The Cameroonian justice department and the nation at large are mourning Nana Abunaw Marie, the first woman to become the Administrator General of Prisons in the country.
The native of Manyu Division in the South West, breathed her last on March 8 at the Buea Regional Hospital as women celebrated the International Women’s Day.
The retired prison General and resident of Buea had suffered a brief illness.
Nana Abunaw Marie left an indelible mark on the Cameroonian justice system, having held several top positions before retiring in 2015.
Her contributions extended beyond this role, as she also made history as the pioneer female commander of the Advanced School of Penitentiary Administration (ENAP) in Buea..
Her journey into prison administration was refined at the University of Benin, Nigeria, where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration in 1980.
She furthered her education at the National School of Penitentiary Buea (ENAP) and then at the National School of Administration and Magistracy (ENAM) in Yaounde where she got a postgraduate degree in Penitentiary Administration in 1993.
Throughout her career, Nana Abunaw Marie held various key positions.
She was appointed pioneer female Director of ENAP in 1997 before passing the baton to Fonkem Immaculate in 2004.
Subsequently, she assumed the role of Inspector General at the Ministry of Justice in charge of Penitentiary Administration from August 2004 to January 2007.
Her service extended to the National Commission on Human Rights and Freedoms, where she served as Commissioner from February 2007 to May 2015.
ASTUTE HUMANITARIAN
Beyond her administrative roles, Nana Abunaw Marie was recognized for her humanitarian efforts.
She established the non-profit organization Justice Equity Prison Fellowship Cameroon (JE-PFC), which went beyond the traditional confines of prison administration.
The organization, based in Buea, provided encouragement, vocational training, and material support to prisoners in distress.
Notably, JE-PFC, under Mrs. Abunaw’s leadership, undertook initiatives such as donating sanitation materials to the Buea Central Prison during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
On January 1st, 2023, the organization, led by Mrs Abunaw, paid the fines of 15 inmates who had completed their jail terms but were unable to pay court fines, amounting to FCFA 1.5 million.
The late Nana Abunaw Marie, a mother of seven, hailed from Bisongabang in Manyu Division of the South West.
She was married to Justice Nana Kwamu. Her demise leaves a void in the Cameroonian justice system, and her contributions to both administrative and humanitarian aspects of prison management will be remembered as part of her enduring legacy.
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