The Head of State, Chief of the Armed Forces has paid glowing tribute to the soldiers fighting against Boko Haram insurgents, in his speech at the graduation of the 33rd and 34th batches of military cadets from the Combined Military Academy, EMIA. The colourful military ceremony at the Headquarters Brigade in Yaoundé on Friday 24 April 2015 was also an occasion for the Head of State to extend the grief of the whole Nation to families who lost their love ones in the war and to the victims of the inhuman activities of the terrorist group.
President Paul BIYA challenged the graduates to live up to the names by which their batches were christened: the “Lieutenant Youssouf Mahamat Bahar”, a call to sacrifice and devotion to defend the country; “50th Anniversary of Reunification”, a call to defend the national unity of Cameroon at all times.
The Head of State spelled out a clear job for them: to defend the unity of Cameroon and to maintain the territorial integrity of the country with “Honour and Fidelity”.
All roads led to the Headquarters Brigade in Yaoundé for the ceremony which started at 11 a.m. with the arrival of the Head of State. Also present at the ceremony was the President of the Senate, Marcel NIAT NJIFENJI, the Prime Minister Head of Government, Philemon YANG, the Minister Delegate at the Presidency of the Republic, Edgard Alain MEBE NGO’O, members of Government, the Diplomatic Corps, senior military officers, invitees and family members.
Highlights included the placing of epaulettes, the speech of the Head of State, a military parade, a reception and family photographs.
President Paul BIYA personally decorated KAKAM SHINDA Hervé Patrice of the “Lieutenant Youssouf Mahamat Bahar” batch and ADAMOU BELLE of the “50th Anniversary of the Reunification” batch. The rest of the graduates were decorated by the Minister Delegate at the Presidency in Charge of Defence, the two Secretaries of State at the Ministry of Defence, Jean-Baptiste BOKAM and KOUMPA ISSA, the Chief of Defence Staff Lt. General René Claude MEKA, a host of other Generals and senior officers of the Armed Forces.
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