Contributed by Nkafu Gabriel

The city of Buea in the South West region of Cameroon is in total shock following the dead of its Mayor, Ekema Patrick Esunge. Mayor Ekema reportedly died in the early hours of Sunday October 27 in a hospital in the City of Douala.

 The circumstances leading to his demise are not clear but sources close to the mayor say they suspect he suffered a cardiac arrest. This is yet to be confirmed and medics are still to issue an official statement on his death.

Back in his municipality Buea, the population has been gripped by bewilderment, consternation and shock. Many cannot believe that their mayor is gone, never to be seen again. Many have been rushing to his residence at the Checkpoint neighborhood to confirm if what they have seen on social media is true. There, the atmosphere is a sad one. Mourners and several police officers are spotted in front of the gate and close family members are in the residence wailing uncontrollably.

Many will remember the non-nonsense Mayor Ekema for his fight against the ghost town phenomenon in the city of Buea. He was noted for forcing shop owners to open their shops on Mondays or face the consequences; their shops were either sealed or forced open if they respected the ghost towns. He will also be remembered for his efforts towards ensuring that Buea enjoys relative peace and calm even in the heart of the Anglophone crisis.