Pa,

I am sitting on this Saturday April 27, 2013 as you are being laid to rest and thinking about you, your life and the family and friends and wondering how to thank you. Then it occurred to me that you had already set an example for us to follow, your soft spokenness, confidence, pride in how you conducted yourself and being a dad. The best way is to emulate and thank you is to continue to make everyone around us better. You taught me and everyone around you humility, commitment and love and miraculously shared that with thousand others during your stay with us. Thank you for Beri and Sanda, Edwin and Pricie and Florence and their children. They are a blessing to us. We will say a prayer or two for you so your journey stays blessed. I thank you on behalf of my family and friends and may God accept you and thank you on our behalf. Will miss you already! Please rest in peace.

Emma, Mike and Kids. 

Uncle Mayor,

As a wonderful and special cousin as my mother still refers to you, you made sure the bond between your late Mum ( Mama Odilia K.) and my late grand mum ( Mama Theresa Nsam) continued through to our generation. The love that exists among you, Uncle SSB, my Mum Mama Nathalia Mbeh, your Sister Mama Regina Dulafeh and many family members is evident and we the young ones will continue to emulate this family orientation which is one of the many wonderful legacies you have left behind as I see so much of that you in your son Dr Kimbo Edwin and siblings.

As a mayor, you left an indelible mark in the community and the lives of so many whom you met. My twin sister and I used to feel so proud participating at the Jakiri Stadium during National days celebrations, knowing that you and my father Pa Gregory Bamnjo (one of those welcoming you in heaven now) were sitting right at the front and seeing us and we could not wait till the end of the celebrations to come and say hello and see that beautiful caring smile of yours. 

Your passion for work and helping people irrespective of ethnicity and family ties was both outstanding and inspiring. Growing up as a kid in Ntseimbang, you were the only "Mayor" I knew.  In my world then and still, (and it is for many who know what a fine job you did as Mayor), the title "Mayor" was not just a political position but grew to symbolize a unique name you were born with and which was made just for you and you alone. Taking your life and job very seriously created an image which is the only image that comes first in our minds whenever We see or hear this word" Mayor".  

Uncle Mayor as I always call you, you communicated your departure to me in a special way two weeks before you left us to be with the Lord. Thank you! You have lived a good life, and fought a good fight. Now you are resting in the Lords hands where we are hoping to meet you again when our time comes. ADIEU UNCLE !!

Your small Cousin.

Godfrida Bamnjo

PAPA SHEY PATRICK KIMBO NJODZEFON (1926-2013)

Today, Papa Shey Patrick Kimbo Njodzefon of Jakiri is no more,
He disappeared at early hours of Tuesday, 2nd April 2013
At the Douala General Hospital where doctors did their best to save,
But the Good Lord had ruled to take him in hot Easter Season.
May His Soul Rest in Perfect Peace!

With Shey Njodzefon gone, a huge Nso BAOBAB Tree has fallen,
Leaving a void not only in Dzekwa, but in the entire Bui Division,
This was a man, mighty in his ideas, deeds and love of his people!
A true Jakiri Development Giant for over half a Century!
A man made and ordained for a big social and Christian purpose!
A successful architect of the people’s socio-economic development and change!

A special gift of God to the Dzekwa people centered around the Jakiri Community.
Shey Patrick emerged as a committed Head Master of Jakiri Primary School in the 1950’s,
Sent to initiate the rising generation of Dzekwa into modernization,
To learn to read, to write, to count, to reason, to farm and to love God,
To belong to the group, to play, pray together and face community challenges,
To vision the entire African continent and share its sympathy and belonging.
Thanks to seeing Dzekwa, Bui Division, Cameroon and Africa as their own.
Specifically to create Jakiri, work it, love it and erect it into a future city;
And Shey Patrick was blessed with the long life span to supervise it through,
And this day, Shey Njodzefon goes as a Co-Founder, builder and Inspirer of Jakiri Town.
Thanks to his inspiring, cumulative and overlapping leadership opportunities as,
Senior Head Master, long-term Serving Councillor and Mayor, Church Elder and Chairman of Parish Council,
Politician and Section President of CNU and later CPDM, Collaborator with the Christian Church,
Collaboration with National and Republican Administration, Leader of Development Projects,
And collaborator with the Fons and Nso Native Administration and Governance.

For the land-marks and Development mile stones we witnessed,
We recall with happiness and satisfaction the following list:
The Jakiri Pipe-born Water System – the pioneer in the region,
The modern Jakiri lay-out plan as a modern town for settlement and business,
The radical transfer of the old Jakiri Ntangrin Market to Shiy-road modern Market
The development of Council Offices and huge Council Field to host national events,
The creation of space for the Catholic Primary School, gigantic Parish Church and premises,
He headed the CNU as First Section President for Dzekwa in 1966,
And later for the CPDM ruling party, in their natural transition in 1985,
We counted all able Traditional Doctors to form “CUSS” in 1986,
And to offer health Care to people on Ntangrin market days at little cost;
Yet he trained his two children as medical doctors – Dr. Florence and Dr. Edwin Kimbo,
And they went to America to Specialize and update their skills
We collaborated to eliminate Severe Endemic Goiter – the big neck illness,
Which blocked Children’s IQ and caused ugly swollen necks
Thanks to promotion of Universal Salt Iodization and consumption,
And prevalence dropped from 45% to below 5% in Jakiri Endemic Zone;
But the modern construction of the huge Square Market Center in Jakiri
Which remains a model in the Grass Field and rural Cameroon,
Thanks to your exceptional collaboration with a development designer and Priest-
Who built the Catholic Primary School and Giant Parish Church in Jakiri Center,
Remain a great admirable achievement, and show of Faith and Trust
Which changed the rural village community into a promising town.

Shey Patrick Kimbo, born in 1926 of Papa Prince-Zachariah Njodzefon of Kimbo,
And his mother – a leading Mama Fourteen was mother of Regina Dulafe and brother Godfrey Ngah – a rare genius
Shey Patrick counted among the First generation Christian Children between 1920 and 1930,
On completing Standard Four at Sacred Heart School Shisong
He trekked to St Anthony’s School Njinikom for Standards Five and Six,
And became a Prep Teacher to later professionalize at either Bambui, Onitsha, Ogoja or Kake-Kumba
To later serve as Head Master and Community Development leader by 1940 to 1950s,
Thus Patrick counted among the first flames of the shining light of the Catholic Church in the grass fields
Which the A Mama Fourteen called “Ran Yee Ecclessia Catholica” with inspired pride and delight.

During the holiday period, when those Nso pioneering teachers came home,
It was a great pleasure to see them in Church at Sunday masses,
To meet them at social events such as marriage celebrations and Birthday parties,
Or during football matches which they often organized at Bamfem field;
But their singing and dressing during Christmas Night Mass celebrations,
Remain a powerful and joyful display of modernity and Christianity,
Which stigmatized them and displayed them as children of the light,
And caused us to dream dreams and to aspire to join their field;
That was their inspiration and effective contribution to the promotion of modernity.

Now, Shey Patrick Kimbo Njodzefon, the rare Nso gift of a nonagenerarian, like Mandela,
At this burial of yours, we are indeed saying, “Goodbye to your generation”,
Which made the centenary celebration of the Catholic Church in Kumbo
Diocese a happy and meaningful event on 26th January 2013.
I believe it is most fitting to attempt their roll call here now as the Church triumphant;
As the mark of our profound love and gratitude to the Mill Hill Fathers,
For your profound devotion and endeavour to develop our Bui people
They were: Teacher Lawrence Fonka of Sop, Chrysanthus Yange of Ndendzev, Alexander Lantum of Mbonyar, Charles Nsotaka of Vebaa-rong, Michael Suilabayu of Bamfem, William Tar of Faanjang, Philip Shemlon of Mbiygiy, Christian Sanosi and William Tarlah of Tankum, Philip Nsaidzeka of Ndzendzev, Albert Dzeawuni of Bonyar, Boniface Saka of Kai, Bernard Winkar of Nsomban, Joseph Lafon of Bankah, Thomas Tahta wo Tavirer, Pasto Fai wo Tooy, Thaddeus Njong wo Sarntoh, Nicholas Lon wo Taashitiy, Nicholas Ndzerem (wanto), Stephen Berka of Maamo, Paul Langdji wo Nkor, Thomas Ngamdzele wo Djottin, Peter Ndey wo Oku, Maurice Mbu Bayena of Mbisha, William Banboye of Tobin.

The inspiring women contemporary teachers were: Martha Bongka, Prudencia Heen Chila, Cecilia Veryee Jaff, Anastasia Shubuka Shemlon, Angela Lafon….

As we don’t wish to hurry the few still surviving, we ask them to join us in prayers for you.

May Patrick Kimbo, and all the departed Nso pioneering teachers, born between 1920 and 1930
REST IN PERFECT PEACE. AMEN!

Sir/Prof/Dr Daniel N. Lantum (KCOV)
Shufai Bastos

I knew about Pa Kimbo through my husband, Fuankem.  His fond memories of his experiences in Nso were obvious whenever he had the opportunity to show off his fluency in Lamso and his constant introductions of himself as a son of Pa Kimbo.  Pa Kimbo was my husband’s father and consequently, my father too.  I finally had the privilege of meeting him via phone when he visited the United States.  He even spoke Mukwe to me and I looked forward to meeting him in person.

When we learned of his sudden hospitalization and the gravity of his condition, we prayed that God would keep him a little longer.  I told myself, if it was his time, he should wait until June, so that we would be able to visit with him, and say our goodbyes, but as Dolly Parton once said, “We cannot direct the wind.”  Little did we know Pa’s time had come.  In trying to hold on to him, we forgot it was April, and it was Easter time.  We forgot it was April, the month he came to this earth.  We forgot his birthday was coming. We missed the significance of this period, but now I know it was his time.  He left exactly the day after he came.  Quite timely, I am sure it was his time!

Pa Kimbo will be sorely missed!  Like all great men, his reward is that long after he is gone, he will live on.  Pa lives on as he joins our other loved ones who left before him and are watching over us.  Yes, Pa lives on with all the memories he left us.  Pa lives on from all the seeds he sowed and nurtured.  Pa lives on from the lives he touched.  How I wished I met him personally.

My sincere condolences to Hajia Beri Isa Sanda, Alhaji Isa Sanda Umaru, Dr. Edwin Kimbo, Dr. Florence Kimbo, Dr. Priscilla Kimbo & HRH Fuankem Achankeng I (PhD).

Patience Fonkem (PhD)

I am Ekokobe Fonkem, the oldest son of Chief Fuankem Achankeng I. I first met Pa Kimbo in Cleveland about 7 years ago when he was visiting Dr. Florence Kimbo. During that brief meeting, Pa was very welcoming and easy to relate to. I kept in contact with Pa through my dad.  Through the years, I was also very fortunate to meet all Pa Kimbo’s children. In fact,  when I graduated from medical school in 2007, Dr.  Edwin Kimbo was the chairperson of the occasion. I really cherished the friendship that Pa Kimbo’s family and our family have cultivated. Pa Kimbo’s passing is a big loss to all of us.  May his soul rest in peace.

Dr. Ekokobe Fonkem

Austin, TX

                               To A Great Grandfather

                                    “Baa Wo’ Fiago”

     Grandfather was a great man. We called him “Baa Wo Fiango”. Whether you knew him as a father, grandfather, father-in-law, uncle, neighbor, friend and First Mayor of Jakiri Rural Council, you got the same level of appreciation from him that everyone had. Grandfather was a caring, humorous, faithful, respectful, great storyteller, craftsman, hardworking and great family man.

     My earliest memories of spending time with grandfather were when I was in primary school. My brothers and I, (Ban and Mohammed) were always happy when we had to spend summer holidays with grandfather. It was amazing to see the joy on our faces when we were parking to go spend holidays in another quarter in Jakiri, less than one kilometer from our parents house. We will spend three months there without coming to visit our parents because of the care and love we got from being with grandfather. I can remember how my brother (Ban), will always cry to follow grandfather when he was going out and he often take all of us to places. But when it was Sunday, grandfather will be confused because, Ban will cry to follow him to church and because we are Muslims, grandfather being respectful of our faith will never take us to church. Grandfather made sure “Mami Wo Fiango” never took us to the farm on Friday because we are Muslims and have to go to the Mosque. Grandfather was a family man, we were not the only ones who go for holidays at Fiango, children from all over, cousins, god sons, god daughters, nephews, nieces were always there too for summer holidays.

   Baa Wo Fiango, My Brothers and I, will forever miss you, but your jokes, advice, love, and wisdom will live with us forever.

Very sad indeed and my heartfelt condolences. He was my Head Master in the then GS Jakiri and also the first Mayor of Jakiri. May the good Lord reserve a place for his soul.

My condolence to the entire Kimbo family.

Paa Kimbo was my headmaster in GS Jakiri.Simple and easy going he was  a father and devoted teacher alongside the late Boniface Awira and Tchia Baah from kistenjam. These teachers of old really impacted so many lives. God gave, God has taken, blessed be his name.

Dear Alhadji, Beri, Eddy, Florence all, Sad to learn that Pa Kimbo is no more and much the happier to have known this respectable gentleman. He is accompanying the risen Lord to the land where all is bliss. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

My deepest condolence Alhadji and to your wife and other inlaws. May he rest in perfect peace and I wish the family strength in these trying times.

Jude Kehla

Amsterdam

Oh! my goodness, 'Procastination is the thieve of Time' so it goes. Sorry I could not pay my last hommage to his living image last saturday 30th March when I actually passed by the Douala General hospital. Just because of our busy haste, I only remained at the entrance and called Frederick Sunjo who was taking care of him to meet me outside; least did I know that the appointment I took to pass there today was only to be a condolence visit. My birth certifcated was drawn up and signed by Pa Kimbo. He remains immortal to me because his Signature lives with me. May the Nuclear family and the Wirfon family accept my heartfelt condolence for this great but deserved rest.

News of the death of Pa Kimbo today and of youthful Peter Musa on Sunday, as was that of Ivo Leinyuy in Nigeria a few days before Easter are sad and sad indeed. It is sad to know that Pa Kimbo that I knew from my childhood is no more. We can say of him that he had lived his life and contributed to the development of Cameroon through the education of many who are great men and women today and through other services, and for these his passing on is occasion to remember and celebrate his life. We also remember the passing of Ivo Leinyuy a few days before Easter and of Peter Musa a couple of days ago. These were people in their middle ages, helping in their different ways to build the country and very well known within and outside the country. I was a member of the Board of Director's of Peter's Art Gallery, and was with Ivo some two Sundays after Mass in Mvog-Ada before he left for Nigeria to return no more. Old or young, death is a painful and shocking way for people to separate and we will miss these wonderful people very much. May their souls rest in perfect peace. My condolences to the bereaved families.

Pa Kimbo was the headmaster (HM) of RCM Nkar for decades. He was one of the few surviving teachers of those days when teaching was a noble vocation, not the money-chasing business it has become these days. Pa Kimbo taught Standard Six, a class that was the preserve of the HM. His presence alone was enough to inspire deep respect and awe in us, the little ones of those days. Pa has indeed lived a full and fruitful life and has gone to a well-merited rest. May he find peace in the Lord!

The Don: What a beautiful tribute to your neighbour! He was also my neighbour, although he was a little further away from me than he was from you.

"Never be afraid to leave behind something for others to enjoy!" Yes, indeed. That was the spirit before our 're-colonisation'. The prevailing spirit now is: just grab what you can and disappear with it before someone else shows up. Just the anti-thesis of what Pa Kimbo and those of his generation preached and practised.

I recall how Pa Kimbo  once 'disbanded' a choir of older pupils -- and the older fellows of those days were truly big in size and age -- and gathered a dozen of us to sing during the Palm Sunday procession. The older fellows were becoming funny and behaving as if they owned the choir. Pa became angry with them, grabbed some of us from the lower classes and kept us rehearsing for weeks prior to Palm Sunday. Come the day, we all sang in a procession into church under the watchful eye of the dreaded, no-nonsense Fara 'Nji'.  I believe that was the only time I ever sang in Church -- the good Lord, in his inexplicable wisdom, having denied me the gift of song and of singing -- and I've never forgotten that experience. By destituting the older pupils and giving the younger ones space to blossom, Pa sent a powerful message around, that is, that no one was indispensable and that people should learn to step aside so as to give others a chance to show of what mettle they are made. I wish our country's leadership could borrow a leaf from the likes of Pa Kimbo. If they did, no one individual would cling to a position of power for over 30 years!!

The Don, once more thanks for your tribute that has brought so much back to mind. May Pa Kimbo rest in peace.  Amen.

I am saddened by the passing of a Great Man, Pa Patrick N. Kimbo. Even as I call him Pa, I am not sure whether this title is enough; for, many of you reading these words, and many more who will not read them, have been touched/influenced by Pa Kimbo in one way or another. I consider myself an old man, but before I was born, Pa Kimbo had already got his title as H/M of St. Mary's School, RCM Nkar. We were neighbours in Nkar long before he ever moved to Jahjiri where he joined the government institutions, starting with GS Jakiri and ending with Jakiri Rural Council.

Back to his page in St. Mary's. I attended St. Mary's from Infant Two, I believe it was in 1962. It was not long before the colonisers started meddling with things, and the whole system was changed in 1964 when I was in Standard Two, and they started calling it Class Four. The Oxford Reader (See me Lakayana with my spear) was dropped in favour of the New Nation Reader. What we have nowadays is only a shadow of what we had in those days. I can bet all my possessions that the drop in standards started from this trial and error approach. 

Pa Kimbo was an embodiment of high standards. I do not know about you, but this anecdote will help to explain my statement. When we reached Class Seven in 1967/68, our classrooms were not yet cemented. The school proprietor decided that the classrooms should be cemented and that the Class Seven children, who had now finished their exams, should carry laterite (kisa) to the school compound for the cementing. This generated a lot of hard feelings among us.

Pa Kimbo, being the philosopher he was, called a meeting of Class Seven pupils to explain what was happening. He quoted another philosopher, Prof. Fonlon, and I still remember clearly the quotation. It goes: "If you do not reap where others sowed, sow for posterity to reap" I never wrote it down, but it was etched in my memory for ever. He went on to explain that those of us in Class Seven would soon be leaving to go to college somewhere; that we would go there to a new school which was built by others before us; that we should therefore not complain about contributing to the cementing of our school for others to enjoy after us. As you can imagine, we went about carrying the laterite happily because this great man had opened our eyes to the reality of life: NEVER BE AFRAID TO LEAVE SOMETHING BEHIND FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY.

Please accept my condolences as well as those of my wife, Ernesta. She joined me when Pa Kimbo and family had long ceased to be our neighbour, but she knows something about the Kimbo family since she was classmates with Dr. Flo Sevidzem. May the Almighty God be merciful to Pa Kimbo and welcome him into the joys of heaven in the big mansion he built for himself by his good works herebelow. Amen. 

The Don

Truely, Shey (as I loved to address him in fun) Pa Patrick N. Kimbo will be remembered forever. I vividly remember when he taught George Mengnjo, Bishop Bushu, me and others in Standard Six, Nkar in 1960.  I owe all the ARITHMETIC I know to him. I loved his signature . Born on 1 April 1926, died on 2 April 2013. God uses several signs to indicate to us those to whom he has given a beautiful room in heaven. He is in Heaven resting in peace and praying for us. We thank God for his great contributions particularly in St Mary's school Nkar

It is with great sorrow that we extend our condolences to the Kimbo family on the loss of their father, our beloved, renowned primary school headmaster later to be our mayor in Jakiri. By all standards Pa lived a very successful and fulfilled life and his departure back to his creator is to be celebrated in thanksgiving for what the Lord has been to him and his family. Yes, we still have to shed tears for the loss of him, but after that, wipe our eyes and thank God for the gift of him.

Sir Kimbo, you will surely meet Mama Angelina Vilon who left us since 1977. Greet her and assure her of our continuous prayers for the repose of your souls. May your souls rest in perfect peace. Amen Jesus Christ is risen and is alive Alleluia!!!

I got to know the three Kimbo siblings in Saint Augustine,s college, Mbo-mbiim hills in Nso. Edwin was a year ahead of me, Electa was my classmate and Flo was a year behind me. They, especially Edwin and Flo performed so well in school and Electa was like a mother to her own siblings although a teenager herself. She was always seen cautioning the brother and sister and the trio were well disciplined that we suspected before we got to know, they were children of one headmaster in Nkar.

I remember when ma was called to be with the Lord. As tiny as Flo was, her brain was a magnet of knowledge. Despite the early loss, the three, remained discipline children,still did very well in the GCE and excelled in their course of study.  This was in part due to the support and guidiance from a powerful educator- their father and big sister love from Electa.

We share in your loss and remember as Donatus said, Pa is not afraid on his way to the Lord because he knows he has left a powerful crew behind.
He will be missed by many who went through his class/school. People from many walks of life who owe their success to education foundation and fatherly discipline they got from him .

May he rest in perfect peace.  

Probably because I was identified very early as the heir to the throne of my ancestors, I was sent away to be raised in Nso Palace. Pa Kimbo had been Headmaster in Bangwa, my home, and friendly with my father, HRH Fuankem Lekeanyi I of the Atoabechied Dynasty in present day Lebialem Division. From that friendship, I was handed to Pa Kimbo to bring me to the Palace. Back home in Nso, Pa Kimbo, himself a descendant of Nso Palace had different thoughts. Rather than send the tiny little boy from “kitum” to a huge Palace where I would know nobody and not understand the language and customs, Pa Kimbo, the caring educator, decided to raise me himself. At the time, he was Supervising Headmaster at Nkar RCM School.

Today, I want to express my profound gratitude and appreciation to Pa Patrick Kimbo for thinking on his feet and for being the caring intellectual who raised me. I owe everything that I am today to the timely decision of a caring educator who understood that doubts and fear in the mind of a young person can be very damaging in the later life of that individual. In the early 1960s in Nso almost everyone communicated in Lamnso which I initially did not understand. Not understanding the language would have made Palace customs and traditions even more overwhelming to me, a stranger and a very young person from distant lands. Pa Kimbo saved me from being plunged in a vast unknown. He took me to his home by Wainkar where he and his lovely wife raised me alongside their three children: Hadjia Mary Electa Beri Isa Sanda, Dr. Edwin Kimbo & Dr. Florence Kimbo. We all shared the kiban whether it was deliciously cooked with nyosi, with kiwar, which Florence cherished or liver. Mama had such a great mastery of the Nso culinary art! I did not only learn Lamnso and the customs of the Nso people, I was also taken to Nkar Palace each time there were festivals and other cultural events of the Palace. While Edwin reveled in Mbaya and Minang, my fantasies were with the scary Palace ngumbas like the Nko’ and Mabu.

I left the Kimbo family in July 1966 only because I was asked to be taken back so I could go to “Sasse College which had come to Bangwa.” Though gone, my mind and soul remained with Pa Kimbo and in Nso, the man and the traditions that molded my young mind and first impressions of life.  I did return several times to spend holidays in the Kimbo household in Nkar. Upon the transition, in October 1997, of the late Chief, my father, I ascended the throne and became the traditional ruler of my people as the oracle had foretold. But I was still Pa Kimbo’s son. I visited him many times in his later years. He did not only mentor me, he confided in me, and requested that I remain the older brother to his children. Part of being an educator is to be caring and nurturing as we mold young minds. All who were educated under Pa Kimbo or who knew him probably understand the picture I paint of him. Pa Patrick Kimbo was indeed a caring educator and a father of many children whom he nurtured to prominence! I am proud today to be counted among the many children he raised and molded. In mourning,

HRH Fuankem Achankeng I, PhD

Traditional Ruler & Professor, University of Wisconsin, USA.