Tribute to Pa Mangoh Jones; The man I know

I met Pa Mangoh during the Mbot Youth National Council (MYNACO) Convention of 2009. After a long chat with him in the area of politics especially or with emphasis on my educational project which I wrote on “Issues in Local Politics,” a case study on Post Elections Crisis in Nkambe Council where he was at the center of the crisis.

We extended the discussions to the socio-economic life of our people of Mbot. Some few months later, maybe motivated by the tied political relationship with my father in our discussion, he called me from Buea to come and work with him as a private secretary.

As a former private secretary, the Man I know as Pa Mangoh was a complete master in the management of council affairs.

He metamorphosed and changed the socio-economic lives of council workers, added a fresh impetus in its management and had the dexterity to always challenge some council workers who were below the expected standards to go back to school else they would face the rage of decentralization by losing their jobs.

OMG!!! Here lies the visionary leader, development luminary, a man of powerful speeches. He won the hearts and trust of Nkambe people when it comes to delivering speeches especially when the municipality was highly quested.

People will listen keenly and scramble to have copies of his ever authoritative and critical speeches. He was very meticulous in checking for mistakes.

The Man I know was a legend when it came to the management of council in Cameroon. He was proudly know and called by his peers as “Big Mayor” of Donga Mantung Division given that he was often the favourite choice of the then Minister of Territorial Administration and Decentralization Marafa Hamidou Yaya to partake in pertinent decisions on decentralization. The Man I worked for as private secretary is one of the pillars of decentralization in Cameroon.

Here lies a Great Teacher, an intellectual and a well informed historian. A man who would always like to say what is in his mind even in front of the supervisory authority especially on the differences in the interpretation of the law on decentralization.

He would not even listen to others; knowing within him that he was not only a colossus in stature but a giant in knowledge that had no bounds. From this perspective, he would always like to force his facts or idea through. He had never cherished following the crow.

I can vividly remember when the Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung assigned the Divisional Officer for Nkambe Central to meet him so that they can look for long lasting solutions to the problem at the Nkambe Park. The Divisional Officer met us in his house and his reasons of coming to the house.

He listened and said “Mr. Divisional Officer, I am a senior citizen, I have served this country so well and I have been at the helm of the council for 14 years attending meetings on decentralization and I have an in-depth knowledge about the law. Parks in Cameroon are managed by councils and not Dos or SDOs. I am sorry that I will not have time to talk on an issue that is very clear like this”.

The DO left in anger expressed discontent that the mayor did not want peace to rein in the municipality. He turned to me and said that “Rene I cannot attend a meeting of the Nkambe Council convened by the Divisional Officer, for he is supposed to be a mere Secretary General of the country if this country is finally decentralized”.

When I left him to join the teaching profession, Pa Mangoh Jones was the man who advised me to join active politics. When I hesitated, Pa Manogh told me that Cameroon in the present dispensation needs people who are fast and ready to sacrifice for the welfare of the people. “Come on board; I know you will be up to the task”. I accepted the advised and we went in for the October 2013 Municipal elections. The outcome is that our defeat was highly contested.

At this particular point in time, I lack words to describe the Pa Mangoh I know. To sum it all, Pa Mangoh was fearless, bold; the real son of Mbit who would never missed any occasion.

Rest in Peace my Hero… You fought the fight and you won the race. The Lord that you served on that Sunday and the ancestors of the people will bless and keep you. OMG!!! Pa Mangoh, The legend, Baoba, Warrior of Nkambe. In fact I am flabbergasted and deeply touched by your untimely departure.

Congratulations Pa Mangoh my mentor Congratulations for the legacies you left Congratulations the visionary and Revolutionary Icon Congratulations to a Warrior; so accomplished and Great