The North West Region of Cameroon, is one of the two English speaking Regions among the 10 Regions of Cameroon. Donga Mantung Division, is one of the seven divisions that make up the North West Region of Cameroon, and the farthest in the region, too. In a total population of 19.4 million Cameroonians, the North West Region has a population 1.8 million as of the 2005 Population and Housing Census published in 2010 and based on a growth rate of 2.6%. Nkambe, the capital of Donga Mantung division, has a population of 63,000.
In advanced economies, traveling that distance would mean taking up about 2.5 hours of your time on the road, because it would mean traveling on a good road. But the 150km distance to Nkambe that took over seven hours was a nightmare, but it was worth every kilometer and hour covered. It was like a road to heaven on that day, after all, the road to heaven is rough and narrow.
At 8:00pm, on August 30th the journey started. I had had two nights without actual sleep because I just received an award myself, but imagining that I was going to catch a minute of sleep in that journey was the worse imagination I have had in 2015. Bamenda to Ndop, and Kumbo to Nkambe stretches had the worst of roads. An unfairly used 18th sitter bus made matters even worse; creek, creek, vrooaam, gboom, clack, the transport bus produced all sounds, characteristic of ready-for-the-thrash cars. Time and again, I find my buttocks bouncing up and head hitting the top of the bus as it unavoidably dive into the countless pot holes that can honestly stand out as touristic attraction to some tourists.
After over 7 hours of of fighting with the road, I could see, through the deem light of the Nkambe-custom bus, a welcome board that read: Welcome to Nkambe! Thank God, I said to myself. How and when I had to leave that place was a problem left for my God to fix. Some minutes past 2am, I couldn't wait to jump into my hotel room, in my hotel bed, so as to catch a few hours sleep and get ready for the business of the day.
Why haven't you asked me what the business of the day was?
Never mind, I will tell you, right away!
Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh, the founder and CEO of the Fomunyoh
Foundation was receiving a twin award. He was awarded a national award as the CAMEROONIAN
PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR, for his EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP SKILLS, DEMOCRACY, AND
ARDENT PROMOTER OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICAN COMMUNITIES, the award
reads.
That’s not all. Dr. Fomunyoh also received a traditional
title in the palace of the oldest reigning Fon in the North West Region of
Cameroon, HRH Fon Ibrahim Japbu Nfor. Dr. Fomunyoh was traditionally baptized
with a traditional title [Ta Nformi Cameroon] Christopher Fomunyoh. Ta Nformi
Cameroon, I was told means Father of all Cameroonians. Did you see that? Now,
that was huge to me and I sought out to find out what this man has done to
warrant him this honour.
Ta Nformi Cameroon [Dr.] Fomunyoh immediately after receiving the traditional title
Cassian Fai, the publisher of the The Eye Newspaper, and the
mastermind behind the award said Dr. Fomunyoh has left foot prints and impacted
the life of Cameroonians from North to South, East to West.
“Dr. Fomunyoh was one of the first Cameroonians who left all
the way from the United States to Cameroon, to visit victims rescued from Boko
Haram camps in the Far North Region of Cameroon,” Fai said. “That was way back in
March 2015 when people didn’t see that as much of an issue. Today, the situation of the
North has degenerated, meanwhile, if like minds like Dr. took positive action
towards the situation, it would have been arrested, somehow.”
Fai added that Dr. Fomunyoh is a world class humanitarian,
one who would sacrifice his all just to put a smile on the faces of people in
need. His Foundation, the Fomunyoh Foundation, is a not-for-profit charity that
has profited many in Cameroon – changing the lives of the needy for the better.
On what Dr. Fomunyoh himself thinks about the award, he said
he has always been a believer in community development and democracy, he never
knew that someone somewhere was watching him to the point where he thought he
deserved an award. “I am humbled,” he added. He promises: “I will keep to the
expectations, one step at a time, one step all the way.”
On why he thinks he was given an award, he simply said “I
have no idea! The Fon has been on the throne since 1959, if it came to his wise
mind to give me the title only him and his collaborators can explain better, what
they found in me. Again, I am humbled.”
Ta Nformi Cameroon [Dr.] Fomunyoh, talking to the press after the awards
Hmmm, I am beginning to think Dr. Christopher Fomunyoh has more
than award and traditional titles – he definitely has something to offer to
Cameroonians, if given the chance. I have followed this man closely since he
came to Cameroon in August this year, and he has been touching the soils of all
the regions of Cameroon, encouraging and giving support to grassroot people.
There is one more think you don’t know about this man. Dr.
Fomunyoh is the Africa Director for the National Democracy Institute,
Washington DC. He is a husband, and a father. He is a patriotic Cameroonian,
one who doesn’t just travel for the fun of it but for the purpose of serving
humanity.
Ta Nformi Cameroon [Dr.] Christopher Fomunyoh, thank you for inspiring my journey to Nkambe. If you ever think of visiting Nkambe, don't hesitate to do so. They have an amazing palace with lots of traditional artifacts. They have the longest reigning fun who have been on the throne since 1959. The have a very humble and dynamic fon who leaves his stool to serve his visitors. Before you go there, prepare your sweaters/pullovers because it is a very cold climate.
1,804,695. In advanced economies, traveling to Nkambe, in Donga Mantung Division
The Dynamic Fon of Nkambe, Fon Ibrahim Japbu, serving Ta Nformi Cameroon [Dr.] Fomunyoh
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