MIRACULOUS SURVIVAL-Eye witness account of Lake

Nyos disaster.
BANGSI Anthony Ful
Benakuma, 15 August 2003

Foreword
Reading this touching story of Father Anthony’s
survival moved me to tears.
How scared I was when I finally reached the place of the disaster, that Anthony, too, had
died- and the relief right through my whole body, when he answered from the graveyard
where he was burying Pa Thomas and Catechists Lawrence.
The story is so simply told by a man of deep faith.
Anthony and Cosmas and Bonaventure are all priests now and others still on the way, my
sons of Bafmeng.
My love will follow you, wherever you go.

Your father in Christ

James Nielen, MHM

Introduction
Years have passed, yet memories of the Lake Nyos explosion of Thursday, August 21,
1986, remain fresh in me. Many who have heard me recount my experience at this time often
conclude that God has a plan for me and has saved me for a unique mission. I strongly believe
this. It is not yet clear to me why about 1700 people died within a few hours and I went
through the same ordeal but did not die. Why did Mr. Tubua Thaddeus that great
Commissioner of police die and little child of the Mission quarter survive? Science has failed
to provide me with satisfactory answers to these and many more questions but faith has.
Pondering on this event, I have arrived at some strong convictions. This event like any other
event that God allows, has a purpose and a lesson. It is such an important faith event in my
life that I am always urged to recall and share it with the people I know and love.

This work is mainly a documentation of the Lake Nyos gas disaster as I saw it, a
reaffirmation of the fact that God is in full control of world events, a song of gratitude in
thanks-giving to God for my life and the lives of others who survived the explosion with me,
and a prayer for the repose of the souls of those who were swallowed by this dreadful lake.

My story is similar to that of survivors who were at the time in Chah, Nyos, Fang and
Mbonge. Some of them are today resettled in Ipalim-Bafmeng, Upwa-Wum, Buabua-Bum
and Yemnge-Fungom. I believe that they share with me common sentiments of profound
gratitude to God for saving our lives and so recount this experience also on their behalf.
LOCATION OF THE AFFECTED AREA

Lake Nyos is found in Menchum Division of the North- West province of Cameroon-
West Africa. It is a volcanic lake and has an outlet that flows down the valleys and joins other
rivers whose waters flow as far as Nigeria. The Lake Nyos region is fertile and beautiful with
a wonderful scenery. It has in the past attracted graziers and crop farmers.

Nyos is bordered by the following neighbouring villages: Subum, Buabua, Mbonge, Ise,
Cha and Fang. Nyos lies along the stretch of the Bamenda ring road that links Wum and
Nkambe. The Lake is a little far from the road. The path leading to the lake was not motorable
until some years after the disaster. The region is mainly a slope. Ise is situated upland. From
Ise one can then move downwards to Nyos and from Nyos further down to either Subum,
Buabua, Cha and Fang depending on the direction one takes. This explains why Subum,
Nyos, Cha and Fang were affected while Ise remained untouched by the gas. It is interesting
to know that Ise is closer to the Lake than any other village. The carbon mono oxide said to
have been emanated by the lake was heavier than the normal air and so could sink easily. The
region is quite large and only a very small percentage was used as settlement area. ( map of
the area)

LIFE BEFORE THE DISASTER

The month of August in this area is marked by the harvesting of groundnuts. It is at this
time that people in this area round up the harvesting of corn. At this time people enjoy the
fruit of their labour by eating much corn fufu and drinking nkang(local drink of the area made
of corn).

All the villages in this area had markets. On market days people came from Fonfuka,
Misaje, Fang, Fungom, Chah, Bafmeng, Wum, Konene, Fundong and many other towns and
villages to buy or sell. The Nyos market was that Thursday. As people enjoyed themselves in
the market this day no one could image that in a few hours time, hundreds of people will be
killed by the lake. No one could hardly imagine this because it was first of its kind. Most of
the people who came to enjoy Nyos market would sleep in Nyos and return the next day to
their homes. It was in this evening of the market day, just the wrong day, that the lake
exploded and snatched the 1700 lives.
The Subum market held every Saturday. On Thursday preparations for this market had
started. Women could be seen brewing their nkang in readiness for Saturday.

Apart from the social engagements, Catholic Christians had some special commitments.
The male youths had to train in preparation for a football encounter between them and the
Christians of Mbonge. Training for this encounter took place on Thursday afternoon few
hours before the explosion. After training, players returned to their homes.

One other thing that attracted people to this region was the Wum Area Development
Authority (W.A.D.A.) this body had opened up farms in the area, introduced mechanized
farming and opened up farm to market roads. This initiative had brought together people from
all over Cameroon. This region would have undergone a lot of development if not of the
disaster. Since then the stretch of the ring road that links Wum and Subum has remained
closed to a certain extent.
 Later in the evening, I went out for pastoral visitation with Joseph Kuma Kang. Little
did I know that I was strolling with Joseph for the last time. In some of the families visited
this evening we were given roasted corn and ground-nuts for supper-our last supper. The main
purpose of our visitation this evening was to remind and sensitize Christians about the Church
work that was going to take place the next day. The precise target of this working session was
to clean and tidy the mission compound in preparation for Father James Nielen’s visit on
Monday the 25th of August 1986. Fr. Nielen was then Rector of St. Gabriel’s Parish Bafmeng;
the Parish to which a large part of Lake Nyos region belonged.
I returned to the mission compound at about 9.30 pm to meet my pastoral companion,
Lawrence, the Catechist of Subum. He had returned from work tired and had retired to bed for
an early rest which unforeseeably would usher him into eternity. When I came and met him
asleep, I also prepared my self for the night and slept next to him on the same bed.

EXPLOSION AND DAMAGE

The explosion took place on the 21st of August 1986. There is a confession I must make
at the start of this account. The explosion occurred when most people in the village, myself
included were already asleep. What happened when I was either asleep or unconscious on this
day was only recounted to me later by a friend called Kwanga, a neighbour to the mission
who was awake at that moment.
Kwanga told me that the explosion was accompanied by a very loud noise that persisted
for thirty minutes. He said that the sound which came from the direction of the lake was like
that produced by four Danish guns simultaneously fired or like heavy thunder. He also
explained that about 30 minutes after, he was suffocated by a strange gas, like a rotten egg.
This rendered him terribly weak.
Presumably I also inhaled it at this point, but while in my sleep. Probably when I
inhaled the gas I became unconscious and struggled to get out of bed. What remains factual to
me in the midst of all this confusion is that I slept on my bed on Thursday the 21st of August
1986, and later found my self lying instead on grass behind our house on Friday 22nd of
August 1986 in the morning. I regained my consciousness on Friday at about 9.am. To my
greatest surprise I was not lying on my bed; rather, I was lying on grass and on some pebbles.
Lawrence who had also been forced out of the house by the gas was lying close to me. I lifted
up my trunk with much effort and sat legs stretched. While at this position I attempted to ask
Lawrence what had actually happened and who must have brought us out of the house. My
mouth opened but then I was dumb. Lawrence too was helpless staring at me but unable to
make an utterance.
Another thing which struck me when I awoke was a certain syndrome of discomforts in
me. Cough had just attacked me and each time I coughed, I felt a sharp pain around my chest.
I then decided to get back into the house and lay on bed. To stand up was another task. With
much effort I staggered into the house and lay on the bed. While lying, I imagined what must
have befallen us since I had no Knowledge of what had actually transpired.

I attributed our weakness and ache to either lightening or the evil spirit world. This and
several thoughts crossed my mind. About an hour latter, I decided to return to Lawrence. To
my greatest dismay, my beloved pastoral companion was already in the cold hands of death.
When I touched him, Talked to him and got it confirmed that his earthly life had ended, I was
afraid and sorrow stricken. I never felt proximity to death as I did that day. Since pain and
weakness had greatly invaded my bones, I felt that my earthly journey’s end was very
imminent. To prepare for the end I hurried back to our room, and lay on the bed. This time not
to sleep but to pray for the repose of my soul and wait for a Holy death. At this moment I had
only one anxiety- will I be admitted into God’s Kingdom or to the fires of hell or to “Small
Fire”. With this in mind I prayed asking God to pardon my sins and bring me into his
kingdom of happiness and peace. That I could survive was the least expectation.

While still saying my funeral prayers, Denis our Christian and village trader approached
me. He had gone through a similar experience but had relieved his pain by taking some palm
oil. He invited me to do same, this I did and my pain subsided. Denis had come purposefully
to see me and know about my condition. I owe immense thanks to him for this kind gesture.
His advise helped me a great deal. It may even be that his oil saved me from death. I have lost
contact with Mr. Denis but I believe that he may still be in some part of the world. My wish
now is to see him and express my gratitude to him once again.
A few minutes later Denis left our house and I decided to do some visitation in order to
know more about the extent of the mystery and its effects. The first portion I visited was the
stretch of houses on the Konene road. My main concern at this point was to check on the
condition of my paternal uncle, Pa Sense Mbanfu, my maternal aunt, Ma Miriam Yuebala and
my cousin Angelina Nyieh who were all living in the same compound.
When I arrived at this compound I found Pa Senseboy lying outside already in the cold
hands of death. Ma Miriam was sitting besides the corpse helplessly weeping. In a real
melancholic tone she announce his brother’s death and told me that Angeline is no where to
be found. Still very confused she tried to describe what happened before Pa Sense died. She
explained that something carried them from the house and flung them out of the house and
they fell on the same spot. She added that Pa Sense struggled in the hands of an invisible force
and finally died.
After a careful search by me, my aunt, Miriam and some other good will person whose
name I don’t remember now, Angeline was found dead behind the compound directly
opposite theirs. Fearing that rain could fall on the corpses, I invited one survivor to assist
me bring the corpses of the Catechist, my uncle and my cousin to shelter. The Catechist was
laid in state in the Mission Station house while others were taken into their respective houses.
From my uncle’s compound I visited so many other compounds. It was indeed a
horrible sight, a terrible tragedy. There was hardly any compound without five or more
corpses. One of this hurrifying sights was a family just few meters from the Catholic Church
house. The head of this family, Mr Echu, was a health worker. This whole family had died;
Father, mother and children. In another compound I found a little baby who had survived but
whose mother had died. We also found a case where someone had inhaled the gas, lost control
of himself went and fell in the bush and was found a day latter helpless, but still alive. On
Saturday I found a pregnant woman whose condition was serious, she could not walk by
herself so I supported her, brought her to the health Centre only to find no body present to
attend to her. The vehicles that were sent to assist survivors could hardly reach Subum
without being filled by migrants fleeing for their lives. In the final analysis this pregnant
woman died.

The effect of the gas was like an epidemic destined for every thing living. You could
see human beings struggle and struggle and finally die, since there was no medical attention.
The only two nurses who could have been on duty had died. One of the long serving and
prominent nurse who had just died was Christina Mbe. Apart from human beings one could
see animals of all sorts die and plants wither. Damage had been done and was still being done
as God’s creatures were slowly shrinking away. Friday was drawing to its end. This afternoon
I had not yet known the cause of the malaise that had struck us. Information that threw a little
light on the cause of the disaster came from a cattle grazier who survived around Nyos
village. He told us that he passed through Nyos village and had the following observations:
very few people in the village had survived, all animals were dead, trees and plants had
withered and most were bent as though a strong wind had passed through them from the
direction of the lake. From this explanation we could begin to attribute the disaster to the lake.

Where and with whom I would spend the first night after the disaster was one of my
worries. Trembling awe seized my bones when I imagined spending the night with the corpse
alone in the Mission compound. But how could I abandon the corpse of my pastoral
companion and go out to seek for company this night. Would this not be disrespect to him.
The solution to my dilemma came when I found a Child from Winifred Ateh’s household
where all her children, seven in number had survived. What grieved this family is that their
visiting aunt Perpetua Ateh from Wum had died.

REACTIONS TO THE PLIGHT OF THE PEOPLE

When the Disaster just occurred the then Divisional officer for Menchum, Fai Yengo
Francis, issued a prefectorial Order banning any entry into the affected region. It was with
firm courage and with a readiness to sacrifice his life for the people that Father Fred Tenhorn
made the first entry into the region from the Wum direction. It was until Saturday that we saw
the entry of rescue workers and relations from Wum, Nkambe, Bafmeng and neighbouring
villages. Among those who came in this day were military officers and medical experts. A
few vehicles brought some survivors to Nkambe general hospital and to the Wum general
hospital. Emergency rehabilitation for survivors was provided in Saint Martin’s Mission
Wum, Kumfutu, Kimbi River and Bafmeng. Some of the corpses were given post mortem
examination and the burial then started. Some of the bodies were buried in the mission
Cemeteries while a majority were buried in the compounds. In Nyos mass graves were used
because of inadequate personnel.

As soon as people buried their relations they fled because it was rumoured that the
deadly lake still had much gaz and would release it at any moment. This same Saturday Fr.
James Nielen my Spiritual Mentor made his courageous entry into the affected region. His
first stop over was Nyos itself where he found Catechist Nazarius and his brothers dead in the
mission compound. From there he trekked to Subum, arriving at the Mission house he found
Catechist Lawrence dead and felt that I had also died. At this time we were in the cemetery
preparing graves for the Catechist and other Christians. When he heard voices in the
graveyard, he called out: “Anthony! Anthony!” then came my faint response. He then
proceeded to the cemetery to condole with us and encourage us to continue to honour these
departed Christians with a Christian burial.
Father spent some time with us and returned to Bafmeng. I stayed on and continued
burial services. He assured me that he would send my friends Cosmas, Bonaventure and
Emmanuel to come and assist me. These friends were studying with me in Kom and aspiring
for the priesthood too. While conducting burial services for some of our Christians, I was
faced with opposition from some individuals, non Christians and protestants who did not
understand what I was doing and felt that I was merely wasting their time. This came when I
halted their burial exercise to bless the graves and the corpses and say some prayers. In spite
of the resistance I still sprinkled the graves with holy water and said prayers for a few
minutes.

Shortly after this event Fr. Nielen wrote a report to the Archbishop; this is what he said
about his trip to Subum. “I only went as far as the Mission.
I opened the door and found Lawrence, our catechist, lying on the bed, cold as ice.
I shouted: ‘Anthony! Anthony!’
 I had sent Anthony, one of our seminarians
Schooling at Fundong, to help the catechist for his holidays.
There were some children playing in the mission,
Children belonging to Winifred Ateh who is midwife in Subum.
Anthony answered. He had survived.
He was digging the grave for Lawrence and Pa Thomas.
He and Lawrence were still sitting in the half kitchen out side, 10 o’clock on Thursday
night. Then something held his breathing.
He struggled to get into the house,
Where he collapsed on the bed.
At about 1.00am in the night he managed to wake up and look for Lawrence.
Lawrence was lying outside.
He tried to carry Lawrence into the house.
Then he fell back on the bed himself.
His chest was hurting so much and he felt very weak.
He must have been half conscious for the rest of the night and day
Until he finally got up
And started to do the only reasonable thing there was to do: to dig a grave for Lawrence.
Then, too, he found that other people had died:
Pa Thomas, the oldest Christian across from the mission
And the midwife’s sisters Perpetua, (Winifred herself had gone to Bamenda.) (Silver
Jubilee Booklet Bafmeng Parish).

Renater Neki was the first close relation from Konene, who came in to Subum after the
explosion. She was coming for the market when she heard of the unfortunate event and
decided to make her way in spite of the talk of a second explosion. Others coming for the
market had heard about the disaster and fled back in fright. But Renater braved it because she
knew that we were there.
Another brave entry was made by my cousin Clement. He went first to our uncle’s
compound. There he found him dead and was told that Francis had survived and was in the
Catholic Mission compound. Feeling already very grieved because of the death of Pa Sense,
Angeline and other dear ones, he exclaimed. “What has brought Francis from Yaounde to
Subum, are all my people going to die here today.” Meanwhile our aunt, Miriam was referring
to me when she used the name Francis. Francis is my immediate elder brother who was
studying in Yaounde at the time. When Clement came to the mission house he then
discovered that it was me not Francis.
When the talk about a second explosion continued to stir fear in us we all decided to
leave the area. I left and went up to Konene my home village about 2 hours walk from
Subum. My Mother, brothers and sisters did not know whether I had died or survived. My
mother was traveling back home from Fundong this time, when she heard that every body in
Subum had perished. She knew that I was there and concluded that I was dead. When she
passed through any compound or met any body on the way she would announce my funeral.
Arriving at our compound, she collected loins to bring to Subum for my burial. One of
the loins I used latter to sew my jacket. There was much rejoicing when I was received back
home safe and sound. It was like the return of the prodigal son. A big party was thrown on my
behalf by my family and later by the family of my friend Cosmas in Bafmeng. From Konene I
proceeded to Njinikom hospital for my own medical check since I was still feeling some pain
on my chest. Here I was given some drugs and advised to take much milk.
 Those who were taken to hospitals were given some medical examination and treatment
and after recovery settled in the Camps. Here they were given food and shelter; since they had
lost almost every thing. Students were also given assistance to continue with their education.
Several people persuaded me to follow up and get a share of the “Lake Nyos aid”. I did not
want to get the accreditation necessary for the reception of lake Nyos aid. This is because
before the disaster I was already a beneficiary of God’s Providential care channelled through
Father Nielen. He gave me assistance in School. So I felt that there were others who needed
the assistance more than me- those who lost their parents, benefactors, close relations and
property. Unfortunately many people who were not immediately connected to the disaster
mismanaged and embezzled assistance given to victims. However back in college (G.S.S.
Fundong and GBHS Bamenda) I received some stipends.
My brother Francis who was in the university of Yaounde at the time and had his own
reaction to the event and the news of the disaster. He knew that I often spent my holidays in
Subum under the guidance of Fr. Nielen. When he heard news of disaster he was full of
uncertainty and worry, since he did not really know my where about and felt that I could be in
Subum and that if I were there I would probably be dead. His Friend, Mr. Charles Yong, now
teaching in GBHS Findong dreamt about our family. Yong had never seen me but the dream
revealed me to him that I had survived the disaster. It is this dream that reassured Francis.
In the Bum area most people of the traditional society resorted to the search for
sociological causes to the disaster. Some people attributed the disaster to witchcraft, others to
wicked ancestors who had not been appeased by the victims.

The Cameroon government with the assistance of foreign bodies gave much help to the
victims. It provided tents, beds, food, money, etc.
The Catholic Church also gave much assistance. The St. Martin’s Mission premises in
Wum were used as a temporal rehabilitation camp for some victims, while St. Gabriel
Mission Bafmeng hosted others. Frs. James Nielen and Fred Tenhorn made many sacrifices to
rehabilitate the victims. They were also very instrumental in the distribution of aid and cons-
truction of houses in the camps.

On the religious side, several churches and denominations organized prayer sessions for
victims. One of such was a Holy Mass organized in Bafmeng where the Archbishop of
Bamenda, Fr. Paul Verdzekov, was present with many priests and the faithful of the
Archdiocese.

On this occasion the names of all those known to have died in the disaster were
displayed on a board and the Mass said for the atonement of their sins and the peaceful repose
of their souls.

The news of the lake Nyos catastrophe sent shock waves into all who heard it, and the
reaction was often sympathy and compassion. There were very many other good reactions, the
list is very, very long.

MY TE DEUM
Dear Father is it Tony or a ghost me;
Why me then?
Yes it’s a fact I am alive
Or would I say like Paul
Not me but Him in me
 Hom can I repay you for your goodness?
Is this merit or gift?
Gratis sure, For you, feeble thanks only do I have.
I think I have a gift
It is the gift of self,
I consecrate it to you
Take my mind, my body, and my will
Take also my acts and all the merits won.
May all in me to thy glory be.
Is this the cup of salvation I see before me?
Come let me clutch thee
For you I long
For Service this cup I will raise

If you place it in my hands

Yes for your glory and salvation of men
I will raise.
The cup I have been longing for is now in my hands. I have been raising this cup now
for several years. I look back at these years with much gratitude and see my priesthood as the
best gift God has given me. Thank you Lord.

ETERNAL REST GRANT TO THEM O LORD

Merciful Father, I commend into your hands the souls of the following:
Sense Mbanfu, Angelina Nyieh, Christina Mbeh, Nazarius (Catechist of Nyos),
Lawrence (Catechist of Subum), Joseph Kuma Kang, Pa Thomas, Ateh Perpetua. Ma Sabina
Fuen of Nyos, Mr. Echu and family, Pa Samali, Fenasawi, The Chief of Sawi, Mr. Tubua
Thaddeus, (Commissioner of Police) and all the others who died in the Lake Nyos gas
explosion. Eternal rest grant onto them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them. May
their souls rest in peace.

CONCLUSION

We cannot live on earth eternally. Death is the door that must usher each individual to
eternity. Unfortunately, it often takes us by surprise. Since death is one of the things we are
most sure of in life, let us then die properly. Our Saviour Jesus taught us how to do this. His
statement: “Father into your hands I commend my Spirit” expresses the disposition he had. He
was giving to his Father a life lived in accordance to His will, a life lived in self-giving. Our
death as Christians is the summit of self-giving to God. It is the handing over to God a
life lived entirely for Him.

Jesus says that he is the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in him shall never
die and whoever believes even though he dies, he shall live. Death will hardly frighten and
disturb those who have lived their life in Faith, Hope and Love.
People in Nyos least expected death, neither did the Americans on the 11 of September
2001. May we prepared so as to depart with a smile on the face when moment comes.
I kindly request that willing people of good will say special prayers for all these lake
nyos victims.
 “The two most efficient means of obtaining the grace of God for others, and ourselves
and thereby gaining heaven, are the sacraments and prayer.

As a means for our salvation prayer is most important. Our good or bad life depends chiefly
on our good or bad prayer, hence on it depends also whether others, especially the souls in
purgatory, in gaining heaven. We are bound to pray not only now and then, but every day.
Exhorting us to prayer, St. Paul says, “Pray without ceasing” (I Thess. V.17) and St.
Augustine remarks; “Who knows how to pray well, knows how to live well” (“Charity for the
suffering Souls by Rev. John A. Nageleisen”, p. 85).