Prof Edward Tafah Edokat: Bringing Honour To His Kinsmen

A prophet it has been stated, is never recognized at home. This assertion held true in Jesus’ time and still holds true today. Until his dead, Jesus was never hailed or recognized in his native Nazareth. With all the miracles he performed and with all the good work and preaching he did, nobody in Jerusalem hailed or honoured him. It is common knowledge that his kinsmen doubted everything he said or did. Each time he was in the limelight, natives in Jerusalem were heard questioning: “Is this not the son of Joseph”? To them, a son of Joseph could not do anything good. All what Jesus did meant nothing to all those who knew his background and his humble beginnings. That is why Jesus himself decided to go to other lands and perform his miracles of healing the sick and bringing the dead to life. In performing his earthly assignment, Jesus decided to go to other towns and cities distant from Jerusalem.

Prof Edward Tafah Edokat’s trajectory may not be the same like that of Jesus Christ. Point is, immediately after he was appointed and installed as the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University of Bamenda, he was received and honoured by the Momo Fons Union that groups together over 150 traditional rulers. They assembled at the residence of the Vice Chancellor at Mile III Nkwen and crowned him with traditional honours. This singular recognition makes him stand out as a distinguished son of ngemba land. These traditional blessings bestowed on Prof Edward Tafah Edokat opened the door for other honours. The Fons of Momo saw in their son an eye opener and decided to be the first to recognize him.

Prof Edward Tafah Edokat was recognized with a red feather which is one of the highest traditional honours in our grassfield culture. This was in recognition of the development efforts he has been making in Momo division and more importantly, because of the great strides he has been making in moulding the youth, leaders of tomorrow. Prof Edward has for over the years been involved in the shaping and reshaping of the education landscape in Cameroon. He has trained many youths at the university level. Of all forms of development, human development is the best and the most rewarding. It is the best investment as education yields the best dividends.

Prof Edokat and May 20 Medal

After discovering the great work Prof Edokat has been doing in helping Paul Biya transform greater ambitions into greater achievements, government decided last May 20, 2012 to give him a medal. This medal was one of the highest honours a son of the North West has received in recent years. He was singled out last May 20, as an honourable Cameroonian who deserves to be recognized by the nation. The medal award of last May 20, 2012 was a culmination of achievements over the years and Prof Edward Edokat deserved such a recognition.

Prof Edokat: A Silent Achiever

It was late Prof…………, founding father of eth opposition SDF party and University don who when challenged by the press as to why he was never heard in parliament, he observed that there were two categories of people – those who make all the noise, that is verbiage, and those who go straight and make the point. What he meant was that there were some people in society who spend time seeking for notice and giving the impression that they are doing all the work while there are others who just do what is needed of them and go their way. This reasoning ties with Chinue Achebe’s philosophy when he wrote that “the lunatics may be outnumbered, but they own the place”. Before his appointment as Vice Chancellor of the University of Bamenda, Prof Edward was little known by Cameroonians. This is not the same as saying he was not achieving enough for Cameroonians to know him. Proof is that during his installation, it was the Minister of Higher Education who declared that Prof Edward Tafah Edokat was ‘academically and administratively’ ripe to handle any position in the university system. Prof Edokat has achieved a lot while in Dschang and other universities. He has been a silent achiever and nobody today doubts that he is an experienced administrator who has taken all his time to acquire managerial skills. Formerly Dean of the Faculty of Economic Science/Management at the University of Dschang, Prof Edokat has been ‘maitre de conference’ with a lot of outstanding innovations both at international and national levels. The 57 years old University don who hails from Oshie village in Momo division of the North West Region was already described by Prof Fame Ndongo during his installation as academically and administratively armed. His knowledge and experience in research and administration makes him fit for the challenging job of birthing the newly created University of Bamenda.

The Future Of UBa

The decree creating the University of Bamenda states clearly that it is an anglo saxon university. After creation Jacques Fame Ndongo christened it the university of the future. As a university of the future, Prof Edward is charged with the responsibility of making it look different from others. As the university of the future UBa is supposed to lead not follow. To lead, the university has to be a solution provider, not just an institution where degree holders are churned out at the end of each year. Prof Edward Tafah Edokat is therefore the future of the university of Bamenda. What the university becomes depends on what Prof Edward makes of it. Given his ability to produce results, it is clear Prof Edward would deliver the goods. Despite distractions from people like Prof Abety Peter who thinks that Prof. Edward Edokat should take instructions from him and his Bambili elites on how the university should be run, the level-headed Prof Edward is “going placidly about his job, amidst the noise and haste, remembering what peace there is in silence”. In less than six months, the university of Bamenda has already registered five schools and faculties. This means that in the next one or two years, the vision of the university of the future would be clearer for every North Westerner to see.

The Vice Chancellor of the university of Bamenda is an honourable gentleman from very humble beginnings. He is a genuine intellectual and those who were still doubting his capacity had time to discover him during the sixth management club organized by the Higher Institute of Management in Yaounde with the Bamenda city council on focus. He presented an intellectual discuss on the roadmap of the city council and this gave him a standing ovation. Continue to make us proud, Prof Edokat.