Papa David was a polygamist
as is usual of Cameroonian men of his generation. He had a large family
of his own, but still managed to raised and mentored an extended family
comprising his brothers’, wives’ and even strangers’ children.
There were also children like myself who is Papa David’s first grandchild,
from his first child, my mother, Mama Elizabeth Ngnigessie Pufong who
having been widowed very young in her marriage to my father Etienne Kinkoue came to be raised in my grandfather’s house.
I was doubly blessed to grow
up with my simple and humble grandparents. There were no distinctions
in this household about who was or was not his real children. I precepted
a lot of my world views from observing the example of this pleasant
and unassuming man. My grandfather was uncompromising in his politeness
in dealing with the most common person to the highest personalities.
Education was very important
to Papa Ndeh Mouokouop, and most of his salary was spent in paying tuition
for his very large family. He used to tell us that although he did not
possess any real estate or money in the bank, he regarded us, his children
(without distinction) as being his own treasure. Papa started out his
professional career as a teacher. His autobiography depicts how the
best and brightest Cameroonians in his time were appropriately utilized
for Cameroon’s development. It even shows the type of respectful relationship
that existed between Nigerians (who made up Southern Cameroon’s professional
corps) and Cameroonians when the two were affiliated under the British.
Papa later on worked for the Cameroon government as a Sub Divisional Officer or “Prefet”. Despite
his highly promising educational background, he never rose above the
rank of sub divisional officer. At this time, Cameroon had a different
political structure, but I believe that he was passed up for more promotions
that he merited because of his area of origin and many other factors.
Papa was a deeply religious person who did not flaunt it and taught
us to be ethical and moral in our dealings with others, and always to
pray to God for forgiveness and to thank God for our blessings.
As a Prefect, Papa worked transparently
and with justice in whatever community that the Cameroon government
sent him. People occasionally showed gratitude for his decisions by
offering him food products which he accepted (because of his large family),
but he never made receiving gratuities a condition for decisions that
he took to resolve community problems.
Papa retired to the modest
house of mud bricks, he had built in our village Bagam. He became active
in community projects to improve the lives of villagers. Bagam, Galim
is a village in Bamboutos, Western Province in Cameroon. It is a village
with one of the largest land mass and rich alluvial soil, but have always
escaped consideration for any development projects by the Cameroonian
government. The people are hardworking and enterprising, but have been
beaten down by underdevelopment, lack of any health care, roads, or
clean water supply. The life span is very short because of all the neglect
by the Cameroonian government.
Papa Ndeh Moukouop taught me
to be whom I am by being an example himself. I would like to devote
this webpage to raising funds to a project in Bagam in his memory in
the Bagam he so cherished. His life was important because it does not
only tell us what he did as a person, but offers a glimpse into his
generation. He was born when Cameroon was a German colony. His father Chief Pufong resisted German Colonialism and lost his chieftaincy
as a result. But before that, the role that having education would play
in a new Cameroon was apparent. Papa’s autobiography depicts how at an early age, aware
of this role, the regent that replace Chief Pufong, Paul Pehuie sent
him and all his brothers to the Southern Cameroons (then attached to
Nigeria) for an education. His autobiography is as much a recount of
his personal quest in search of an education as a portrayal of colonial
educational systems.
This is important because it
was first hand experience recounted in the manner of Herodotus and not
mere secondary history. The social, cultural and political aspects of
these times are depicted in Pa David’s autobiography. This website
has been created to validate my grandfather’s experiences because
he was not just a moral, educational, religious compass just for us
his children but to everyone he came in contact with. It is a validation
of my grandfather’s experience for me personally, for his children
and great grand children and future generations, and for the Pufong
extended family.
A portion of the download fees,
donations or even purchases from this website will go to the Papa David
Ndeh Moukouop Pufong Fund for Bagam Development (PDNMP Fund). Thanks
for your visit.
