Northwest Mourns Dr. Omer Yembe

News that Dr. Omer Weyi Yembe has been called up by the Almighty continue to create disbelieve and chock among the (Wi) Mbum people, the entire Donga Mantung and the Anglophone communities and Cameroonians both at home and the Diasporas. Dr. Omer Yembe died on February 22, 2012 in the United States of America after a protracted illness. Dr. Omer Yembe who was born on January 29, 1939 was a very intelligent man and an educationist who left a mark of greatness in Cameroon as an educationist.

As a young man, Omer Yembe started his rise to fame when he graduated with two degrees in flying colours from the university of Ibadan-Nigeria. Upon arrival in Cameroon in 1965, he was appointed Vice Principal of Sasse College where he started as a student in 1957. He went into record as the first Cameroonian to be appointed Vice Principal of Sasse College in those days. The intelligence and the dexterousness in which he administered student caught a lot admiration. In 1967, he entered into the Public Service and when he was appointed Deputy Director of Secondary Education. He position that catapulted him to other positions such as  Principal of CCAST Bambili, Director-Delegate of ENS ANNEX Bambili, Cultural delegate for Education in West Cameroon, Provincial delegate of National Education for the South West Region and Secretary General at the National Institute of Education from 1967-1975.  The quest for more knowledge and perfection later took Dr. Omer Yembe to the United States of America where he passed four years at Columbia University. He returned home with an M.A, M.Ed and Doctorate Degree in Education. Perfected and jam-packed with more abilities, he was catapulted to the position of Director of Private Education in the Ministry of Higher Education and later appointed as Cultural Counselor in the Cameroon Embassy in London. He returned back to Cameroon and served as Lecturer at ENS Yaounde, and then Chargé d’Etudes in the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. As an educationist and an exemplary one of course, his professional career as an educationist of the highest order landed him as the Registrar of the Cameroon GCE Board where he left an indelible mark of greatness. He is on record for the great reforms at the GCE OARD. The MCQs has stood the test of time and it should be noted MCQ was introduced by Dr. Yembe when he was Registrar. While at the GCE Board Dr. Omer Yembe is celebrated as the great reformist, the teacher and today many a student, some of them of age could be seen along the streets in the country in disbelieve. 

Back home, Dr. Yembe was known for his generosity because he was accessible to all. He would visit every household when he comes to the village on vacation. Many youths, bread winners in many homes went school thanks to him. If the Mbum land in Donga Mantung Division is proud to have produced good teachers and journalist than any other area, it is thanks to Dr. Omer Yembe who would spare no effort to support and encourage parents to send their children to school. To cut the story short, if some of us could today sit and write, read and to have reached where I am today, the credit goes to no other one than Dr. Omer Yembe. So, Be the Will of God. And let perpetual light shine on him.

Funeral PROGRAM

Sunday February 26th 20121:00pm -2:30pm: Reception and Visitation

2:30pm - 3:30pm: Memorial Service

West Monroe Louisiana

Friday March 9th 2012: Wake keeping in Houston Texas

Saturday March 10th 2012: Memorial Service, Houston Texas

Departure for Cameroon

Tuesday March 13th 2012: Academic Honors in Bambili Cameroon

Wednesday March 14 2012: Burial in Mbot Cameroon

Thank you