What have their children become?.

There is an old aphorism that train your children so that when you leave this world, they should be able to either keep your name flying high or take your legacy to another level.

One thing human beings can all be certain of, is that, they will not always be around- one day they will all pass away. When this happens, what will be their legacy and what will they leave behind for posterity?

There are many men and women, who think, and rightly so, that the successes of their children are their legacy, other than money and property they may leave behind. Some children inherit the legacies of their parents and may take the responsibility of carrying the legacy forward.

For many, their children are their highest priority, the centre of their universe, and perhaps they feel that everything they do is for their children. In large part, children will be legacies. But what kind of people will they grow up to be?

It is in this regard that The Guardian Post, in this week’s dossier, goes down memory lane, to look at some renowned Anglophone Cameroonians, who wrote their names in the sands of time, and have now passed on to glory. The dossier x-rays where their children are currently pulling their weights within society, both at home and abroad.  

Hon Simon Achidi Achu

The late Simon Achidi Achu was the pioneer Anglophone Prime Minister under the Biya regime. He died Tuesday May 4, 2021, at the age of 87, in a hospital in California, in the United States of America, USA.

The political heavyweight and elder Statesman was born in Bamenda on November 5, 1934. Achidi Achu grew up in his native Santa, Mezam Division of the North West Region, where he completed primary education and then continued to Cameroon Protestant College, CPC, Bali, where he obtained his GCE Ordinary Level.

Achidi Achu later pursued higher education in the University of Yaoundé, where he participated in the creation of the Student Association, served as its first president and later continued his studies in Marseille, France.

He was a state magistrate from October 1965 to October 1966 before his appointment as Minister Delegate at the State Federal Inspectorate in late October 1971 and subsequently appointed as Minister of Justice by then President Ahmadou Ahidjo on July 3, 1972. He held the position until 1975.

Achidi Achu then returned to Santa and started the Rock Farm Ranch as a farmer before his election as Member of Parliament, MP, in 1992. President Paul Biya later appointed him as Prime Minister on April 9, 1992, following the March 1992 parliamentary election.

Achidi Achu remained Prime Minister until September 19, 1996, when he was replaced by Peter Mafany Musonge. He was a leading member of the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement, CPDM, and served as Chairman of the National Investment Corporation in 2003 as well as member of the Central Committee of the CPDM.

He was also a member of the National Commission for the Coordination of Biya's Election Campaign in the 2004 presidential election and was the president of the campaign's support and follow-up committee in the then North West Province added to function as head of the discipline commission of the CPDM.

During the campaign for the July 2007 parliamentary and municipal elections, Achidi Achu was a member of the CPDM's Central Campaign Committee; he was also President of the then CPDM Provincial Campaign Committee in the North West Province.

In 2009, Achidi Achu became one of three members of the CPDM North West’s newly established Council of the Wise, which was intended to formulate strategy and tactics to enable the ruling party to attain dominance in the then North West Province, where the opposition Social Democratic Front, SDF, had been traditionally dominant.

In the April 2013 Senate election, Achidi Achu was elected to the Senate as the top candidate on CPDM's list for North West Region. When the Bureau of the Senate was elected on June 12, 2013, Achidi Achu got the post of the Vice President of the Senate.

Achidi Achu was a polygamist and was survived by many children. Many of the children are said to be doing well in different sectors of the country and beyond. His successor, Muma Achidi, is pursuing further studies in the United States of America. One of his child, Simonie Achu, is a Senior Manager at City Bank in the nation’s economic capital, Douala, while another, Noella Achu, works at the Douala Ports Authority, PAD.

Another daughter, Muma Achu Rosette Bih, is currently serving as the Regional Delegate of Communication for the South West. One of his sons, Jude Tetang Achu, is a staff at the Senate who recently got appointed while Christine Achu is an educationist.

Also, Yabeh Achu, who lives in the USA, while another son, Achu Rams, resides in Yaounde. They are also said to be many other of his children littered in other sectors in the country with some at the family compound in Santa.

Nfon Victor Esimisongo Mukete III

Nfon Mukete III was no mean character in matters of national interest and traditional settings in Cameroon. He was also a farmer of repute. Born November 15, 1918, Nfon Mukete III who served as King of Kumba and Paramount Ruler of the Bafaw for over 52 years joined his ancestors on April 10 2021.

Like most people during his days, he studied at the Government School in his native Kumba. Moved to the Government College Umuahia in neighbouring Nigeria.

He also studied at the Yaba Higher College in Nigeria before moving to Britain where he studied at the University of Manchester and Christ’s College Cambridge before returning to Cameroon to invest massively in agriculture.

He was another defining character in Cameroon’s reunification but before then, Nfon Mukete III was present in the political life of the former West Cameroon at different stages.

He was Federal Minister without portfolio in Negeria in 1955 and later named Minister of Research and Information. He occupied the position from 1958 to 1959.

When the two Cameroon’s reunified, Nfon Mukete still remained relevant in all settings of national life. From 1960 to 1982, he served as Executive Board Chairman of the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC.

Besides having served as member of the Court of Impeachment, Nfon Mukete was also a member of the Economic and Social Council, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce, Mines Industry and Crafts.

He also occupied the position of Board chairperson of the Cameroon Telecommunications, CAMTEL for several years.

In his last days, Nfon Mukete was appointed into the Senate by the Head of State, Paul Biya.

He was in the Senate from 2013 till his answering of the call of his ancestors in April 2021. Unlike other people of his stature who implant their kids in several state corporations and offices, Nfon Mukete is on record to have boasted of the quality of training he gave his children to live independent lives.

But where are his kids now? Nfon Mukete was blessed with seven  sons viz; Prince Abel Mukete, Prince Ekale Mukete, Prince Colin Ebako Mukete, Prince Mbe Mukete, Prince Diko Mukete, Prince Akwo Mukete, Prince and the last son, now Nfon Mukete IV Ekoko.

Colin Ebako is the richest in the Mukete dynasty and among the most successful Cameroonian businessmen. He is the owner of Spectrum Television, STV, and Spectrum Advertising Company.

Ebako Mukete is the chairman of the Board of Directors of MTN Cameroon, where he owns a good percentage of the shares. He has agribusiness and real estate.

He also has interest in International Mining and Infrastructure Corporation, IMIC. Ebako is always on the go pursuing his business interest.

Honourable Abel Mukete is a former Member of Parliament, MP, for the Kumba Urban Constituency. Abel is active within the ranks of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM, and humanitarian works.

He is a key player is promoting the International Red Cross organisation across his native Meme. He is also into business and crisscrosses Kumba, Yaounde and the United States from time to time.

Prince Akwo Mukete, onetime National Youth President of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, YCPDM, is also into business. After recovering from ill health, Akwo relocated out of Cameroon and is believed to be currently based in London.

On his part, Prince Ekale Mukete, a British-trained jurist who is known to be political successor his father is into business and based in Yaounde. 

Prince Ekale is an ardent supporter of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM. He once served as the boss of the party in the entire Kumba and later on Section President of the Meme IA when Kumba was split into three Subdivisions in 2007. Prince Ekale Mukete was the pioneer Mayor of the Kumba I Council.

Ekale studied at the International School of Geneva Switzerland, Marlborough College, Wiltshire England and Kings’ College London. He had worked for several companies in Europe before returning home to engage in politics and business.

There is also Mbe Mukete who like his brothers, studied in England.   Mbe returned to Cameroon, rejecting international jobs at his father’s request to manage the Mukete Plantations to which his brothers are believed to be board members. He is still in Kumba and serving as General Manager, GM of Mukete Estates Ltd.

Ekoko Mukete, the last of the children is today Nfon Mukete IV. He succeeded his father as King of Kumba and Paramount ruler of the Bafaw tribe in August of 2020. 

Nfon Mukete IV had already ventured into business and had made a name for himself even before ascending the throne. The British-trained banker is a former chairperson of the Board of Directors of the United Bank for Africa, UBA.

He served in this capacity for 13 years. He is honourary Turikish Consul to Cameroon. He is President of the Cameroon Turkish Business Council, CTBC.

Nfon Mukete is a Non-Executive Director on the board of CAMALCO. CAMALCO is a subsidiary of the Australian Mining Company, Canyong Resources Limited.

Nfon Mukete IV is Vice President of the Cameroon Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Crafts. Nfon Mukete IV also has business interests outside Cameroon.  He too studied in Britain.

Diko Jacob Mukete stands out as one of the late Statesman’s children who has made waves as an international civil servant. Diko who studied in Britain, attending schools such as the King’s School Canterbury, London School of Economics and Political Science and the Cambridge University is a Corporate Lawyer and Economic and Finance Governance Expert.

Diko Mukete is known to be an adviser to the President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame. In November 2020, President Kagame also appointed him Vice chairperson of Rwanda Finance Limited.

It is an institution in charge of the promotion of the Kigali International Financial Centre. He is an Independent Non-Executive Director of Standard-Chartered Bank Cameroon, Member of the African Management Board of the African Legal Support Facility.

He spent over two decades working within the African Development Bank, AfDB Group. He served the AfDB in countries such as Ghana, Cote D’ivoire and Tunisia.

Solomon Tandeng Muna

This native of Ngembo village in Mbengwi Subdivision, Momo Division, of today’s North West Region like N.N Mbile, estimates that he was born in 1912 given that at that time, birth certificates were not available.

The Young Solomon Tandeng Muna, accounts hold that, his real name was Tabeng but the school head teacher at that time found it easy to pronounce the name as Tandeng. He was forced to go with the second option.

Muna missed succeeding his father, Tayim, as a seer and soothsayer thanks to the influence of his elder brother Joseph who underscored the importance of education.

He started school in Bali around 1924 then moved to Bamenda in the course of which he converted to Christianity. By 1928, ST Muna had been baptized by missionaries of the Basel Mission. He later got trained as a primary school teacher.

By 1933, things had worked out and Muna was already teaching in Mbengwi. He furthered his studies at the Government Teachers Training College, GTTC, Kumba and emerged first in his class then.

Muna later served as the head of several teacher training colleges before opting to further his education at the University of London. The signs of political rejuvenation met Muna when he returned to the country and started teaching in Batibo.

He will then be elected into the Eastern Regional House of Assembly in Nigeria in 1951. In West Cameroon, Muna served as Public Works Minister in 1952.

Between 1954 and 1957, Muna was Minister In charge of Resources and Public works and assistant to the leader of Government business of the day Dr Endeley

He dumped Endeley and joined Foncha to crusade for reunification. The Foncha-Muna opposition won the elections of 1958. After that election, Muna entered government as Minister of Public Works and Minister of Commerce.

In 1961, ST Muna was minister of Finance, Commerce and Industries. That is how he joined the delegation to the United Nations, UN that pushed for reunification.

By October 20, 1961, ST Muna had advanced politically to become Minister of Transport, Mines, Posts and Telecommunication in the Federal Government.

He later became Premier of West Cameroon and by 1970 then President Ahidjo chose him as a running mate in the general election. That is how he became Prime Minister of West Cameroon and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Cameroon. This was on the ticket of the Cameroon National Union, CNU, party.

When the unitary state saw the light of day after the May 20, 1972 referendum, ST Muna became Minister of State.

He resigned from government and contested the legislative election under the CNU. He came to parliament and was voted speaker for which he was re-elected in 1978.

This is how he stayed on, leading the historic transition of November 6, 1982 that ushered Biya to power as Head of State. It was ST Muna who administered the oath of office to President Paul Biya.

His mandate as Speaker ended in 1988. But Muna remained a key voice in national politics till he breathe his last on January 22, 2002 aged 89.

With such a towering career, what has become of his children? Like Nfon Mukete, Muna is known to one of the highest Anglophone movers and shakers of yore who gave their children the best of education to live independent lives and not depend on government crumbs.

His children among whom some are of late are; Daniel Muna, Benard  Achu Muna, Akere Muna, Edwin Muna, Humphrey Muna, Walinjom Muna, George Muna and Ama Tutu Muna.

Daniel Muna, a renowned medic had long died in July 2009. Dr Daniel  Muna was member of several international and national professional organisations.

Another Muna, Professor Walinjom Terenricha Muna, died on February 24, 2019. He was a cardiologist and expert in internal medicine of global standing.

He was president of the Board of Directors of the Polyclinic Bonanjo that was later renamed Daniel Muna Memorial Clinic in honour of his late brother.

On October 6, 2019, another Muna who was a legal and political heavyweight, Barrister Bernard Achu Muna also quit the stage. Ben Muna as he was popularly known also once headed the Cameroon Bar during his lifetime.

Ama Tutu Muna, a Canadian-trained translator is still  based in Yaounde. She once served as Minister of Arts and Culture.

She is currently serving her second term as member of the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism, NCPBM.

Another renowned descendant of ST Muna still making waves across the globe is Barrister Akere Tambeng Muna. After basic education in Cameroon, Akere moved to the United States, US, where he attended the School of International Service, SIS, at the American University in Washington DC. 

He later moved to the United Kingdom where he was called to the Bar at the Lincoln’s Inn. Across the decades, Akere has made a name for himself as an anti-corruption crusader, leading several international campaigns.

Akere is known to be Sanctions Commissioner of the African Development Bank, AfDB, Vice Chairperson of Transparency International.

He is a former Head of Economic, Social and Cultural Council, ECOSOCC, of the African Union, AU. He is created to be one of those who fronted the creation of the Pan African Lawyers Union Association, PALU.

He is also former Vice Chairperson of Transparency International, TI, an institution which he worked hard to create its Cameroon chapter. Akere is also a former member of the African Peer Review Panel of imminent persons, APR.

The renowned lawyer in 2012 became a member of the High-Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows. In his shinning lawyer, Akere Muna who is also a former Bar Council President in Cameroon has been counsel for several institutions, countries and Heads of State. Akere Muna was candidate in the 2018 Presidential election.

Chief Dr Henry Ndifor Abi Enonchong

Chief Dr Henry Ndifor Abi Enonchong was an ebullient and revered Barrister-at-Law. Born March 22, 1934, Chief Dr Enonchong became the first Cameroonian to obtain a Doctorate Degree in Comparative Law, with distinction at Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA, added to a prize in Constitutional Rights.

The legal luminary of mettle died Thursday June 26, 2008, in Douala. The native of Besongabang in Manyu Division, South West Region, was a direct descendant of the ancestor, Chief Abane, said to be the founder of the Besongabang Chiefdom.

Chief Dr Enonchong attended Basel Mission School, Besongabang, where he completed primary education, before moving to the then Bali College (now known as Cameron Protestant College) as one of the pioneer students, where he will subsequently pick up an excellent distinction for the Senior Cambridge School Certificate in 1954.

Upon completion, he worked in the Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, as a Clerk in the banana office in Bota, Limbe, as well as taught in the CDC Middle Farm School in 1954.

Chief Dr Enonchong later moved to Aba, Nigeria, where he studied at the College of Hygiene and Sanitation and bagged the Royal Society of Health Diploma for Public Health Inspectors.

He will later work as Government Public Health Inspector up to 1960 in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Victoria (now Limbe), Buea and in Tiko, before he resigned and clinched a Cameroon government scholarship to study Law in London University and a professional course in law in the Council of Legal Education, London, where he graduated with an LLB from London University in 1962.

He was called to the English Bar in Gray's Inn, London. Still in quest of the Golden Fleece, Chief Dr Enonchong studied French and carried out legal research in Comparative Law at Grenoble University in France, before moving to Howard University, where he graduated with a Masters in Law, LLM.

He returned Cameron in 1963, and was appointed Federal State Counsel (a Magistrate) and posted to the Legal Department in Buea and later redeployed in Yaounde in 1964 as Director of Cabinet in the then Cameroon Federal Ministry of Justice.

In 1965, the legal luminary was a member on the Codification Committee of the currently applied Cameroon Penal Code in his capacity as Director of Cabinet and Coordinator of the Commission, and was elected President of Georgetown University Law Centre Comparative Law Association in 1966.

He lectured in the Department of Law, Faculty of Law at the Federal University of Yaounde, and contributed in the setting up of the Department of English Law in the faculty.

In December 1967, he registered as a member of the West Cameroon Private Bar and in 1970, he established his Law Chambers, christened Enonchong & Co. Law Chambers in Douala, after he quit the public service.

He mobilised lawyers in West and East Cameroons to form today's Cameroon Bar Association, CBA, out of the ashes of the Federal Cameroon Bar Association, which he also founded and was the only Cameroonian in a committee of three members including; Maitre Bonnard and Maitre Aubriet, to draft the internal regulations of the CBA.

He wrote and published books including; The Cameroon Constitutional Law: Federalism in a Mixed Common Law and Civil Law System, The Cameroon Federal Capital.

Chief Dr Enonchong was anointed Paramount Chief of Besongabang April 10, 1972, under the Southern Cameroons Chieftaincy Law. He founded Enonchong Memorial College, Besongabang, where most of the students, for many years, benefited from a scholarship scheme Barrister Enonchong.

Chief Dr Enonchong also initiated the Tonkorong-Manyu Upland Integrated Rice Project in Manyu Division. He was founder and patron of Manyu Elite Cultural and Development Association, MECA, Douala and a member of the MECA National Committee of elders and served as President of the Mamfe Central Chiefs Conference.

The celebrated Cameroonian lawyer and varsity don was survived by his wives, 12 children, and many grandchildren.

Media reports detailed the children of the late Chief Dr Enonchong to include Pamela Enonchong (Mrs Ayuketah), Charles Abi Enonchong, Cecilia Enonchong Besong Manyi, Eric Enonchong, Quinta Enonchong, Rebecca Ebangah Enonchong, Richard Enonchong, Henry Ndifor Enonchong, Irene Enonchong Manyi Besong, Sandrine Enonchong Abane, and Daniel Enonchong.

A fracas had broken out between the children after his demise though the family later united and agreed that all the children of the deceased have a right to benefit from the estate of their father.

On December 30, the Manyu High Court in Mamfe, issued Prince Charles Abi Enonchong, a letter of Administration. The aforementioned children are individually doing well in different walks of life though some have become prominent in their fields.

Prince Charles Abi Enonchong, successor to late Chief Dr Henry Ndifor Abi Enonchong, is also administrator of the estate of the late Manyu elite.

Prince Charles Abi Charles is a renowned film producer and director. He founded Enonchong O-Reilly Productions in the United States and produced his first film titled The Nigerian Biafra War, in 1986.

One of the daughters, Rebecca Ebangah Enonchong, is a tech expert and entrepreneur. She is founder and Chief Executive Officer, CEO of AppsTech, a Maryland-based global provider of enterprise application solutions.

Rebecca Enonchong is a household name in the domain of technology and known widely known within the corridors of power and business world across the globe as an Africatechie in the field of apps solutions to companies.

Also among the children is a lawyer. The children of the late legal colossus are in general said to be doing well and excelling in their different fields.

Fon Doh Gah Gwanyin III

His Royal Majesty Fon Doh Gah Gwanyin III of Balikumbat who disappeared September 1, 2012, was a renowned politician and traditional ruler in his native Ngoketunjia Division in the North West Region.

Before joining his ancestors, the monarch reigned for 35 years after he ascended the throne in 1977. He was closely associated with the heights and depths of the Balikumbat Fondom.

Before his disappearance, he was a member of the CPDM party’s central committee and President General of the North West Fon’s Conference, NOWEFCO.

In the early days of multi-party politics, Fon Doh was the lone CPDM Parliamentarian of the Balikumbat Special Constituency from the North West Region and served two terms till 2007. At a point in time, he cumulated the positions of MP and Mayor at the same time.

Famously known as the lion man, Fon Doh Gah Gwanyin III, CPDM party comrades say, he is remembered for a visionary approach to politics, defending the ruling party against all odds. 

Sons and daughters of Balikumbat Fondom also say that he was the political bedrock of the area which became known as one of the bastions of the CPDM in the region

He implanted the CPDM party in Balikumbat and gave courage to those who initially feared to stand for the CPDM in the face of massive intimidation from opposition Social Democratic Front, SDF party of Ni Fru Ndi.

Through him, CPDM supporters who feared to make their voices heard plucked courage, campaigned with this audacity and obtained 9 out of 20 parliamentary seats and 18 out of 34 councils in the region back then. Aside being a celebrated politician, he was a patriot.

He is also associated with the creation of the Balikumbat Development Organisation, BADO, which emerges as the unifying instrument for Balikumbat sons and daughters.

Fon Doh Gah Gwanyin III was survived by many wives and over 20 children. He was succeeded by his son, Fon Bah Gah Nyamnyin III.

The new traditional ruler is a graduate from the prestigious National School of Administration and Magistracy, ENAM,

Taking into the footsteps of his father, the new traditional ruler is also into politics. He is currently the Mayor of Balikumbat council.

Many of his children are also said to be in the military while others and into teaching after graduating from different teachers training institutions in the country.

Hon Simon Ngeh Tamfu

Simon Ngeh Tamfu known simply as SN Tamfu was a towering political figure from the Donga Mantung Division of the North West Region.

He was born in Tamba neighbourhood, Taku Village in Ndu Subdivision. The proponent of the creation of Far North West Region, was a staunch supporter of the Cameroon People’s Democratic Movement, CPDM party.

Tamfu was an astute politician whose political life started in the 1950s in the days of the National Council of the Cameroons and Nigeria, NCNC, through the Southern Cameroons, West Cameroon, United Republic of Cameroon, to the Republic of Cameroon.

Till date, Tamfu is being remembered by his contemporaries for his vociferous campaigns during the plebiscite in the Southern Cameroons for independence by joining Nigeria, and the then Nkambe Division (today’s Donga Mantung Division) voted for him.

He, however, later became the greatest opponent to the idea of the Southern Cameroons separation and independence as preached by the Southern Cameroons National Council, SCNC; Southern Cameroons People’s Organisation, SCAPO; Southern Cameroons Youth League, SCYL; the Ambazonia Movement among others.

The venerated politician entered Parliament in 1959. He remained as representative of Nkambe Constituency till 1965 when he was appointed Secretary of State for Economy and Planning in Prime Minister Augustine Ngom Jua’s government.

In 1968, he bounced back to Parliament, this time on the ticket of the Cameroon National Union, CNU party.  The ‘selfless politician’ as he was fondly referred to in 1968, was again made Secretary of State in the Prime Minister’s office for Public Works, in Premier Muna’s government but was dropped in 1970.

He returned to Parliament in 1988 and stayed till 1996 during which he was Vice President of the CPDM Parliamentary Group. Hon Tamfu was a member of the Central Committee of the CPDM and also of the Political Bureau.

Until the September 2011 CPDM third ordinary congress in Yaounde, he was the only CPDM Political Bureau member from the North West Region. After the congress, he was made honorary member of the Central Committee.

He also occupied the position of Section President of the CPDM for Donga Mantung for many years. 

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