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Children, grandchildren and great grandchildren of Guizang Meru Zeliang, with ABAM officials and well-wishers at the renovated grave at the Impur cemetery on the occasion of his 123rd birth anniversary on Thursday, June 15.[/caption]
Impur (Mokokchung), June 15 (EMN):A renovated grave of Guizang Meru Zeliang, stated to be the first school headmaster from among the Naga people, was unveiled today here at the Impur cemetery in Mokokchung district.
The event saw the presence of ABAM officials, children and grandchildren of Guizang, relatives and well-wishers on the occasion of his 123rd birth anniversary, a press release from a group called the WAM Event Management stated on Thursday.
A floral tribute was offered by the children and grandchildren of Guizang Meru and others at the newly built grave built with marble and granite, it was informed.
The progenies of Guizang comprising thirteen members from four generations arrived at Impur Mission Centre, paid their respects and tribute, visited the Impur Mission Higher Secondary School. The ABAM also organized a small fellowship programme at the Covenant Hall in the ABAM office, it was informed.
According to the press release, available records about the life of Guizang Meru Zeliang (1894-1918), the first headmaster among the Nagas who served at the Impur Mission School (present Impur Mission Hr. Sec School) from 1915-18, speaks of a story about a young man of faith, dedication and commitment towards the promotion of education in the Naga society.
“Though hailing from the faraway Benreu village in Peren district, Guizang Meru Zeliang was the son of Heizieluing, a first Christian convert in the village. He dedicated his firstborn child Guizang Meru ‘to the service of the Lord’,” the press release stated.
“After appearing matriculation examination, Guizang joined the Impur mission centre as a teacher as per his father’s wish and he became the headmaster in 1915.”
But as fate would have it, a terrible outbreak of the contagious cholera at Impur area afflicted many people; Guizang also contracted the disease while treating the patients and passed away at the young age of 24 on November 4, 1918. His sad story is made more painful because of the fact that young Guizang, full of hope and promise, was also a newly married man who left his wife at his native village. He passed away without his wife by his side and was buried at Impur cemetery.
Today, ninety-nine years after his death, on the occasion of his 123rd birth anniversary, a group of young men under the aegis of WAM Event Management in collaboration with the Ao Baptist church council and the children and grandchildren of Guizang Meru revisited the rich legacy of the first Naga headmaster so that his contributions can be appreciated for posterity to come.
The WAM Group informed to have exhumed the mortal remains of Guizang and relocated them to a better site, it was informed.
Former NBSE Chairman Nini Meru, who is related to Guizang, expressed heartfelt gratitude to the ABAM and WAM Event Management Group for taking the trouble in rebuilding the grave. She informed that the family was taking the original tombstone back to Benreu village to be placed as a memorial among the graves of the family members, the press release stated.
The ABAM Executive Secretary, Rev Dr Mar Atsongchanger, while speaking at the fellowship programme, said that though the life of Guizang was cut short, his ‘zeal, dedication and commitment towards education’ clearly showed that he was not a mere person.
Saying that the rich legacy of Late Guizang Meru was still alive today, Dr Mar said that the life story, his contribution of the ‘great teacher’ is still talked at Impur among the residents and also whenever visitors from far and near come to the Mission centre.
