BIR soldiers as they remembered the fallen colleagues in games on November 22, 2023 at Man O War Bay, Limbe
By Francis Tim Mbom
On Wednesday, November 22, thousands of soldiers from the Rapid Intervention Battalion, or BIR, gathered at the Man O War Bay Training Centre to honour and remember all of their fallen comrades from the previous year.
On behalf of Colonel Henri Belinga, the commander of the BIR Base at Man O War Bay, Lt. Colonel Serge Mvondo Bekolo, the commander of the Logistics Department of the BIR at Man O War Bay, presided over the event.
According to Lt. Col. Mvondo, November 22 has become an annual day for the Head of State and Commander of the Armed Forces to honour and remember all of their fallen colleagues who have died defending the country and its national flag since the passing of their first Commander, Retired Colonel Abraham Avi Sivan, on November 22, 2010.
“The event is being celebrated today by all the BIR soldiers across the country. The event is an opportunity for us to pay glowing tribute to all our BIR colleagues, in their different ranks, who sacrificed their blood so that the rest of Cameroonians can continue to live in peace and as one nation,” said, Lt Col. Mvondo said.
“To show them that, though dead, they have not been forgotten. They would also be remembered for the supreme sacrifice that they did for the nation to be at peace.” He added stressing that they were glad to have been able to honour their fallen comrade.
Around 1750 soldiers gathered at the Man O War Bay BIR complex early Wednesday morning to participate in the remembrance ceremony. They raised the national flag, sang the national anthem, and recited a poem in honour of all BIR soldiers who died between November 23, 2022, and November 22, 2023. The BIR Brass Band then performed the traditional “burgle call” after the names of all the fallen soldiers were read aloud.
The battalion then moved on to their refectory where Rev. Abong Ezikiel who is the Military Chaplain of the Second Military Region and Imam Daouda of the Limbe Central Mosque. Rev. Ezikiel held an inter-religious prayer service and made the servicemen/women understand that in defending the nation, they must be guided first by God. He prayed that God should offer them all the protection that they need as they carry on with the duty of defending the nation and fighting to ensure that everyone can live in peace and security. The men of God also prayed for the Head of State and Commander of the Armed forces, the Minister of Defense, all the BIR commanders, and their soldiers.
The occasion ended with a series of activities at the BIR Sports Complex where a very entertaining “ballon militaire” or a military football match was played and soldiers of the Logistics Base won their counterparts of the BIR Coast Guard. The games were equally interspersed by a kickboxing display and other entertainment activities performed both by the BIR and some invited civilians.
Prizes were given to winners in football, volleyball, racing, kickboxing, and other sports, topping off the November 22 Remembrance Day at the BIR Complex in Man O War Bay, Limbe.
For the past years, the BIR soldiers have been the backbone of the Cameroon Government’s fight to restore peace in the Far North against the Boko Haram insurgency and in the Northwest and Southwest regions where separatists are fighting for a breakaway nation. These areas have taken a toll on the soldiers in their fight to ensure total peace for all Cameroonians.
The event was graced by the presence of the Commander of the Limbe Naval Base, Navy Captain, Landry Eric Akoutou Njonou, the Paramount Chief of Limbe, Mayor Eposi Mbuaye of Limbe I Municipality, and other personalities.