Papa was laid to rest in Jakiri, Bui Division on Saturday April 27th 2013. His home going program which started from California, USA really spoke to the kind of person he was, as people showed up in their thousands to bid him farewell. Click on the link below to view photos of his final journey.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=2AbMXDRm5aM2PR
Papa Patrick Njodzefon Kimbo, known to his family and friends as "Bah woo Jah" was born in April 1926 to Zacharia Njodzefon and Odilia Kudzerong. His siblings were Godfrey Nge, Regiina Dulafe, Mary Ayena, Agnes Kongnyuy, Francis Monyuykiin, John Bosco Nga and Celine Kila. Pa's exact date of birth is not known because by the Nso tradition, the Fon has to name the first child of a prince, and his grandfather, His Royal Highness Ngah Bifon I (the then ruling monarch) delayed in giving his name.
Both his parents were very fervent Catholics and the practice at the time demanded that a Christian child be baptized as soon as possible after birth. The Rev. Father who had become impatient asked that he be brought immediately to the mission to be baptized. So he was baptized in the Shisong Catholic Church by Rev. Father Jacobs and named Patrick Kimbo. Papa Marcellus Nsaikpu kindly accepted to be his Godfather. It was later on that the Fon gave another name which was Banlanjo.
Papa grew up in Kuynkuv, and at the age of 8, attended school at the Sacred Heart Primary School in Shisong. In 1940, he left home to attend St. Anthony’s Primary School in Njinikom. When papa completed his primary school course, he was employed as a teacher, and he used the little money he earned to send his siblings to school.
In 1944, Papa was selected to attend the Teacher Training Center in Njinikom, after which he was posted to Catholic School Bafut. In 1948, he was transferred to Njindom Catholic School as the first trained teacher to that school. He was later transferred to Catholic School Tabeken as the Headmaster.
In 1950, papa went to St. Thomas Teacher Training College in Ogoja to do the Teacher's Grade 2 Course. The climatic conditions there were not favorable to his health, so he came back to Cameroon and wrote and passed the Teacher's Grade 2 exams as an external candidate.
In 1953, he was transferred to Catholic School Nkar, where he worked as Headmaster and class teacher till 1977. He acted for some time as Supervising Headmaster and contributed to the opening of Ntotti, Ran, Nkarkui and Kintsenjam Catholic Schools. He also fought for the creation of an examination center and Youth Day Center in Dzekwa. He chaired the Youth Day celebrations in Dzekwa in the Center at C.S. Nkar. He was nominated chairman of Dzekwa Rural Action Committee and chairman of Health Committee.
Starting a Family
In 1954, papa decided to start a family and got married to Angelina Vilon, a princess of Nkar. They lived very happily and she was a big support to him in his job and political activities. She was elected President of the women’s wing of the Cameroon National Union Party, and did her best in collaboration with Yaa Rosemary and Yaa Adela to organize the women adherents of the party in Dzekwa. They were blessed with three children namely: Mary Electa Beri, Edwin Njodzefon and Florence Vidzem.
In June 1977, his wife Angelina passed away after a protracted illness. After her death, he got married to Bernadette Njiysila who has two children – Bernice Mokia and Ruth Kininla.
In 1971, he was transferred to Government School Jakiri as headmaster and in 1984 he was transferred to the inspectorate of education from where he retired in 1985.
Political Career
As far back as the early 1960’s, papa had started to take interest in the politics of the country. In 1965, he was elected a councilor for the Nso Area Council. At that time, the main political parties in Cameroon were the U.C (Union Camerounaisse), the K.N.D.P. (Kameroon National Democratic Party), the K.N.C. (Kameroon National Congress) the K.P.P. (Kameroon People’s Party), and the C.P.N.C. (Cameroon People’s National Congress). He was an adherent of the C.P.N.C. The political revolution of 1966 brought about the dissolution of all parties and merging them into one party called the Cameroon National Union (C.N.U) under the leadership of Ahmadu Ahidjo. Papa was elected an executive member in both the Bah Subsection and the Bui Section of C.N.U.
In 1974, the Nso Area Council was split into four councils – Kumbo Urban, Kumbo Rural, Jakiri Rural and Oku Rural Councils. He was elected among the pioneer councilors of Jakiri Rural Council and nominated the first Assistant Municipal Administrator. In 1985, he was uplifted to the post of Municipal Administrator.
As Municipal Administrator, he transferred the council office from the Sub Divisional office to the old Catholic Church acquired as a result of exchange of land between the Catholic Mission and the Council. He purchased a Toyota double cabin pickup, a 7 ton Toyota Tipper, a duplicating machine and two type writers for the Council. He opened a cattle market and continued to develop the fuel plantation. He also acquired a public cemetery below the Sub Divisional hospital; opened streets in the town and a few roads to some villages among other development projects. In 1996, the Social Democratic Front party won the Council elections and took over.
As the first C.P.D.M party president, he completed the party house started by late S.K. Kilo. It was in this building that S.A.R and G.H.S started before they later moved to their present sites. The party grew from 5 Subsections to 16. Government recognized his contribution to the development of Dzekwa and decorated him with 2 medals of honour.
Since 1996, he had been taking a quiet rest in his private home in Jakiri where he lived until the lord called him to the everlasting home where there is no strife or worry.
