When I think of someone so Selfless and kind

When I think of someone so warm and jovial

Your person comes to mind

You were so full of care for all

You were always there for all, ready to share your life experiences

A father-in-law who did his utmost for all

This combination is truly rear

I keep close to my heart the memories as well as your wise words

Rest Well, Pa

Ozeh Nnoh noh!!

Your Son Felix

The Father:
Pa Baiye loved his children unconditionally. I cannot count the number of times he cried because a child was ill or had an issue. The same emotion was shared when each child attended a milestone. If you doubted his love for his children, you should assess how much his children drooled about him. I know he definitely loved all of them unreservedly because I was blessed that his love radiated to me.

The Police:
a. Traffic – After he retired, all transport drivers still continued to like him. He was absolutely considerate and worked well with all of them because to him, all of them were his children. Being loved by drivers who fondly called him “Pa For All Man” is a rare honor given the turbulent relationship between law enforcement officers and drivers in Cameroon.
b. Immigration – My first actual encounter with Pa Baiye was during my maiden trip to Nigeria in 1991. I walked up to him and said, “I am going to Nigeria for my first time what should I do?” He said I should follow a specific drive and told the driver that “help this young man cross.” That was all he did; help anyone who came his way during his service as a frontier police.

The Friend:
I am really in awe with the number of friends he has. Kids, the very young, the young and the old alike. His principle was to be friends with everyone regardless. For instance, he took 15 minutes to bond with my closest friend and joined me almost instantly to start calling him “Ngia” just like I call my friend. If the world develops only 10% of his friendship attitude, we will have no hatred in the world.

The In-law:
Several years after this man helped me cross into Nigeria, I met a girl traveling to Bamenda on my way back from school. As God would have it, the girl turned out to be the daughter to that same policeman. To return in goodness, I married his daughter. Over the years, his acceptance of me was more than just that of an in law. “You know you are in your in law’s good book when instead of demanding things from you, he lets you manage his estate when you visit him.” He literary took me as his own and treated me as he would any of his children. This acceptance and love had no boundaries and spread to all my siblings who have unquestionably expressed their admiration of Pa Baiye. I know for sure he would expect this relationship to grow from strength to strength; I hope so too.

The Grandfather:
There was no day that he did not count the number of grand children he had. He would call them by name and dance every time he heard that any of his kids has had an offspring. There is no way to capture his love for not only his children but his grand children as well.

The Man:
Pa Baiye was a Builder not only of houses but of people and relationships. There is no way he would leave you without a kind and good word of encouragement. The way he valued an opportunity to transform an idea into a building, is the same way he wanted to see people grow exponentially. Success, growth, and development of the human being irrespective of blood meant the world to him. As one of his sons aptly put it, “he was not just a good man; he was a very good man.”

Sunny Teboh

It is in 1976 that Baiye Joseph was promoted from Constable to Brigadier. This did not come as a stroke of luck or the intervention of a godfather. This was the outcome of his usual intellectual acumen. Following the merger of the West and East Cameroon Police Forces, the National Police launched a competitive examination for promotion to higher ranks. Young Baiye registered as well as other constables and senior constables in the Tombel Police Station. The examination was rather tough and of those who sat for it from Tombel, Baiye was the only one who passed. In fact only two or three of them passed from the then Meme Division. Though happy and proud for this extraordinary achievement, the youngster found himself in a very uncomfortable situation. He was now the highest-ranking policeman in Tombel though a subordinate.

Success breeds envy. 

This promotion caused "Chi-Ako", to be ostracised by quite a good number of the policemen in Tombel including his own very good friends and mates. The envy was stretched beyond certain limits when his colleagues plotted for a detainee to escape during his watch period. But when God is on your side, no evil against you can prosper. Mister Joe put his police knowledge and investigative talent and intellect into play. He was given two days to arraign the fugitive or a report was to be sent to Buea and he could be sanctioned with the stripping off of the new rank. 

Agility, brain and physical charm was put into play to get the culprit. Brigadier diligently made his investigations by gathering information about the fugitive and he concluded that the man could only seek refuge with a brother of his in the CDC camp. He trailed the man to the house he was supposed to be hiding in. The brother who owned the house claimed that his brother was not there and a search of the house was unfruitful. So Brigadier Baiye pretended as if he was going away. In fact he left then came back but this time entered but the neighbour's house. He engaged the lady who was living there in an investigative conversation. The lady said to Joe Baiye that he was a very handsome young man and she will help him because of his looks and the seemingly trouble waters he will find himself in if he didn't get hold of the renegade detainee. She kept him in her house until the fall of night when the culprit crept back to the brother's house from his hiding place in the nearby bushes. Brigadier Baiye pounced on the main door of the house where the fugitive was about starting to get his supper. Tall, hefty and energetic Baiye whisked the fool off the ground gave him a sound pounding that disfigured his face before dragging out of the house and straight to the police cell. In less than 24 hours Brigadier Baiye had found the culprit and brought him back to cell. It was the talk of the day at the Police Station and news of this exploit spread like wild fire in communities around town. 

Brigadier Baiye's brilliance, fame and reputation further inflamed the jealousy, envy and even hatred for young Batuogo Joseph. However, as God is always by the side of the innocent, in 1978 he was transfered to Muyuka where he started a more gratifying police life with new colleagues and a new boss who trusted him and entrusted most of the difficult assignments to him because of his diligence and masterly way of going about police matters.