Boniface Ndemping Wewe ( Ngonyama Ka Brooklyn )
Hamba Kahle (Farewell) Shufai Nto Drev !
As a primary school pupil in the former West Cameroon and precisely at St.Joseph's Catholic Boy's School Bamenda in the early 1970's, my teacher introduced the concept of Ph.D to us. He further stressed that Dr. Bernard Fonlon was one of the first Cameroonians to obtain one. The concept stuck and I nursed ambitions or fantasized about doctorate degrees!
As I grew older, I read news articles about Dr. Fonlon's intellectual wizardry at the University of Yaounde and also listened to the Sunday Classical Music Hour that he hosted over Radio Yaounde in the eighties. As a university freshman in 1984, I befriended Dr. Fonlon who was always available to answer my inquisitive questions and even administer some counseling to me as I had failed my exams and became extremely depressed.
He was retired by 1985 and lived behind the National Social Insurance Fund Building in Yaounde. I would pop in unannounced with my worries and questions but he never hesitated to share his food and humor with me and at no cost! Little did both of us know that a future writer or troublemaker was being groomed.
Before my visits, I asked Dr. Fonlon on campus if he was still occupying his house behind the National Social Insurance Fund. It was his residence when he served as a cabinet minister under President Ahmadou Ahidjo. His answer was 'even wild horses will never kick me out of that house'. He claimed Ahidjo was not a bad president at all but marred all his achievements by trying to recapture power in the abortive coup of April 6, 1984. Fonlon also turned away body guards assigned to him after the coup claiming that he had hurt nobody and expected retributory treatment from no one!
During the GCE strikes of 1983, he was accosted by a bunch of students and jeered at for being "brainwashed" or having caved into francophone supremacy. He politely told them that they were mistaken and that important issues are not discussed in a market. When a CNU (Cameroon National Party) session was convened during the strike, Professor Fonlon boldly placed the issue on the agenda with President Biya declining all responsibility for the mess. A CNU delegation consisting of John Ngu Foncha, Egbe Tabi, S.T.Muna and Delphine Tsanga convened a meeting with the striking students at the Muna residence to difuse the situation!
Professor Fonlon provided pipe borne water to his Nso constituency earning the title of "Shufai Nto Drev". I have fond memories watching TV and seeing him face to face with the Holy Father-Pope John Paul II during communion time in 1985 when the pope visited Cameroon.
Professor Fonlon was once asked why he was a pauper and had not built a house or mansion after having served as a cabinet minister.This would have been the avenue of opportunity to hedonism and looting the treasury! Fonlon's reply was-"They build houses and I build people". People - he built. He also narrated an
incident during one of his lectures when a young lady, one of his students asked him why he was not married. He kept lecturing and towards the end of his class,he turned to the student and asked "Darling-are you a candidate?".
Indeed, Shufai-you built me and numerous men and women. I have paid tributes to you in my latest work-
The Joys of African Sex,Jokes,Courtesies and Idiosyncracies
that was released in November 2004. My tributes to you had been overdue but I hope you'll still intercede for me in heaven. Your untimely death
shocked us in 1986 shortly after we lost 2000 souls in the Lake Nyos Disaster. I am honored to conclude with a South African expression of tributes to the dead:
HAMBA KAHLE Professor Bernard Nsokika Fonlon!
We of this generation are glad to read these stories in the guise of personal testimonies some of you had of the venerated Professor Fonlon. At the time Professor Fonlon "built" minds as university lecturer and cabinet minister(Minister of transport-master-minding the establishment of the national carrier CAMAIR,and Minister of health),we were young, very young indeed as not to be able to drink from his wise spring. May your write-ups fill more than ever before the gap we admirers of Fonlon often feel when we read his works!
Waiting for more.
Posted by: The Prodigal Son | April 05, 2005 at 11:07 AM
A man of his words and beliefs,a man of substance. Dr. Bernard N. Fonlon is no doubt the kind of person our society needs today. I started hearing about Dr. Fonlon when I went to Bishop Rogan College. From then on I began admiring this man whom I never had the opportunity to see nor meet.I have read some articles about this great man written by some of those who had the luck of being tought by him. I admire his simplicity and value placed on fellow humans. How many people in our world today will think of offering pipe born water to the less previleged in the village when given an opportunity to name what they want and it will be theirs?
If we can develop such love and concern towards others, then the world will be a wonderful place to leave in. Dr. Fonlon did not build mansions, nor did he own the latest luxurious cars, even as a minister and renown 'international' lecturer.What a great man!
Dear previledged students of Dr.Fonlon,please keep feeding us with the good works of this great man of our times.
Posted by: Felix Ndemah | April 06, 2005 at 06:18 AM
TO ME BERNADE FORLONG, JUST LIKE FONCHA, MUNA IS MR NO BODY.
THE PERSON WHO WAS CARRIED AWAY WITH THE
WINDS OF LETTERS AND SEMANTICS TO THE POINT OF ADVOCATING AND ESTABLISHING THE SOO CALL BILINGUALISM IN THE CAMEROONS.
ALL THESE BAMENDA PEOPLE HAVE IN COMMON
IS THEIR LACK OF FORE SIGHT,HOW CAM ANY BODY IN HIS RIGHT MIND THINGS THAT UNIFYING TO ANOTHER COUNTRY THAT HAD ITS INDEPENDENCE I YR AGO , HAD ITS OWN GOVERNMENT, ITS FLAG, ITS OWN CONSTITUTION, SPEAKS ANOTHER LANGUAGE WOULD ELVATE THE NEW COMMERS TO PAR?
IF NOT A SLAVE STATUS?
AND THATS WHAT WE HAVE IN SOUTHERN CAMEROONS TODAY, THATS THE LEGACY. TO THE FRENCH CAMEROUN, HE MIGHT THEIR HERO. SOO TOO IS FONCHA AND MUNA, SINCE THEY HANDED OVER THEIR STATE TO THEM IN
A SILVER PLATTER, TO SATISFY THEIR EGOS.
Posted by: PAOLO LAURENT | October 02, 2006 at 01:26 AM
Sometimes we tend to make assertions and statements that are filled with emotion and distorted reasoning. Whether Fonlon was Bamenda or not has no bearing on his status as an academic giant and the unrivaled Southern Cameroonian of moral rectitude.
In his time he was the epitom of honesty and genuin intellectualism. He shun the political callousness of his contemporaries and distinguished himself from the grab-all-take-all corrupt and unwitting embezzlers and bribe seekers in the political and academic realms.
Today, we don't remember Benard Nsokika Fonlon because he was his excellency the minister of health or the minister of transport. No!!!!! We remember him because he was the PROFESSOR, the builder and the informer, the teacher and the master. He was the Rabbi. Fonlon asked the question that if we shall make or mar. Like a prophet he pointed out the future of the union if certain precincts we not respected. These were not and that is why we are where we are today. If the Munas and the Egbes and the Ahidjos and the Biyas chose to mar the construction of the union, the blame Should not be mounted at Fonlon's door step beacuse he did not agitate. The Akwangas and the Ayabas and the Ayambis and the Mbinglos and the us have agitated, yet the YOUS have failed to see the truth.
In every enterprise you will find the thinkers and the workers, the diggers and the builds, the inspirers and the inspired. Fonlon fulfilled his responsibility, his mission, his destiny, he fulfilled his calling and left his foot print on this treacherous walk through the wilderness. WHAT SHALL BE YOUR RELICS?
MANCHO INNOCENT NDIFOR
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Posted by: Squinty | October 27, 2006 at 10:26 AM
Where are you Mancho Innocent Ndifor?
Does anyone know?
Are you still alive?
Glory Ndifor
Posted by: Glory ndifor | May 11, 2007 at 11:33 AM
This is a quick comment just to say everyday I get more and more convinced that Professor Fonlon was precious just as every other human being is precious. Whatever points to the contrary, I owe a duty to discharge to the late professor for his stories inspire me always. I ran across this site a few minutes ago and would like to commend the efforts of the brains behind this great initiative to celebrate Bernard Fonlon. A professor is a professor through other professors! I'm just a 'professor' but I hope to be one someday. We can aspire to the highest of heights if we believe in God and in great mentors...
We thank God for Dr.Fonlon and all those who have built people. Shall we sing praises to them and build people or not?? Answering this question is the challenge we all share.
Henry Atong>>>
Posted by: atong | October 08, 2007 at 09:26 AM