Dear Grandpa,

I hope you feel well with God in heaven.

When i was in Cameroon with you I had much fun with you. Befor we thought you will die already, but God gave you two more years. Everybody will die oneday and now it was time for you to die. All of us hope we will see you in heaven. Let God bless you in heaven.

Your grandson,
Yeri 

Pa, I do not even know what to say, but I know that you were not just a gift to us as your children, nor to us as a family but a gift to humanity. You were one kind of a man, loving, yet firm to us, witty yet serious on some issues, community leader yet a family man,  a politician yet a Christian. a hardworker, great provider to all who came across your way. You saw many things from God's perspective, and did not complicate life where things were obvious. you trained us to live for God and for others. Is it any wonder that all our houses are an extention of the environment we grew in? When some people thought they were smart by attempting to exploit you, you saw beyong their foolishness to their needs and obeyed God by meeting those needs. You treated each one the way they presented themselves, those who preferred fish, you gave them fish those who desired to learn fishing you taught them to fish. those who blamed you for their own irresponsibility you forgave them saying in the words of Christ: "Father forgive them for they know not what they are doing". What can we say? You fought a good fight, you finished the race, you kept the faith" I know you are no longer sick, you are seeing Jesus face to face and we will meet when we finish our own races down here. Thank you for being an excellent father to me and to all of us. You did it, you preferred people to property and we picked up the tab, and are continuing the fight. You fought for your people in various ways some paid off, some are still to be realized. Peace perfect peace. Your grand children are all missing you and do know at least they have somone in Heaven besides jesus Christ.
Joe Jikong
Memphis TN USA.

YRH/Prof/Senator/Pa Stephen Yariwa Jikong.

When I was lost, you found me
When I was hungry, you fed me
When I was hopeless, you advised me
When I was homeless, you sheltered me
When I was broke, you gave me money
When I was uneducated, you educated me
When I was thirsty, you gave me a drink
When I was homesick, you visited me
When I needed God, you prayed with me
When I needed a father, you found me
When I needed a mentor, you stepped in
When I needed tradition, you blessed me
When I needed a leader, you stepped forward
When I needed knowledge, you empowered me
When I needed a neighbor, you knocked daily
When I needed an Angel, I was advised to look closer home
Rest in peace, mission accomplished.

 Henry Kari

Texas, USA.

Pa, i first met you in Clarksville in August of 2012 when i was travelling from Tennessee to Kansas. When i told you that i was moving to Kansas to continue graduate studies, our discussion took a sudden turn. You put on your mentor hat, your fatherly hat, and you told me the same things my farther usually told me each time i was leaving the house to go back to school: "work hard, push on with studies, go as far as you can go, let the sky be your limit, etc" Above all, you told me that i should never forget where i came from (Mantung Land). We never met again after that but i heard your voice on many occasions during our MACDA-USA meetings, calling on us to develop our land, to build hotels, restaurants, provide scholarships for students etc. Pa, you are our baobab! You have gone to rest with the Lord but your memories will live with us as we follow your example. Adieu!

 

IMORTALIZING VIRTUES

Courageous, Constructive, Critical, Creative and Committed:

These virtues all beginning with the letter, “C” are some of the striking endowments for which our compatriot, and brother in Christ, Professor Stephen Jikong will be remembered by those who knew him closely. As a responsible citizen, Prof. Stephen Jikong was not only committed to the needs of the family in Nwa, but also his Division, Donga-Mantung, in particular, and Cameroon at large.

During his life time, Prof. Jikong was so constructive, creative and committed that this spirit could be seen and felt in the educational institution, where he taught, wherever he served.

As Secretary of the Etoug-Ebe Baptist Church, Yaoundé, in the late seventies, Brother Stephen Jikong was so frank and constructively critical that he would not hesitate to air his views on crucial issues no matter what others felt about his stand. This critically constructive spirit earned for him within the EBC the nickname, “Moderator”. As a patriotic citizen, he bore the challenges of loyalty and selfless stewardship of his community, the church and his country, Cameroon in its sustained struggle for peace and development.

Prof. Steve Jikong’s transition is a challenge for his compatriots to emulate the virtues for which he was admired, and appreciated.

ADIEU Bro. Steve

Shey Dr. Peter MABU

Friend and Christian Brother.

We certainly do not write/say good things about the dead for the pleasure of it, at least not in the case of Prof. Senator Stephen Jikong. I write because this distinguished man lives on. He is not of the past. He still forms the substance of the present and future. His legacy in education is uncontested. He taught me at the Faculty of Arts, Letters and Social Sciences. He co-supervised my DIPEN II (Sciences of Education) dissertation at the Higher Teacher Training College-Yaounde. As supervisor, he served as a true instrument of academic/intellectual empowerment, not as source of knowledge. He made me discover my true value and potentials. He contributed to the person I am today. He has been a good guide, an exemplary father, an altruist...a dinstinctively good man of powerful humility and extraordinary patience. He has not died in the philosophical sense of the word. He has simply advanced us in his smooth journey of life. He has given us the opportunity to celebrate his life in another dimension. There is no other way to make him happy and fulfilled. May my personal testimony be part of this grandiose celebration of Pa Jikong whose star is still and for always be bright.  

We will always remember the Honorable Prof. Jikong (the senator from Tennessee) for his active participation in our meetings and the humility with which he delivered any remarks or advice to all cameroonians in middle Tennessee.  A few remarks remain vividly alive in my mind: "In order to bring about any change, it is important to understand the mentality of the people and/or system of government" Senator Stephen Jikong, CCMT meeting of September 27, 2014. " The Cameroonian Community in Middle Tennessee is made up of too many intellectuals and requires a more or less dictatorial approach to ensure smooth meeting sessions and avoid repetitions" the Honorable Senator Jikong, CCMT meeting of October 25, 2014. We will for ever miss him in our midst. On behalf of my family, please accept our sincere and heartfelt condolences.

To Eleanor and family,
May you all continue to stay strong during this very difficult time, and may you find consolation in God's Love.  May the soul of Papa rest in perfect peace.

IMORTALIZING VIRTUES

Courageous, Constructive, Critical, Creative and committed

These virtues all beginning with the letter, "C" are some of the striking endowments for which our compatriot, and brother in christ, Professor Stephen Jikong will be remembered by those who knew him closely. As a responsible citizen, Prof. Stephen Jikong was not only committed to the needs of the family in Nwa, but also his Division, Donga-Mantung, in particular, Cameroon at large.

During his life time, Prof. Jikong was so constructive, creative and committed that his spirit could be seen and felt in the educational institution, where he taught, wherever he served.

As Secretary of the Etog-Ebhe Baptist Church, Yaounde, in the late seventies, Brother Stephen Jikong was so frank and constructively critical that he would not hesitate to a

YRH/Prof/Senator/Pa Stephen Yariwa Jikong,

When I was lost, you found me
When I was hungry, you fed me
When I was hopeless, you advised me
When I was homeless, you sheltered me
When I was broke, you gave me money
When I was uneducated, you educated me
When I was thirsty, you gave me a drink
When I was homesick, you visited me
When I needed God, you prayed with me
When I needed a father, you found me
When I needed a mentor, you stepped in
When I needed tradition, you blessed me
When I needed a leader, you stepped forward
When I needed knowledge, you empowered me
When I needed a neighbor, you knocked daily
When I needed an Angel, I was advised to look closer home
Mission accomplished, rest in peace.

Henry Kari
Texas, USA.