A booklet containing tributes to Professor Victor Anoma Ngu includes a very interesting tribute by HRM Fon Gorji-Dinka. We reproduce it verbatim:
THE FONDOM OF WIDIKUM
ON THE OCCASION OF THE TRANSITION TO ETERNAL GLORY
OF
PROFESSOR VICTOR ANOMA NGU
WED-a-NDUBIJI
Fellow mourners,
Professor Victor Anoma Ngu was the Provost of Trinity College Ndubiji, Widikum; he was anointed Wed-a-Ndubiji (meaning Quarter Head of Ndubiji). Ndubiji is the quarter in Widikum from which Forchu emigrated to Santa in Mezam where he and his followers founded what is popularly known as Baforchu.
Wed-a-Ndubiji was one of those committed but very silent patriots of our times. It was for the love of his motherland that he refused appointment as Vice Chancellor of Nigeria’s university of Ibadan so as to come and serve our people.
His drive for research was so insatiable that he felt very frustrated when the Cameroon Education Ministry refused to buy him a microscope for his research; so much so that he had decided to emigrate to any other country which would provide him facilities for his research .
I just happened to be in Yaounde and drop in just to say hello when he emptied his feeling to me. He added: "I’m thoroughly fed up with this system." Then he added: "promise me that your left ear should not hear what your right ear has heard." This was sad news; and my head started ticking on a solution. I faked an excuse for cutting short my visit and I left straight to Jean Forchive’s house.
Forchive was director of Cameroon’s dirty tricks department which organized the killing and force disappearances of many. He was feared even by the Cameroon President. People befriended Forchive not out of love but out of fear.
During the trial of the Catholic Bishop Albert Ndongmo for attempted coup’d’etat, I, his defense attorney in my final address torn apart the government case and told the Military Tribunal that the evidence indeed point to coup, but that the coup was not a coup d’etat but a coup de l’imagination of Jean Forchive.
So I was the last person Forchive expected at his house. As I stepped in Forchive looked very perplexed; he instinctively rose stood at attention and offered me a seat. I refused, then stood and looked right into his eyes and yelled: “Are you people crazy? So you people have decided to throw Professor Ngu out of the country. Now listen to me and listen well, the blood of people who die because he is gone will hunt you and your families for ever."
From the stories I heard about Forchive I don’t think anyone ever confronted him in that way and lived another 24 hours after. But I noticed that he looked perplexed and asked: “Maitre, which Professor Ngu?"
“Ngu the surgeon” I replied, sounding very furious believing Forcheve was pretending to be ignorant of the matter.
“Is that not the Dr. Ngu the surgeon who does two jobs but gets only one pay? He asked.
“Yes but is that not the man your education minister has refused him a microscope for his research? So he is packing to go to any country where he can do his research." I replied.
Forchive instantly went on his knees and held my legs pleading: “Maitre please go tell him to give me just 3 days. I’ll give him all microscopes as he needs”.
I hurried off back to Prof’s house. He thought I had forgotten something and came back for it.
“Did you forget something?” he asked.
“No Prof; I came to say Forchive will give as many microscopes as you want. So Prof relax."
“How? So you went to Forchive?"
“Yes"; I responded adding: "Prof, I have a client to see, I’ll see you in the evening."
Then later that same day came a radio Cameroon announcement: “Professor Victor Anoma Ngu has been appointed vice chancellor of Yaounde University”
I hurried back to Forchive’s house to thank him. This time he and I had a big hug as if we were old family friends. He then whispered into my ear: “He now has a budget; and can buy as many microscopes as he needs.”
Forchive suddenly disengage from the hug, sped off and returned with a bottle of champagne. “Maitre take a sit let’s to toast this victory.”
I looked into his eyes as I said “Why are you tempting me when you know I am a teetotaler”?
“Maitre, you mean you don’t drink?” Forchive, asked looking at me with total disbelief.
“Mr Forchive” I responded “don’t tell me that your spies did not report that aspect of my life to you?” adding “I just came to thank you for preventing Prof from leaving the country.”
I then tapped him on the shoulder and left to Prof’s house. I found Anglophones flocking in with bottles of all types of drinks. Prof pulled me aside and whispered in Widikum “You are powerful. You are a He Man”
And so did the Lord God use a rebel Fon Dinka, plus spy master Jean Forchive, plus a decree of a tyrannical President Ahidjo to prevent Professor Anoma Ngu from leaving us and taking away with him that medical expertise which made his professional colleagues regard him as a giant among them. But what added most to Prof’s greatness was his very disarming simplicity.
How I wish there was a presidential decree which could have stopped this man’s exit or which could bring him back to us on this side of the grave.
In this hour of grief, all we can tell you Prof is this: since you have answered “present" to the Lord’s roll call; we take consolation that you have joined the ancestral gods of Widikum who, as our patron saints, daily intercede for us, at the feet of the almighty God.
So on behalf of our people I say Wed-a-Ndubiji, good bye; adieux; au revoir; till we meet again over there, someday.
Our prayer now is that the Lord almighty God enables us, and especially your immediate family members, to quickly reconcile with your transition to eternal glory; we also pray that He our everlasting Father holds us firmly in His Mighty hands, so that we entertain no fears to answer present, to His divine roll call, on that day.
This we pray in the name and through the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; now and for evermore. Amen!
Fongum Gorji-Dinka
The Fon of Widikum
