Meet Tamfu Ngarka Tristel Richard, The Model Barrister at Law

 By FC Ndi

Barrister Tamfu Ngarka Tristel Richard

Michel de Montaigne wrote in his essay, Of Repentance that "a rare life remains well ordered even in private". According to Michel “Any man can play his part in the side show and represent a worthy man on the boards; but to be disciplined within, in his own bosom, where all is permissible, where all is concealed—is the point" that is very rare in society. He used this principle to tell the story of Julius Druses, who, he says, was approached by local workmen who offered him 300 crowns to redo his house so that his neighbors would no longer be able to look into it as they could before. But Druses rejected it and told them that he would give 600 crowns if they could make it so that everyone could see from all sides.  The point of this story is that while most of us would prefer to keep our private actions out of the public eye because they often conflict with the kind of person we are perceived to be, the truly moral person—that is, one who has been trained properly in the virtues—would be able to live a life that is a completely open book.

Closer to Julius Druses in Cameroon is Tamfu Ngarka Tristel Richard, Senior Managing Attorney and Solicitor at Tamfu & Co, a renowned law firm based in Douala-Cameroon. He is a replica of an Aristotelian ethics. This is so because according to Aristotle all human actions that are aimed at cheerfulness are the prerequisites of a life of virtue. If we accept this starting point of Aristotelian ethics, the next question that should automatically be asked is: how could a lawyer become virtuous when society think great lawyers tell lies? In asking this question we should be able to make out the distinction between intellectual virtues, such as practical wisdom, and moral virtues, such as courage, generosity, honesty and the like. Intellectual virtues is acquired by education; moral virtues by habit. This is so because people with conscience and character are resemblance for excellence or virtue and they love what is noble and feels disgust at what is base. Lawyers are not exceptional. That is why the likes of Barrister Tamfu Richard who are making the difference in the practice are looked up on as locomotives of society and role models.

The simple fact about this energetic young man is that he is such a character that finds love in what is novel and feels disgust at what is based. Such is Barrister Tamfu Richard.  His love to do what is right could easily be linked to the result of his upbringing, intellectual virtues and practical wisdom. Brought up in an emblematic sedimentary setup where value is carte du jour, Tamfu’s quest for knowledge catapulted him to becoming barrister, solicitor and renowned licensed intellectual property attorney; yet he still believes that humanity is just like teaching a child. To him, as a peacemaker the lawyer has superior opportunity of being a good man.

Certainly somebody doesn’t still believe that they can simply teach a child to become a role model in society but Tamfu Richard does. Some people often wear one face to the world and another behind closed doors—but this is not the case with Richard who many look up to as a role model in society. Certainly we have all heard cases of men who appear to be extremely gentle in public, who are horribly abusive at their workplace, but those who have had the opportunity to meet Barrister Tamfu Richard would agree that he is such a person who has so completely embodied the right way to behave that he exhibits this in all aspects of his life. Whenever he accepts to defend a client in court, he does it and well.

What makes Tamfu Richard different from others is that he has an extensive experience in the practice given that he is a Member of the Nigerian Bar Association and Cameroon Bar Association.

Who is Barrister Tamfu Ngarka Tristel Richard?

After obtaining the Advanced Level Certificate at Bilingual High School Bamenda, Tamfu Richard into the University of Dschang where he studied law. In 2006, he graduated in flying packing a Bachelor’s Degree in Law and Political sciences (LLB), and in 2010 the guest for more knowledge landed him the University of Douala, where in 2012 he graduated with Masters Degree in Business Law (LLM). In 2013, he was admitted into the Nigerian Law School where he obtained the Barrister-at-Law Certificate and was call to the Nigerian Bar. It should be noted that as far back as 2009, Tamfu Richard worked as a Paralegal at Legal Power Law Firm in Douala. With six years experience in the practice, coupled with side courses such as Doing Business 2012 in a More Transparent World, Doing Business 2013: Smarter Regulations for Small and Medium Size Enterprises, Doing Business 2014: Resolving Insolvency in Companies, Richard is World Bank Consultant on Doing Business Project in Cameroon since 2012. It would not be an exaggeration if we can clearly state that any company looking for an expert legal retainer goes for Richard. This is so because he holds a diploma in conflict resolution and has the thoroughness that is very rare in some people. 

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