It is with deep sympathy that the Gang, Dohnji, Ndahmanji and Gaduna Families announce the death of their husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather and great grandfather Pa Robert Pasiga Gang (aka Nyamcha) on January 1, 2013 at 6:20 a.m. at the reference hospital in Douala, Cameroon after a brief illness.
Pa Gang is survived by his wife Mami Cecilia Gang, ten children, forty-one grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Children include:
Babila Joseph Gang; Bengyela Augustine Gang; Maggie Gang Engeh; George Foncham Gang; Andin Agnes Gang Gwanyalla; Sigala Michael Gang; Peter Gang; Edwin Gang; Dennis Gang and Allen Gang
Biography
Papa Gang Robert Pasiga Theodolus or, Robert Gang, as he was named in his youth, was born in 1922 in Bali, a lone child to Na Lydia Naiga. Mami Naiga was herself one of 8 siblings: Their father, Ba Fonjun of Ngiam quarters, was married from the Gwani Family of Munung quarters (Bali) was, besides Lydia (Lytia?) Naiga, the father of seven others: Na Manyi(mother of the Ndamanjis and Andreas Fongwen (Ta Madam). Kaisa (Manyi Kewah); Na Monica Mbotiji; Pasiga(brother to Mami Ma-Obi); Kah Kula(Wife of Tanyiko);Ba Augustine (World War 1 veteran); Ba Dohnjifen Samson/Mathew.. These names, often replicated in the family, hold great collective significance!
The economic life blood of the British Cameroons was in the “Coast”. Naturally, to the coast and the booming plantations, Naiga migrated with her young son. The Miselele rubber plantation was their destination and later on the burial place of Lydia. Robert became a young orphan when his mum passed away. The trauma conditioned his life in several ways. Often in his adult years, he would exclaim before any serious reversal “Oh, muu-nchi” (Oh! poor orphan). He would also swear by his mother in anger “Lytia,Naa Mu ma foh-robba ma Miselele!” (Lydia, my mother in the depths of Miselele rubber farms!)
Want and solitude spurring his youthful aspirations, propelled him forward through the jungle of self preservation, generating in him a sane ambition for self reliance and family solidarity. Remorse and idle contemplation were never Robert’s guests. Nor, were labor and service among the choices he could elect to disdain.
His uncle, Ba Pasiga, first assumed tutelage of the young orphan. Pasiga worked at Bota oil mill. Uncle Ndamanji, the most educated of the family, would soon replace Pasiga as care taker of Robert as the boy grew into a physical and athletic kid. Uncle Ndamanji, storekeeper for a foreign firm, plantation overseer, ex-German interpreter and an already remarkably successful entrepreneur-trader at Issongo, took custody of the young Robert whose youthful stature and hardiness was beginning to blossom. By then, he was sturdy enough to endure the weighty head loads and the lengthy travelling which the primitive trading between such coastal trading posts as Ikang,Issongo…imposed. From his common berth at Issongo with his more elitist cousin Michael Sabum-son of uncle Ndamanji - would emerge a solid, lasting bond: and their academic paths would later briefly coincide, in so far as an orphan in those hard times could expect:.
The quest for education and strict guidance soon directed Michael’s and Robert’s foot steps to the household of Ba Simion Nguti, a seasoned Grade “C” teacher in Sasse and an ardent Catholic Christian, to boot. As emeritus head master, Mr. C.T. Ewonjug recently confirms, “The children he (Pa Nguti) engaged were very hard-working, reasonably big and intelligent”.
Ba Simion was a venerable father figure from Guzang, he was husband to Mami Francisca from Bali. Robert would forever cherish their discipline and generosity that, indelibly, left an imprint in the lives of so many teenagers. Many, like Robert, came to live with this couple to serve them and attend R.C.M primary school, Sasse from the 1935 alongside Clement Theodulus Ewonjug. The path of these two have criss-crossed since then. Robert Gang moved with his “boys” school from Sasse to Soppo-Buea in 1936. The white sisters of Bojongo were then moving their convent and girls school to the present Sasse College Campus. (He was confirmed with the name Theodolus by Bishop Peter ROGAN on 3rd May 1936). Armed with a standard 4 certificate, Robert gained admission as student “Number 99” in Middle One of St.Joseph’s college in 1939. His class mates, and future co-teachers, were Bernard Bille and John Doyeba inter alia. Amongst his teachers was one William Lima Forcho, future ambassador. With no parents and no school fees he soon said good bye to his college mates at the end of 1941. He was naturally recruited as a teacher. In 1942, he and Pa Mathias Ngomba opened the St. Peter Claver’s Roman Catholic Mission School, Muyuka. Gang, like Doyeba and Ewonjug were admitted into the Preliminary Teacher’s Center (PTC), Basseng in 1945. and then, directly –upon graduation, he was amongst the top students chosen from Baseng for further training as ‘Grade C’ teacher in the Teacher’s Training Center (TTC),Njinikom.
December 1946; he is now a blossoming, sensual 24 years old youth. It is the Bali Lela dance festival. Round and round flutters a young, dark-looking beauty of a damsel in perfect rhythmic unism with the drums. A young handsome and athletic trainee teacher points her out with unrestrained pride to his Mbo classmate and friend C.T. Ewunjug, holidaying in Bali. Robert says to him “Eyeh! That is our girl, over there!”… “She is nice looking”, Ewunjug approves, “Bah!, yoh beu foo ba wuket”, blusters the confident Robert. Cecilia Kavoma daughter to Ba Nkom Gwanduna married Robert Gang on 1st May 1949. God blessed them with 10 children, over 43 grandchildren and 11 great grand children.
A dutiful family man, he took his brothers Henry and Benedict Dohnji from Bali to attend school in Soppo-Buea once he could. By 1952, Henry was in Sasse College. Benedict followed soon after. Uncle Paul would also follow this academic trail. A family cult of devotion to schooling and solidarity was born. Uncle Pasiga died in 1947 in Beniway (Bending way; Mile 14). Robert dutifully carried back to Bali a clod of earth from the grave: as Bali symbolism dictates. That is, perhaps, how his uncles bestowed on him the additional name Pasiga. Since his fifties, and in stoic submission to the inescapable fatality of death, he would assume the alias, “NYAM-NCAH, ni mbeb nchu-I” (or, “food for the ground, merely awaiting his day”. His day was 1 January, 2013.
From 1947 to 1957 he returned to teach school in Soppo and was well loved for his integrity, discipline, hard work and sporting talents. He was great in running and on the football pitch, says his friend, “CT”: When he had to kick, he kicked. And when you met him, you did want to return”.
Back to the Catholic Mission Parish- Muyuka from December 1957, he served under Pa Eyombo and Pa Ewunjug and others, and later became headmaster himself until his retirement in 1987 after a rich and Christian Career. He was teacher, scout, agronomist, carpenter, sports teacher, and nurse… all in one.
Always personable and rigorous but effaced, he served his community; He arrested a thief at the school house single-handedly, one night “In the name of the Queen”. He virtually opened the Makanga quarters in Muyuka where he built his first (Wooden) house around 1958. He connected Makanga quaters to the electricity grid. He always cleaned the Makanga communal spring water source. He served as election pooling officer… Always, he served man, nation and God. He would have celebrated his 65 wedding anniversary on 1 may 2013.
He fell noticeably ill only on 27 December 2012 after, surprisingly, accepting to spend a last Merry Christmas with his son Justice Gang George in Kumba. His children conveyed him dutifully through three health institutions first in Muyuka, then Buea and finally Douala with varying degrees of attention and hospitality. We thank the General Hospital in Doula and especially Dr. Henry Namme Luma, who, even in his own mourning, found time and companion to uphold the Hippocratic Oath and to help us, sincerely.
Papa Gang Pasiga Robert Theodolus died peacefully, gently at 6.20am, on 1st January 2013. We thank our three siblings, nephews as well as our one wife who afforded him the final, filial acts of comfort. “Let There Be Peace”, his grandson, Thierry, reports, were his last words.
Hmm! The flag is in our hands: He, in the hands of God.