Matthew TUM Yong was born on April 30, 1961 in Kumba of Mr Casmir Komfum Tum (late) and Mrs Natang Magdalene Tum Still (alive). He is a grandson to Late Michael Tim, the pioneer catechist of Njinikom who brought the Catholic Religion to Kom, Casmir being his first son. He was the sixth child in a family of nine (09) and coincidently the sixth to be called home in the family.

Matthew, fondly called by friends and family MTY, was christened after the tax collector Apostle Matthew, and patron Saint of choristers, on 14th May,1961 and received First Holy Communion in R,C.M. Ashing (Kom) present day Christ the King Parish, Fuli, on June 6, 1969. He received the Sacrament of Confirmation on October 15, 1972 in Buea. He attended primary school in Kumba and Djichami (in Kom) where he lived with his late Uncle, Sylvester Tim Nke (the father’s direct follower) and eventually returned to Kumba, where his father as superintendent in the Kumba Prison, where he completed primary school.

He was admitted in to the newly created Government Technical College (GTC) Kumba as one of the pioneer students and studied Mechanical Engineering where he graduated in 1980. From 1980 to about 1983 he worked with Kadji Defosso’s Union des Brasseries du Cameroun in Douala. When his contract ended he gained employment with the engineering firm known by its French appellation Laboratoire de Genie Civile (LABOGENIE) and was posted to Garoua. During the mass redundancy of workers in the 90s Matthew lost his job.

It is then he opted to look for greener pastures in Germany. While in Germany he met and fell in love with Gabriele Steiner. Gabriele Steiner unfortunately was called in the Lord on January 1, 2018. Gaby was a real African wife in spite of her German origin. Matthew, on coming home from Germany had scooped some earth from Gabi’s grave, with the hope that when he gets well he will perform traditional burial rites for his late wife. Man proposes and Goddisposes.

While Matthew worked with UCB he fell in love with Miss Ayuk Florence who was a hostess with the then Cameroon Airlines. Their love was blessed with a girl child they named Minette. Later, while in Germany he fell in love with Victoria Nkumi with whom they were blessed with a son.

Matthew’s social life & Leisure

Matthew never missed any opportunity to enjoy himself. He excelled in Lawn Tennis and bagged several trophies while in Garoua and elsewhere. He mixed very freely with other humans and easily made friends. He mingled with some of the highest top-ranking civilian and military personnel in this country. He could be adequately described as a bulldozer in the sense that you couldn’t stop him from achieving his objective. He had an urge for development and was indeed very generous and charitable. Many children in Njinikom will remember him for gifts of stationary he presented to them in Njinikom during the inaugural General Assembly of the Njinikom Area Development Corporation (NADECO) in December 2007. He worked hard to come up with a vocational training centre in Njinikom through an NGO he created called Boyo Vocational Centre (BOYOVOC). The initiative was however aborted by lack of funding. He organized a boxing contest between his late nephew Oliver Bemsi and another boxer in Bamenda some years back at the Bamenda Congress Hall, which pulled a large audience. He loved bringing people together especially by organising sports tournaments and offering a trophy.

Back in Germany MTY got into showbiz and became a great entertainer. He started with local instruments.

Matthew’s last days, in spite of his condition were interspersed with very painful moments and some times gay moments. Within the gay moments he maintained his high spirit an art of humour. It I said at some moment someone who came to visit him could not really make out who was the patient since he looked very lively and chatted with everyone in his usual humorous way. However he had confided in some family members that his Doctor back in Germany had told him he may die before September runs outs.

Family and friends spent sleepless nights and restless days, visiting every possible medic from traditional to conventional medicines in a bid to rescue him. God said, “No, Your time is up!” and on the morning of Friday September 14, 2018 he collapsed, while rubbing himself after bathing. He was rushed to the Bamenda Regional Hospital that morning and by 10.00 a.m. he breathed his last.

Matthew leaves behind a mother, two sisters and a brother, 2 daughters, 2 sons, aunts, cousins, nieces, and a whole lot of friends and benefactors to mourn him.

May the Angels and Saints receive his soul and present to God the Most high. Surely Michael Timneng (grandfather) and all the deceased descendants of Michael Timneng be there to receive him.

A TRIBUTE TO Mathieu Tum-Young (MTY)

BY "Remitus Elad“ your son in Germany

MY BELOVED Papa "Ni".

“When a child is born, he cries and we all rejoice!

When he dies we cry and he smiles.” The mystery behind this is beyond our understanding. All we have to do is to praise and thank God for his marvelous works and deeds. Then ask him to reveal his plans and dreams for us as soon as possible.

At the age of 19, I lost my Father, Papa S. N. Elad, into the cold hands of death. The best person I ever knew on earth was called by God. After changing my environment at 19 years of age, I came to Berlin – Germany to study. A few years later, I met MTY who attended my birthday (July 14) as the uninvited guest who stayed till the next day. Since that July 15, we have never been separable. We stayed distance apart but we could talk every single day. All his aspirations and dreams were also mine and were realized a Father & Son dream. We went through thick and thin. All his achievements from that day, we realized together. He always says, my son and Technical Director. Greatest in my memory is the days he calls me and says he has been driven from the bed by Gabi because he has not given me a “Good Night Kiss” (“Hast du guten nacht Kuss an Remi gegeben?”)That was what Gabi always said. For the 19 years we were together, MTY called me for more than 10 years, every morning and every night before going to bed.

The 12th of July 2018 was the last day we physically saw and talked to each other. That was the same day I conversed physically with my Dad, papa Elad, exactly 2 days before my birthday. These cases celebrating without them. The day he left us, on the 19th of September 2018, I placed his picture on my display profile on WhatsApp. I had a phone call from a childhood friend a few minutes later who asked this question: “Where are you from with this picture of your dad?” My answer was: “For Real”!! When I told her that I just lost him, she dropped the phone and when wrote “accept my condolence”. God gave me another Dad who was with me for 19 years, just like the first dad.

IT is hard to lose a loved one. Sometimes we have people that mean well but they say wrong things, causing us pain. Our hearts still harden, our mind still spining, the tears are still flowing, our LOVED ONES are gone. It doesn't matter if it was a week ago or years behind, causing grieve to have no limit. What matters is that someone we love is gone and we wouldn't be able to touch or speak to again.

Ni MTY, who you are remain in us alive.

Your fun memories are deep implanted,

Again in joy you will watch us strive,

Just to match your cheerful deeds.

Your lovely smiles we will miss,

Not to talk of the hugs which are even further.

We know you have gone to a kingdom,

Where you have no more suffering or pain and every tear will be wiped away,

But your spirit will remain in our hearts.

Our love for you will never die.

AS YOU GO AHEAD OF US;

TOGETHER WITH OUR BELOVED MAMA Gabi;

YOU PREPARE A PLACE FOR US,

Till we meet at the LORD’s kingdom with shouts of joy and warm arms around us all.

ÀDIEU Ni

Your Baby Remitus Elad