State Honors Slain Bamenda Deputy Mayor, Joko Frida, at Funeral

Tears flowed freely as mourners gathered to bid farewell to Mayor Joko Frida, a beloved leader, mother, and symbol of resilience in a region torn by conflict.

Grief, honor and calls for peace marked the funeral ceremony, held under heavy security in Bamenda on Friday.

Posthumously decorated as a Knight of the Order of Valor, Joko Frida’s life and service were celebrated amidst the sorrow of her untimely demise.

Affectionately called “Mami Joko,” she got kidnapped from her Savannah Street residence in Bamenda on October 26, 2024.

Residents say separatist fighters were behind the kidnapping.

They discovered her lifeless body at Nchuoboh Junction two days later.

Tightly gripping her mother’s photograph, Joko Miranda Fongyen, the daughter of the late mami Joko Frida, lamented the irreplaceable lost.

“I miss her prayers, her love; I miss everything about my mum,” she mourned.

“I am a widow, who will miss a mother’s comfort. If God allowed such to happen, He will show us the way,” she said, her voice breaking with emotion.

Civil society advocate, Gwain Colbert, used the occasion to urge an end to the crisis that has claimed over 6,000 lives since 2016.

“The best way to honor Joko Freda is to make sure this crisis comes to an end. Women are disproportionately affected in this conflict. If they are not being raped, they are being killed. Combatants have transformed women’s bodies into a new battleground,” he lamented.

Colbert called on the government to implement UNSCR 1325 by involving more women in peacebuilding efforts, asserting that the dominance of “hegemonic masculinity” is perpetuating the conflict.

Targeting of Local Officials

Mami Joko is the second female deputy Mayor separatist fighters have killed.

Separatists shot and injured the first deputy Mayor of Oku, Yaah Kekuye Quinta Bongiloh, on July 28, 2024.

She sustained injuries and passed away before being laid to rest in October.

Separatist fighters also killed the Mayor of Belo, Ngong Innocent, on May 20th, 2024.

Mayor Mbuh Alice of Belo, who has also experienced the cost of violence firsthand, highlighted the impact of Joko’s death on female political representation.

“The killing of Mayor Freda Joko is a reduction in the number of female mayors. In this age when women are struggling to make it in political circles, I hope this will not discourage any woman from vying for political positions. I cry for Ma Joko and other women who have been killed,” she said.

Who was Mama Joko Frida?

Frida N. Joko nee Jing was the second deputy Mayor of Bamenda II Council.

The 67-year-old mother of five was a graduate of the National School of Administration and Magistracy.

She finished as a senior financial controller.

Upon her retirement from the public service in 2016, she became interested in politics.

She became the second deputy mayor of Bamenda II before her brutal end.

Peter Chenui, the Mayor of Bamenda II, reflected on Joko’s contributions to their council and community.

“She was not just a mayor but a mother and model. Her death is a big loss for the council. We will continue to serve the population with the experience we gathered during her time with us,” he said.

Mami Joko Frida’s life was one of service and dedication.

Her untimely death leaves a void, but her legacy, many hope will inspire them to continue the fight for peace, equality, and justice in the face of adversity.