BIOGRAPHY FOR LATE MR. JOHN MUTAH MBAH
April 29, 2020
by Karim Muma
Mr. John M. Mbah was born on November 12, 1964 in Bessi-Awum village of Batibo Subdivision of the North West Region of Cameroon. He exited this world on April 18, 2020 making him 55 years, 5 months. His mother Mami Pauline Anim Mbah is still alive and strong. She is currently in the United States. This is such an unexpected and an unbelievable event to witness. It is every parent’s wish for their children to outlive them, but Mami will experience the opposite. It is painful that her last memories of John will be marked with sorrow and grief, as she can no longer enjoy the company of her son. What a trauma for an 81yrs old lady to bear.
John’s mother raised him and other siblings in the village just as other families do. With very little at her disposal, she worked extra hard to give John an education above Primary level. Her determination to see John climb this ladder of life was buttressed by her junior brother, late Mr. Francis Akombi who helped to get John to a post-primary education level.
EARLY LIFE & EDUCATION:
Mr. John Mbah attended the Roman Catholic School Bessi now known as Government School Upper Bessi. Like most children who grew up from impoverished and uneducated homes, he was faced with many obstacles in school such having no money for school fees, late payment of school fees and learning with hardly any textbooks. Despite the obstacles, John brilliantly completed his primary education. The man we know and love today was the same boy some of us knew and loved then: John was quite friendly, cheerful, interactive and participative in the primary school. He played during breaks, shared his palm nut kernels and food, and joined our common boy fights on our way back from school.
After finishing primary school, he gained admission into the famous Longla Commercial College (LCC), Mankon where he graduated with very attractive papers and grades in the City and Gilts Examination that was controlled from London at the time. After graduating from LCC, he worked for a few years and found his way out of the country in hopes of advancing his education. His first stop was in France at le Université de Franche-Comté, Besancon (with assistance from Mr. Fon), where he spent some time figuring out what to do as an immigrant. Life was difficult but God guided him, and he crossed to the United States of America in June, 1990. The real struggle began here; however, God gave him a sister Ma Gladys Tinong and brother Martin, and others who were of great motivation and support to him. With no money, no support and no papers, John faced life in a tough way but persevered through the hardship.
John’s courage and resilience led him to gain admission into the University of the District of Columbia, UDC. He graduated in 1995. He worked, went to school and paid his tuition. His hard work blessed him with a degree in Radiography, which made John to be whom we call Ni John today. He continued to have in-service education at this job until his death.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
If we consider work experience in the broadest sense, John started work experience in Bessi as he helped in farming activities in the family. During holiday breaks while attending post-secondary education at LCC Bamenda, John helped his parents in a village provision store which sold beer as a main product. Upon graduation, he got a job with SGBC bank in Bamenda. He gained a lot of respect from his colleagues and from the community. John imagined more for himself and his family thus he left Cameroon and took upon a challenging journey to seek greener pastures in France and later in the U.S. Through unmeasurable circumstances, he made it. With his diploma in Radiography, John had climbed a steppingstone to a promising part of his life. He got a job as a Radiologist at the University of Maryland Capital Region Health and at the Mobilex Trident Care Imaging. He handled these jobs diligently and successfully. He had passion for his job and showed true devotion to the patients he took care of even to the moments of his death— brought upon by Covid-19. One can truly say, he died in active service, doing the best he could to protect himself and others. He was a rare gem who devoted a huge part of his life to the healthcare field. He surely will be missed.
DEVELOPMENT& LOVE FOR FAMILY & MANKIND
Mr. John Mbah has been a lover of humanity till his death. With his virtue, he could not fold his hands to the detriment of mankind. He helped to develop his community as follows
John’s mother raised him and other siblings in the village just as other families do. With very little at her disposal, she worked extra hard to give John an education above Primary level. Her determination to see John climb this ladder of life was buttressed by her junior brother, late Mr. Francis Akombi who helped to get John to a post-primary education level.
EARLY LIFE & EDUCATION:
Mr. John Mbah attended the Roman Catholic School Bessi now known as Government School Upper Bessi. Like most children who grew up from impoverished and uneducated homes, he was faced with many obstacles in school such having no money for school fees, late payment of school fees and learning with hardly any textbooks. Despite the obstacles, John brilliantly completed his primary education. The man we know and love today was the same boy some of us knew and loved then: John was quite friendly, cheerful, interactive and participative in the primary school. He played during breaks, shared his palm nut kernels and food, and joined our common boy fights on our way back from school.
After finishing primary school, he gained admission into the famous Longla Commercial College (LCC), Mankon where he graduated with very attractive papers and grades in the City and Gilts Examination that was controlled from London at the time. After graduating from LCC, he worked for a few years and found his way out of the country in hopes of advancing his education. His first stop was in France at le Université de Franche-Comté, Besancon (with assistance from Mr. Fon), where he spent some time figuring out what to do as an immigrant. Life was difficult but God guided him, and he crossed to the United States of America in June, 1990. The real struggle began here; however, God gave him a sister Ma Gladys Tinong and brother Martin, and others who were of great motivation and support to him. With no money, no support and no papers, John faced life in a tough way but persevered through the hardship.
John’s courage and resilience led him to gain admission into the University of the District of Columbia, UDC. He graduated in 1995. He worked, went to school and paid his tuition. His hard work blessed him with a degree in Radiography, which made John to be whom we call Ni John today. He continued to have in-service education at this job until his death.
WORK EXPERIENCE:
If we consider work experience in the broadest sense, John started work experience in Bessi as he helped in farming activities in the family. During holiday breaks while attending post-secondary education at LCC Bamenda, John helped his parents in a village provision store which sold beer as a main product. Upon graduation, he got a job with SGBC bank in Bamenda. He gained a lot of respect from his colleagues and from the community. John imagined more for himself and his family thus he left Cameroon and took upon a challenging journey to seek greener pastures in France and later in the U.S. Through unmeasurable circumstances, he made it. With his diploma in Radiography, John had climbed a steppingstone to a promising part of his life. He got a job as a Radiologist at the University of Maryland Capital Region Health and at the Mobilex Trident Care Imaging. He handled these jobs diligently and successfully. He had passion for his job and showed true devotion to the patients he took care of even to the moments of his death— brought upon by Covid-19. One can truly say, he died in active service, doing the best he could to protect himself and others. He was a rare gem who devoted a huge part of his life to the healthcare field. He surely will be missed.
DEVELOPMENT& LOVE FOR FAMILY & MANKIND
Mr. John Mbah has been a lover of humanity till his death. With his virtue, he could not fold his hands to the detriment of mankind. He helped to develop his community as follows
- He participated in Student Association development activities
- He initiated a youth football tournament for Bessi every Summer and donated handsome prizes
- He was a regular donor for the Mini-Agropastoral show for Bessi village
- He donated for the Batibo District Hospital Mortuary
- He donated for the construction of the Fon’s mansion in Bessi
- He was on every list of contribution organized by Bessi Development and Cultural Association for both the Washington and National chapters
- He was very regular and contributed big for the Ambazonia (Southern Cameroon) struggle for Independence
- He was one of the founding fathers of Moghamo Solidarity group which helps in empowering the Moghamo local government in her activities to fun refugees in Southern Cameroon.
INVESTMENT:
Mr. John Mbah did all to have personal investment and cooperate investment. He invested in Real Estate and Agriculture and currently owns a large farm in Cameroon. He was one of the founding fathers of PROTO LCC in USA. We are aware of the impact PROTO had in our U.S based community and in Cameroon. Mr. John Mbah held the position of Vice President until its closure. So much was said about John Mbah, but it should be known that he has gone to eternity free of any PROTO debt. All his loan was paid in Cameroon. Contrary, the company inflicted so much hardship on John Mbah and his wife as he was a collateral to many agreements that were a liability to the company. He attended many court sessions on PROTO matters. For that I say thank you John. I am here pleading that any trace of hatred or hurt be forgiven and forgotten. I use this opportunity to ask our brother to forgive us as well and to for a general forgiveness from all and to all just as our God forgives each one of us.
HIS IMMEDIATE FAMILY:
Mr. John Mbah did not go through life alone. He was married to his wife, Awah Muma for almost 20yrs till his passing. He is a father to 3 loving children ages; 14, 18 and 19yrs old and a stepson through whom he was blessed with 4 grandchildren. He is loved unconditionally by his family who will miss his presence and love dearly.
Mr. John Mbah has gone to eternity leaving behind a loving wife, children, grandchildren, a mother, an elder sister and junior brother and a host of other family members in Cameroon; great friends, the Bessi-Awum family, the Moghamo and Babungo family in the U.S and abroad to mourn for him.
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE
As we mourn and share our condolences with the family,we can all attest to the fact that Ni John Mbah was truly a philanthropist at heart, a developer and a hero to many,a dedicated radiology technologist, an easy going man with a gentle and compassionate soul, an Ambazonian warrior, a loving husband and father to all,a dancing partner to his wife, a handsome man with a contagious smile and a friend to many. He rarely got mad and held no grudges. He was one of a kind and left big shoes to fill when it comes to showing unconditional love. He was a man of solidarity and a true son of Bessi-Awum.
John will want us to celebrate his life and be good to one another. I urge all of us that when we remember Ni John Mbah, we should not weep in despair, but rather replicate just one of his good character attributes and make it part of who we are as a people. We should take up solidarity to the core and remember the family John leaves behind.
We say goodbye to “WoreBessi….” until we meet again.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16
Compiled by Ni Meshack Mudoh & Family