Tribute to Pius Njawe
How we Started the English Edition of Le Messager Newspaper
From Joshua to Abdelrahim Sale
The idea was Larry’s. Ever the firebrand, Larry who was my neighbour in the Biyemassi neighbourhood breezed into my abode while we were suspended by CRTV for the May 6th edition of Cameroon calling. “Let’s go to Douala and ask Njawe to start an English version of his newspaper,” Larry said. The agreement was unanimous. The next day, Larry Charly and Ntemfac got into Larry “spitfire” and were off. We called Larry’s little car, “the spitfire” because the Datsun, or whatever model it was, could go like the wind. Especially when Eyong-Echaw was behind the wheels. Never mind that the nuts and bolts kept having a rousing and rowdy discussion with each other when Larry the son of Eyong-Echaw, I presume, was behind the wheel.
We got to Douala at about 3pm, rounded up the meeting with Njawe, who found the idea most welcomed. Julius Wamey, who was not suspended like the rest of us, had come by public transport.
At 7pm, we started the drive back to Yaounde to design the paper. As predicted, Larry’s car started “cooking beans” somewhere outside Edea. By 11pm, the car backfired and crawled to a stop. We later found out that, again as predicted, bits and pieces of the “Eyong-Echaw Limousine” had been falling along the road during the hectic drive from Yaounde to Douala and back. We were marooned outside Sackbayeme, somewhere close to the spot where a Francophone Nationalist Um Nyobe was betrayed and shot. While Larry transformed into am mechanic to rescue the car, Charly Ndichia and I spend a good portion of that chilly night roundly denouncing and insulting Larry and his “sardine tin of a car.”
Being the ever-tolerant bloke and a good sport that he was, Larry took all in stride. He would laugh in his funny manner and then denounced “the Hippo - Mendo Ze and his ugly face, for being the root cause of our predicament. We also cast some deep aspersions on that “semi-illiterate” Paul Biya.
When we got tired of insulting Mendo Ze, Charlie Ndichia, for no apparent reason, started seeing the ghost of Joseph Chongwain Awunti everywhere” “There’s Awunti coming to get you,” Charlie announced to Larry who was under the car. We spent the night on that road. It was as cold and as eerie as hell. In the early morning we heaped a few last insults on Larry Eyong-Echaw and then abandoned him on that road, boarded an OPEP (clandestine transport) to Sackbayeme to visit with my classmate and brother, Dr Celestine Mbangtang who was working at Sackbayeme. If he was surprised to see us popping in for breakfast, at about 4.am, Celes did not show it. He was used to the wily ways “these terrorists” by now. The medic made us some very good breakfast and we immediately found some space in his “tree-house” and passed out. I do not remember if we emptied Dr Celestine Mbangtang’s wine cellar but that must have happened given Mr. Ndichia’s perpetual thirst.
At about midday, we were rudely awakened by none other than the indefatigable Larry Eyong-Echaw. Larry had gone to Edea, bought the part for his car, repaired the vehicle and then instead of driving off to Yaounde and abandoning us, he came looking for us at Sackbayeme. That is Larry Eyong Echaw for you. Were we glad to see him? As glad as it was to say good riddance to Celestine Mbangtang and his “Tree house.”
The long and short of this escapade is that the next week, the maiden edition of La Messager, English Edition hit the stands. Those who noted the power of the reports in that paper and especially the strange names like Lawrence Fon (Larry Eyong Echaw), Jesus Ayeah (Charly Ndichia) S.A Rush (Salman “Satanic Verses” Juluis Wamey) and finally Abdelrahim Sale (Ntemfac Ofege). We now had one more tool to get even with the Biya regime.

Comments

[mary stella]

May his gentle soul rest in peace. It was a nice trip here on earth but time cought us short.

[Ndi Mvogo]

The people loved u and they still do but i think God loves you the most.No doubts you will rock in the everlasting arms of God.May your soul rest in HIS peace.

[Muma Bi Yvonne]

As you permitted this firebrands of English expression to inform the voiceless of happennings in the Land, we pray that you use the opportunity of your presence near God to present the case of this our beloved fatherland to Him. Inform Him of the misdeeds of the Biya regime and plead with Him to accurately sanction defaulters. Adieu Big Bro. The battle rages on.

[Pa NDEFRU]

well, well Dear Njawe, it may seem all was in the plan of God and now you have left for heaven so suddenly, but you will join your dear wife, and others....,this gives us a better understanding of the difficult plans of God whom we respect a lot.. May you still tell God about the fate of this darling nation of ours , just the truth , the way you left it...a job you have started that needs completion...

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