REMINISCENCE: Pa Enokpa & Small Mamfe
Plaque, Doc. Emman and the entire Enokpa Clan:
Pa Enokpa was verily the last of our Small Mamfe giants to succumb to the cold hands of death. After the demise of the likes of Pa Iyork, Pa Takor, Pa Ekpombang, Pa Ashu Capenter, Pa Eyong-Ashu, Pa Tanyi (aka Pa Tanye), Pa Takang, Pa Agbaw, HRH Chief Mbeng Besong, Pa Betek, Pa Agborbock, Pa Enow-tanya, Pa Wannobi, Pa Egbe Liberty, Pa Agbortarh (aka Court Clerk), Pa Oben, Pa Ayukegba (aka Who Knows Tommorrow?), Pa Mbiatem, Pa Cornor (aka Pa Corner), Pa S. A. Tataw ( aka HM), Pa B. E. Eyong (aka Head Master), Hon. S. A Ncha, Mrs. Niger Thomas, Hon.(Mrs) S A Eyong etc., we the Small Mamfe Home Boyz/Girls took consolation in the fact that we still had Pa M E Enokpa as an anchor of THE SMALL MAMFE Nostalgia. Now he too is gone! Where do we turn to for a true eye witness account of the evolution of Small Mamfe? What a loss!
We will miss our last standing Pa very dearly, especially as he was the seal of that over-achiever generation of our famed Small Mamfe. But we are, however, glad that Pa left us at the “over ripe” age of 105. After all, how many people across the globe attained that too ripe of an age before eventually bowing out of this sinful world of ours? May his gentle soul rest in Peace. Amen
REMINISCENCE: Pa Enokpa and Small Mamfe
It was early morning this day. As I walked through the small road, sorry foot path, from ‘Mobile Wing’ through Pa Oben’s ‘Coconut Island’ to the market, I remember meeting Pa Tabi (Sis. Elza Etchu’s Dad) coming out of his house - just behind our own house, on his way to work, the “Small Hospital” I mean. I also saw Pa B.E. Eyong and Mr. Ebai (Inspector of Education) greeting Mr. Ayuketah at the other side of the road, all on their way to work. Mr. Tabi was yelling hard to make sure Pa S.E Eyong and the others heard his greetings. Unfortunately that was when Mrs. S.A Eyong was riding past on her Honda 50. To make things worse, Pa Wannobi was at that same time struggling to climb the hill in his Land Rover, with M’fe Comm Devp’t inscribed on the right door. The rattling of the engine and smoke it generated rented the air and only added to the deafening engine sound of Madam’s Honda 50. I continued to run down the road on an assignment to buy njanga, and tron kanta for my mom, and to buy snuff for my father at Mr. Okocha’s at Main Street, just beside COMIC DANDY and OLYMPIC PHOTOS. If Okocha is not open, I know I cannot buy the snuff from any other snuff merchant… not even Mr. Nweke! It would be better and safer for me to go down John Holt to “borrow” from Pa Ashu Carpenter’s supply. The two brothers/friends will sort it out later.
I met Mr. Perry Arrey, with a Soccer Ref’s whistle dangling around his neck, on his way back from the Gov’t School Field where he went for early morning “practice”. He stopped by the road side to greet Mr. Etaharcourt, who was helping Mama Elisa get her kenja of bush meat over to her head. She was just from the Egbekaw Beach, were she went very early, to beat Mrs Enokpa (aka Mama Ngop) to “chatter” (buy all) bush meat from the Osagem, Eshobi, kesham, Nyang and Agborkim vendors. I didn’t like to see the face of Mr. Etaharcourt because of his painful injections to my buttocks (I preferred Pa Takor because he would rather give me “water water” medicines, instead of injections) at the small hospital. So I zoomed past them. As I was running on, I saw Ekoko Mangha Mangha chasing some other kids ahead of me. I think Otto Vonn (Dan), Ojomurphy, for “Eddy Murphy were amongst them. Pa Ekpombang screamed at Ekoko (with his usually thunderous voice) to ‘stop chasing those children’. I was still running fast, when I got frightened by a small green snake ‘zig-zagging’ its way into Pa Ekpombang’s abandoned ‘aeroplane car’ that was gradually decomposing in front of his house. At the other side of the stream (Mo Nyene Ta Etta) were Pa Agbor-Ebock and Pa Enokpa, separating Mr. Njoku’s children, who were fighting. These two Pa’s took time to counsel the ‘two fighters’ to stop fighting and rather get ready to go to school.
Suddenly I saw Chief Mbeng Besong, with a big white towel hanging over his left shoulder, accompanied by Pa Agbor-tarh, entering Mr. Watch and Pray’s house. Outside was his coveted Peugeot 304. Pa Oben and Mr. Mbiatem were following closely behind.
Too many people on the road… the usually very narrow road. What’s going on? Mamfe go up maybe! Smoking S.M.O.G and Man No Rest lorries a la Okafor put weidge were everywhere. I also remember Ma Usuro (with her never healing chronic leg ulcer) was around the corner asking for alms near the “Reading Room”. All I heard was “Mma” “Mma” “Mma”; “Ete” “Ete” Ete”!
Oh, Good old Small Mamfe! All the giants gone!! Adieu Pa Enokpa, the last of the “Men” of Small Mamfe
To the Enokpa Clan: This is my own little way of joining you to celebrate the well spent life of our last standing Papa. While putting things together for the wake-keeping and funeral, just take a few minutes to enjoy the Nostalgia! We are together..
Dr. Peter T. Ako,
California