Chantal Biya’s mother:

Born in Nanga Eboko, married in Bangou, died in S. Africa, to be buried in Mvomeka’a
 

By Amindeh Blaise Atabong in Yaounde

Late Mboutchoung

The controversy surrounding the burial site of Mboutchouang née Ndongo Mengolo Rosette-Marie, the mother of the First Lady, Chantal Biya, has been laid to rest following the decision of the presidential couple to have the late mayor of Bangou’s remains buried in Mvomeka’a; in the South region.

Her mortal remains, it should be recalled, were flown into the country from South Africa on Monday. The director of civil cabinet at the presidency, Martin Belinga Eboutou who brought in the corpse from South Africa later issued a statement, announcing that the First Lady’s mother will be buried in Mvomeka’a on Friday.

Her corpse was laid briefly in state at the Yaounde Nsimalen airport and was viewed among others by the presidential couple. It was later conveyed to the Yaounde general hospital from where it will be removed on Thursday and taken to Mvomeka’a for burial on Friday, October 17.

Born in Nkoteng in Nanga Eboko in the Centre region some sixty years ago, Rosette Mboutchouang later got married to a retired DO in Bangou where she eventually became mayor. She died while serving her second term as mayor of the municipality.

Upon the announcement of the news of her passing away, many knew she would either be buried in her husband’s village of origin in Bangou or at worst in her Nanga Eboko division of origin.

According to dependable Unity Palace sources, the decision to have the late Bangou mayor buried in her son in-law’s home has been principally justified by the fact that Chantal, being her only child would hardly have time to go to Nkoteng to always clean and keep watch over her mother’s tomb. 

The source said Chantal Biya had argued that even her children would always be there to clean and keep watch over their grand-mother’s grave if she is buried in Mvomeka’a as would be the case.

Chantal Biya’s mother, the source said, had also not built a structure in her native Nanga Eboko that can accommodate the high profile guests that would see her off to her final destination.

Asked why she was not buried in her husband’s West region of origin as African customs demand, the source hinted that even though the First Lady’s mother was mayor of Bangou, the road leading to her husband’s village, Badenkop, is almost practically impassable. The couple, he gave to understanding, had also not built any formidable structure in Bangou or Badenkop that can host the high profile guests and the expected crowd that would turn up at the funeral.

Hear him: “ It is not only that Mvomeka has all it takes to play host to the funeral of the First Lady’s mother...security is taken very seriously when the president is involved.”