon of the faith, a man of quiet power.

Sleep well, beloved Father.
Your life was a gospel lived.
Your memory a blessing.
Your light shall never be dowsed!