THE NATION BIDS FAREWELL TO BARRISTER BONU

CAMEROON SAYS FAREWELL TO BARRISTER BONU

One of Cameroon`s foremost lawyers – Barrister Innocent Bonu – has been laid to rest in his native village of Bambui . He was buried at a ceremony heavily attended by members of the legal profession, friends and relatives not just from all over Cameroon but throughout the world.

Lawyer Innocent Abongmechi Mochugong Bonu (full names) died in Yaounde where he had gone to mark the entrance examination into the Cameroon Bar Association. He suddenly collapsed and then went into a coma for a week before giving up the ghost.

Literary speaking, the legal corps both state and private came to a standstill to honour their fallen colleague. After his removal from the Buea General Hospital, he was taken to the court premises in Buea, then to his law chambers in Mutengene, and later his residence in Limbe from where he was moved up to Bamenda.

Among those who extolled the virtues of the fallen lawyer were former Bar President Bernard Muna who described Bonu as the only living person who had copies of all the keys to his home and could come in and go out when he liked. Current Bar President Sama Asanga described him as the one lawyer with whom all young lawyers yearned to work with. In fact, because of the esteem lawyers had for Bonu, Sama in his capacity as National Bar President requested and obtained permission from the Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, for results of the Bar exams to be held until Bonu was buried.

Lawyer Bonu was born in December 1956. He did his primary school in Akum and later Nchang in Manyu Division, after which he attended Bishop Rogan College in Buea.  From there he proceeded to the University of Yaounde where he read law. Later he worked as a journalist and then joined the Tamba Chambers in Kumba to train as a lawyer. He was admitted into the Cameroon  Bar in 1989. After that he established the Liberty Law Chambers in Mutengene which he ran with a score of other lawyers until his death.

 In his lifetime, he always encouraged the team spirit at work, impressing upon his colleagues and collaborators that big lawyers are not the ones who go solo but those who work collectively in the same chambers. In that way, the name is big for everyone and not just for an individual.

Lawyer Bonu was also very committed to religious matters and championed the cause of sports, especially football for which the town of Limbe will always remember him. He is survived by his wife Comfort, children and father.