By Walter Wilson Nana & Basil K. Mbuye
Simon Chuku was supposed to conclude negotiations for his marriage to Christina Misele in Stranger Quarter, Buea Town, Saturday, May 26. The talks are understandably off due to the fact that the bride’s brother, Philip Djieuteu Misele, was stabbed to death by Chuku’s younger brother.
Late Philip Misele Killed In Marriage Negotiation
“Simon Chuku came to our residence to express his intention to get married to our niece, but while we were in the sitting-room discussing the issue, we heard the voice of their (Chuku) eldest sister shouting outside; ‘This marriage will not work. Papa will hear this in Nigeria… nothing will work in this marriage,’” Sebastian Misele, the head of the Misele family, who doubles as the Head of Stranger Quarter, said.
Sebastian said while they were still seated in the parlour, Emmanuel Chuku, younger brother to Simon Chuku, entered their compound and called his younger brother, Philip Misele.
The family head said the two young men moved towards the entrance of the compound and talked for a short while.
“After a few minutes, I heard my brother, Philip, shouting for help, ‘I am dying, Emmanuel will kill me,’” Sebastian told The Post.
Sebastian said he and other family members rushed to the scene and found Philip with fresh wounds on the arm and neck, bleeding profusely.
“As we were rushing him to the hospital for treatment, Philip died,” stated Sebastian.
Fako SDO, (in Gaoundoura) Francois Bona Ebengue accompanied by Buea Mayor Charles Mbella Moki extend a message of compassion to the bereaved
The incident provoked anger around the Buea Town neighbourhood that May 26 night, and in the morning of Sunday, May 27.
According to eyewitnesses, some youths went on the rampage; destroying property and looting from shops said to be owned by traders of Nigerian origin.
It took the intervention of the Mayor of Buea, Charles Mbella Moki and the SDO of Fako Division, Franҫois Bona Ebengue, and the forces of law and order, to calm the flaring tempers and open the road that was blocked in Buea Town with stones, tables and chairs.
The Fako SDO told the angry youths that an incident by an individual, Emmanuel Chuku, should not be turned into an international affair.
“The law of Cameroon will take its course on the individual who has committed a crime. It is not an issue between Cameroon and Nigeria. The State Counsel of Buea is aware of the developments and justice will prevail. It is not the responsibility of the population to determine what should be done. The population should stay calm and go about their daily activities. Let’s look ahead and build a brighter future,” he said.
Bona Ebengue took a message of compassion to the bereaved family, enjoining them to be level-headed though in grief.
He reassured the population that the security agents in Buea is on the alert, pleading for all to be calm and not allow any individual or group of persons take advantage of the situation to instigate violence.
Mbella Moki then mobilised Council and HYSACAM workers clear the debris and clean the street.
The Consular Officer of the Nigerian Consulate in Buea, Ugochukwu Onuzuike, described the incident as unfortunate, while urging all Nigerians to be law abiding where they are and not get into unruly actions.
“We commiserate with the family of the deceased, we express our compassion and we look forward to visiting them. It is not a problem between Cameroon and Nigeria. We pray that sentiments should not come in. It is an issue of two families attempting to contract a marriage, which, unfortunately, ended in an uncomfortable manner. We should handle the issues carefully and see how such problems can be prevented in the future. Our mission in Buea is collaborating with the authorities in the Southwest Region on the matter, while we will not stop educating our citizens to respect the laws of the host country and stay out of trouble,” he said.
Emmanuel Chuku and some of his family members were arrested and detained at the Buea Central Police Station.
Philip Djieuteu Misele’s corpse was taken to the Buea Regional Hospital mortuary.
Djieuteu Misele was born on May 30, 1973, in Buea. He used to do general mechanics for a living. He leaves behind five children, family members and friends to mourn him.
According to family sources, the removal of the remains of late Philip Misele from the Buea Hospital morgue has been slated for Friday, June 1, while burial takes place on Saturday, June 2 in his native Dschang in the West Region of Cameroon.
