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| Funeral Service at Baptist church Binju |
The biblical Timothy in 2Timothy 4:7-8
teaches us that life is like a battle and only those have fought hard would be
remembered. “I have fought the good fight, I have
finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me
on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his
appearing” says 2Timothy 4:7-8.
Some people may have known Pa Mimba Alfred
Jato better than I and will have a lot to tell about his life and work, but my
memories may be no less important, for they go back to the Man, the Teacher and
the Politician I met as a young man and news hunter thereafter.
His sense of humour made him the teacher that
he was. In fact so thrilling that no student would afford to miss it. He had a
soft voice and he used to talk to in a wonderful way. For a workaholic like
him, teaching was what he loved and did it with a lot of dexterity as would be
revealed on his biography. Pa Mimba had total tunnel vision when it came to
empowering young leaders of tomorrow. Weekends at times he did not know, I was
told. Whether this perpetuum mobile was the best way to run an institution
could only be judged from the results he would obtain. Always the best on something
that historians and psychiatrists can argue over endlessly.
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| Mimba Alfred Jato |
But it suited Pa Mimba permanently striving
personality. He taught in several; schools, primary and secondary (See number
of schools below)
As
a career politician, his dexterity landed him on the pedestral as local party scribe
of the Cameroon People Democratic Movement-CPDM, common called “Section
Secretary”. He was Section Secretary of the Donga Mantung I (Nkambe) and had
worked with several politicians like late Hon. Tamfu, Ngabir Paul Bantar (now
Mayor of Nkambe). Yet he never stood on his dignity or became grand. In rare
moments of enforced inactivity, he would sit on my desk and develop new
political strategies and orientations. If you look at anything Pa Mimba wrote
or the speeches he made before, there's nothing outstanding or distinctive
about them. He really only made an impact on the evolution of the party. Mimba
Alfred was neither the most eloquent politician of his generation given that
politics was being transformed into a game of insult. But he was without doubt
the most determined. At a time of doubt and disillusion, his unswerving belief
in his own convictions proved to be his most important characteristic. His values
were simple and straightforward, based on the austere his childhood up bringing-
hard work, self-discipline and thrift.
Who Was Pa Mimba Alfred
Pa Mimba Alfred Jato was born in 1942 in the
family of Fai Ndiboti and Mami Mary Mumbfu in Tfum, Tabenken village in the
Nkambe Central Sub-division of the Donga Mantung Division
Primary Education
He started his academic life at the Basel Mission school in Tfum Tabenken in
1949 from infance one to standard two. He then left Tabenken to C.B.C Binka,
where he attended standard three to five. Because of the absence of standard
six in Binka, Pa Mimba moved to C.B.C Ndu where he completed standard six in
1956.
Life as Teacher and Headmaster and Student of Teacher Training College
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| Wife and Daughter |
From Wowo village, Pa Mimba saw the need to
further his education. He decided to move to the Baptist Teacher Training
College (BTTC) Buea from 1960 -1961, where he obtained his Teacher’s Grade
three certificates. In 1962 he was posted to CBC Ande as Headmaster. From
1963-1964 after he went back to the Baptist Teacher Training College (BTTC),
this time in Kumba and attended the Higher Elementary Training course, which
earned him a Teacher’s Grade one certificate. He was sent to Fonfuka in the Bum
sub-division as a Grade One Teacher.
Life as High School Student and
Secondary School Teacher
After spending two years in Fonfuka, he again decided to further his education in CCAST Bambili from 1966-1967, where he obtained the Advanced Level Certificate in Geography and History. With this qualification, Pa Mimba was sent to teach at Kom Teacher Training College in Belo (KBTC) from 1968-1969. One year after, he was sent as a Tutor to JMBC Ndu.
After spending two years in Fonfuka, he again decided to further his education in CCAST Bambili from 1966-1967, where he obtained the Advanced Level Certificate in Geography and History. With this qualification, Pa Mimba was sent to teach at Kom Teacher Training College in Belo (KBTC) from 1968-1969. One year after, he was sent as a Tutor to JMBC Ndu.
Life abroad (University of Edinburg)
In 1970, Pa Mimba obtained a government
scholarship to study English as a second Language at the Moray House College of
Education in Edinburgh –Scotland. When he came back from Scotland in 1971, he
was sent to teach at BTTC Buea.
University of Yaounde
In 1972 he began with his studies at the University of Yaounde, where he
obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and Sociology, as an Option. He
graduated from the University of Yaounde in 1975.
Life as lecturer and Principal after his University studies
After graduation from the University, he was
posted to Government Secondary School (GSS) Meiganga in the Adamawa Region,
where he taught English for one year and was transferred to Government High
School (GHS) Nkambe. In 1986, he was transferred to GSS Wum, in the Menchum
division. Three years later, he was transferred back to GHS Nkambe.
In 1992 he was appointed as the Principal of GHS Ako. Three years later, he was
made pioneer Principal of GSS Njinikom in the Boyo Division. He spent three
years in this position prior to being transferred to GSS Binka. Pa Mimba Jato
spent one year at GSS Binka until his retirement in 2002.
Political and Social Responsibilities
He was a very active and dynamic militant of
the CPDM in Donga Mantung 1 section and was Branch President of Chua-Chua
quarter, and kept the branch very lively and active on many political fronts.
He was the current section secretary of Donga Mantung 1 till he left this world
on the August 22nd, 2014.
He was the Divisional Director of Mutual
Health and was also the acting Divisional President of the Red Cross.
Awards/Medals
He was a Knight of the Cameroon order of merit. He also had awards from the CPDM and the Red Cross.
He was a Knight of the Cameroon order of merit. He also had awards from the CPDM and the Red Cross.
Until his death, he was the Divisional
President of the Cameroon Red Cross
Private life
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| Thousands gathered to pay last homage in Tfum-Tabenken |
Pa Mimba got married to Grace Nshani Mimba on
the 6th of April 1972 and they lived together until his departure
from this world. They had one daughter together.
He leaves behind his beloved Wife, the
Daughter, three sons and four grandchildren and the entire Bo Nkfuchi family
and friends to mourn him.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
