Chief Malachai Anzu Tanda of the Mondika tribe in the Upper Kaguel area was recalled to be with the Lord last week Tuesday.
One of his sons Mangro Anzu said his dad left them, in the presence of his children after a short illness.
He was 84 years old.
He said his late father was a chief during the early colonial administration and one of the pioneers to help establish the Tambul Government Station and also resettled his Mondika tribesmen in Tambul.
” Dad was a leader in his own right and was well respected in and around the Tambul area. He believed in peace and wanted everyone to live happily.
“He fought very hard to resettle his Mondika tribesmen in Tambul from his warring enemy clans,” he said.
He said his father was a former Luluai and later a councillor of the Mondika community.
He said his dad had 18 children, 69 grand children and 19 great grand children from five wives.
Thomas Niningi Kombra, a former Ward 3 councillor from the Mt Giluwe Local Level Govrnment (LLG), said Mr Anzu was one of their great chiefs of all time and a respected leader in their community and the whole of the Tambul area.
“He was fierce in his decisions and a peace maker. He always wanted his community to settle well and stay out of trouble.
“He made peace with our rival enemies,” Kombra said.
Kombra, who succeeded Anzu as a councillor, said he was a principal landowner of Tambul Government Station land. And he was instrumental in their resettlement, after a tribal warfare against their neighbours, the Yano tribe.
He said soon after World War II, during a tribal warfare, they were chased away and they conquered their land, which is now occupied by the Tambul Government Station.
“Under the pretext of being an interpreter of the early colonial administration, he negotiated for the land which they are now occupying, as Pagapena Village,” he said.
Kombra said in most cases, the Yano Yameyame tribe disagreed for the Mondika tribe to resettle in Tambul but through Anzu, with the assistance of the administration, the resettlement was achieved.
He said although they lost a great leader, his legacy in his leadership as a peacemaker will always live on.
Yano Yameyame councillor Tepu Karambi had heaps of praise for the late Mr Anzu, a man of great advice and full of laughter.
He said Anzu made peace with his people even though they were great enemies during those years.
“He was always full of happiness and would have time to talk to people from all walks of life. His leadership was so unique that you would never find him angry or sad about sadness. He was a true leader for the Mondiakas, us and the whole of Tambul area, ” he said.
He was laid to rest in Pagapena Village over the weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment