MONROVIA, July 19 (LINA) -The body of the Charge d’Affaires at the Embassy of Liberia in Cameroon, Siaka G. Fahnbulleh, has been repatriated home by the Government of that country, through the instrumentality of President George Manneh Weah.
The Liberian envoy died on June 3, 2020 in Yaoundé, Cameroon at age of 64 after a brief illness, according to family sources in Liberia.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the body of the late Liberian diplomat could not be returned home immediately, because all commercial flights were grounded and all airspace closed.
However, through the exchange of diplomatic notes between President Weah and his Cameroonian counterpart, President Paul Biya, sthe successful repatriation of the Charge d’ Affaires remains to his homeland was materialized.
A special flight arranged by the Government of Cameroon conveying the remains of the fallen diplomat arrived at the Roberts international Airport on Thursday, July 16.
Speaking during the official and diplomatic turning over of the remains of the fallen Liberian envoy to the Government of Liberia, a representative of the Cameroonian government expressed his Government’s deepest condolences to the Government and people of Liberia for the demise of the fallen Liberian diplomat, Siaka G. Fahnbulleh.
“The Government of Cameroon would like to convey its deepest condolences on the passing of the Charge d’ Affaires of the Embassy of Liberia in Yaoundé, His Excellency Siaka G. Fahnbulleh. Thank you very much your Excellency for coming out here at Robertsfield. We know that this is a double tragedy for you.
“We know that from the official level you have lost one of the finest diplomats of your country, and we also know that on a personal level, you have lost a relative with whom you had a very close relationship,” the Cameroonian emissary noted.
He officially presented the remains of the late Fahnbulleh along with all of the related documentations to the Republic of Liberia, represented by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Henry B. Fahnbulleh.
For his part, Minister Fahnbulleh extolled the Government of Cameroon for the collaboration they applied in ensuring that the remains of the late Liberian diplomat are brought back home.
“The Government of Cameroon went a great length in ensuring that the body of the late Charge d’ Affaires was repatriated. We remain eternally grateful to the Government and His Excellency the President. We wish that you convey our warmest sentiments to His Excellency.
According to him, the Government of Liberia is aware of the trying times, pointing to the Coronavirus as a scourge that is making many things difficult around the globe.
“We know these are trying times, we have a pandemic and the family members and all of us have been anticipating when the body will arrive. But through the efforts of the Governments of Cameroon and Liberia, today we have the mortal remains of our dear diplomat, relative, and our brother in order to give him a befitting burial,” Ambassador Fahnbulleh stated.
He assured the Government of the Republic of Cameroon that they will receive an official communication conveying Liberia’s warmest sentiments to the Government of Cameroon for their role played in the repatriation of the remains of the late Liberian diplomat back home.
“Charge d’ Affaires Fahnbulleh is not only a family member but was also an astute and consummate diplomat; everywhere he served he left an indelible ink print. But we take solace in the fact that God is on our side and we will pray that he is received in paradise.
We want to thank you for making this journey. We know that it was a difficult task, you have to navigate different terrains in order to reach here but we are grateful that you chose to come and personally delivered his remains to us,” Minister Fahnbulleh said.
The Government of Liberia assumed full responsibility for all expenses concerning the burial of the late diplomat except for the special flight that delivered his remains which was put at the disposal of the Liberian Government by the Government of Cameroon.
The late Fahnbulleh was recruited into the Foreign Service in Conakry, Guinea after performing a series of non-diplomatic work at the chancery in the 1990s.
He was appointed Third Secretary at the Liberian Embassy in Conakry, Guinea in 1992 under then Ambassador Jar Jar Kamara, who now serves as Senior Ambassador-at-Large and Head of the Policy Advisory Council at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In Conakry, he served alongside then Second Secretary and current Liberian Ambassador to Italy, Ambassador Andrew Kroyahn.
The late Charge d’ Affaires served in Conakry, Guinea; Rabat, Morocco and lastly Yaoundé, Cameroon with a brief assignment at home office in Monrovia, at the Bureau of European Affairs.
After going through the steps, he was at the verge of promotion to a full Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary when he met his untimely demise.
He was well-mannered, a prolific writer and shrewd communicator, a humble and people’s person, great man with cool temperament, courageous in the face of challenges, patient, a family “giant” who supported all his children and other family members to advanced educational levels.
A man of impeccable character, who was never complained one day by his bosses, and also a great son of the Fahnbulleh Clan in Tienii, Tewor District, Grand Cape Mount County.
He is survived by Musu Fahnbulleh, Paykue S. Fahnbulleh, Christopher Fahnbulleh, Henry G. Fahnbulleh, Helena Fahnbulleh, Siaka G. Fahnbulleh Jr.; Haji G. Fahnbulleh, Mardia G. Fahnbulleh and Malisa Fahnbulleh.
LINA IAS/PTK
