Edward Yochembeng Fobellah was born on June 21 1949 to HRH Fobellah Nkenglefac and Suzanna Abetoh.  Like most children at the time from the Bellah Ngeh palace, he enrolled and completed eight years of primary school at the then NA School, Fontem (now Government primary School Fontem at Njenbeti). He graduated with a FSLC diploma in June 1964 and was among the last batch of FSLC candidates who did an eight-year primary program that ended in Standard Six. Following that, children in the Cameroon primary schools now study only for seven years.

Edward passed the Entrance Exam into Sasse College and started secondary education in Sasse in September 1964. He was one of the dozen students from Nweh/Mundani area that was admitted into Sasse in September 1964 from various schools in the then West Cameroon. It was after this mass admission into Sasse from Nweh/Mundani that the stage was set for the creation of our Lady Seat of Wisdom College, Fontem, thanks to HRM Fontem Defang, Bishop Julius Peteers, and Madame Chiara Lubich.

Col. Edward Fobellah graduated from Sasse in June 1969, with an attestation signed by Rev. Father Lawrence Flinn, the Principal. Edward wrote a public exam and was successful into the Combined Services Military Academy (EMIAC) on the 1st of November 1970 as an officer cadet. Since Sasse offered holistic education to its students, he had the capability to face the challenges of his new profession. He excelled in his military career, winning many awards and recognition as an exemplary soldier.  While still in EMIAC, he obtained his Diploma in Military Parachuting in 1972 and later on appointed as an aspiring officer in 1974

After successful completion of the officers’ course in EMIAC, the Head of State and Supreme Commander of the Armed commissioned him in 1974, as a Second Lieutenant.  His career took him to several locations in Cameroon and abroad. The first duty post in 1974 was at the National Armed Forces Perfection and Training Center (CPEFAN) at Koutaba. From there, he was selected for the Junior Infantry Officers’ Course at the Combat Arms School in Canada in 1975; and a year later, for the Infantry Platoon Commanders’ Course still in Canada. Upon return from Canada in 1976, he was appointed as an instructor in EMIAC.

In 1979, Col. Fobellah was admitted for the Junior Officers’ Course in EMIAC. It was this same year that he got married to his beloved wife Mrs. Agnes Aroke, an ex Seat of Wisdom College student and a beauty from the Fomenky family.  In 1980 Col. Fobellah was appointed as Company Commander at the Djoum training Center. Duty further took him as Company Commander to Ebolowa in 1982, Koutaba in 1983 and Tombel in 1985.  While in Tombel, he was detached on several occasions to command operations in Isangele and Idabatu. He served in Buea at the 21st infantry battalion between 1989 and 1993. As a senior military officer with the rank of Major, he served in Douala at the second military region briefly between 1993 and in 1994 . In 1993, he served as Chief of the 3rd Bureau. In 1994, he was transferred to the services of the Joint Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Defense in Yaoundé as a Research Officer. He was President of the Yaounde branch of Lebang Cultural and Development Organisation from 1995—1997 and later served as treasurer from 1997-1999.

His rich and successful military career earned him the following promotions:

1974 – Second-Lieutenant

1977 – First-Lieutenant

1983 – Captain

1992 – Major

1997 –Lieutenant-Colonel

2002 – Colonel

Among these promotions came several decorations (medals). In 1984 he was decorated with the médaille de Vaillance; Medaille de la force publique 1985, Officier du mérite Camerounais 1996, and the Médaille de l’Ordre de la valeur 2000. He served as an assessor in the military tribunal and taught in the Combined Services Military Academy (EMIAC).

He was among the few Cameroonians to serve within the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) peacekeeping force that was mobilised for peace keeping in Burundi when the tribal conflict between the Hutus and Tutsis broke out. He served in Bujumbura for close to a year on that mission. In 1994 while on Mission to Rwanda and Burundi, he fell sick and returned home.

He retired from the Cameroon Defense forces on the 22nd of June 2007, after 37 years of active service to the Army. He was also a great cultural icon and a prominent son of Lebialem.

God called him to eternity on Saturday, October 10, 2015 at the Winchester Medical Center in Virginia, while on a visit to the USA. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of many years, Mrs. Aggie Aroke Fobellah (1960-2012).

Retired Colonel Edward Fobellah (1949-2015) leaves behind his mother, parents-in-law, five children, four grandchildren, many brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, and friends to mourn him.