Members of the Forum for Naga Reconciliation, family of late Dr P Ngully and others at the memorial service in his remembrance at Hotel Grand Vista, Dimapur on August 16. (Photo Courtesy: Pinoka Swu/HIYO)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 16
In a moving tribute to Dr Phyobemo Ngully, the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) held a memorial service in his honour at the conference hall of Hotel Grand Vista, Dimapur on August 16. The gathering brought together Naga leaders from the government, civil societies, church and political groups, who reflected on the remarkable life of the renowned psychiatrist.
Dr Ngully was a peacemaker, an advocate of truth and a pillar of the community. He was a member of the FNR and chairman of the Kohima Educational Society until his passing on July 3, 2025. “He had a remarkable intellect and he loved to share what he knew, because he believed knowledge was meant to be shared,” said Mhonbeni, wife of Dr Ngully. Speaking as both wife and witness, she described his quiet strength and radiant humanity, deeply rooted in concern for his people, faith and family.
She believed that anyone who met him, even briefly, left having learnt something. In their 36 years of marriage, she knew him as a man of simplicity, free of extravagance. “If I hadn’t urged him now and then, he would have been perfectly content with one shirt, a pair of trousers and one pair of shoes,” she recalled. Service to people, she said, was his sacred calling, yet he never missed a moment of family significance. “His heart was never caught up in having more, but in living more.”
Mhonbeni added that he often reminded people that the greatest strength lay in stepping into another’s shoes without judgment. He also held immense pride in his tribal identity and upheld it till his last. “My husband wished for a peaceful passing without burdening anyone, and I believe that God heard his prayers,” she said. To society, he was a pillar of wisdom; to his daughters, a father of reassurance; and to her, a husband who led with humility and love.
Celebrating his legacy, Naga statesman Niketu Iralu recalled their long friendship rooted in shared aspirations. “We create heaven and hell here,” Dr Ngully would often remind, even as he urged Nagas to move beyond old ways and adapt together in a changing world. True change, Iralu noted, demanded “soul surgery,” a responsibility Dr Ngully embodied in his Christian faith by choosing to do the right thing God’s way.
FNR convenor Rev Dr Wati Aier said Dr Ngully’s passing was not only the loss of a beloved individual, but also a departure of voice and vision. “He did not speak merely to be heard, he spoke to reconcile,” he reflected. In their three decades of acquaintance, there was never a false note. “He supported me when I fell, encouraged me when I doubted and challenged me when I needed it. His friendship is a gift I will carry with me always.”
He reminded that reconciliation was not a distant goal but a daily practice. “His faith was not confined to books—it walked the streets, settled in the villages, and stood in force. He believed the dignity of everyone could be restored.”
Former MLA Mmhonlumo Kikon recalled working with him on an alternate proposal on oil exploration, where Dr Ngully insisted any framework must safeguard people’s rights, ensure fair sharing and promote coexistence. In public life, Kikon said, he belonged to “the deeper kind—a man with a calm voice, yet with ideas that carried weight.” He believed being Naga was greater than tribe or boundary, and his profound gift was his selfless commitment to reconciliation and fraternity.
Video messages from Kohima Education Trust (UK) and Quakers UK were shared, while tributes were also offered by Dr Joyce Angami (Kripa Foundation Kohima), Joyson Mazamo (NPMHR-South), and Banuo M Haralu (Kohima Educational Society). Leaders from Naga political groups, including Kilonser Kihoyi of NSCN (IM), Col (Retd) Isak Sumi of NSCN (K), and Victor M Thuu of NNC/FGN, also paid respects.
Dr Ngully was remembered as a man of simplicity, empathy and vision—who sought no credit but wished the work to outlast the worker. As his wife reminded, “May we honour him not only in memory, but also by living out the values he stood for.”
