Bartholomew Tumbu Fomanka - Site Memorial Online

Bartholomew Tumbu Fomanka was born on Saturday March 21st 1970.  As he grew around a large family with many extended relatives around, he was the favorite of both mum and dad as he was fondly called: Last cocoa. At his birth, he became so sick and we had lost hope because we knew he would not make it since his birth occurred before the 9 months pregnancy period was over, as mum related several years ago. Indeed, Tholo spend 6 months in the womb, but that saved him from an incubator. He survived! This made him learn to love because much love was shown him by all those who were senior to him. I do not doubt why it was so strong in his mind, that he had to repay everyone for the kindness and goodness he himself enjoyed as a kid. His fondly song in pidgin: “I start my school, infant one Oh, I reached class seven them deny… O mami Oh whatti I go do Oh, Oh mami Oh, I go die” earned him the nick name among the siblings in his early years: “Oh mami Oh… I go die”.  From childhood, Bartholo learned to face nicknames fight against it, and then accept it as part and parcel of himself. His Last Name or Surname: Tumbu was no less used on him as a provocation, as was used for fun. But when he strongly adopted this name and clung to it, the provocative part died.

On Wednesday September 15th  1975 Tholo took his school bag and moved into Sacred Heart School Fiango, Kumba while his brothers and sisters: Simplicius Nsanda Fomanka, David Nkong Fomanka, Caroline Fomanka (RIP), Nyoma Patience Fomanka (RIP) attended Catholic School Fence, now Kosala and Basil Ekenki Fomanka was in Bamenda. Tholo was going to stay in SHS Fiango for the next 7 years. The family was in crisis at the time he finished in June 1983. We were grappling with the loss of our mother.  It was the first hard reality that struck a fledgling family. Tholo like all before him could not enjoy the boarding school education he longed for. He was always kind, humble and understanding right at that time and accepted moving to Cameroon College of Arts and Science (CCAS) Kumba. He stayed here for five years but the family thought he was being distracted by his exceptional football talents and ever growing social connectivity. He was moved World Wide Mission, Mpundu, where he obtained his Ordinary Level Certificate have 8 papers with very good grades. By this time we had lost Dad as well, and the family had to decide on how to reward such a brilliant performance. It was his time to move to St. Joseph College Sasse, where he completed His High School Studies in 1992. His mates will tell you how he had an obsession for Biology, as his dream at this time was to work in the medical profession.  As an orphan, he began, as early as now to become the independent Tholo we are now going to experience.

                            

Gradually he began to develop independent living skills under the guidance of our of our family head and heir Brother Justin Esembieng Fomanka. During the years that follow, Tholo would become so engrossed in football, and always argued that not all would have to go to a University nor must everyone obtain a degree to be successful in life. His visions were respected and he was encouraged by the family to build up and improve on his football talents. This did not last too long, as he sustained a serious injury, that shattered his dreams of joining friends like Ndefi Pius of the Indomitable Lions, with whom he used to play inter-quarters competitions at the Sacred Heart School Field, Fiango. It was the end of his football as player but he would later take up this challenge at a different level with the coming of years.

Bartholo, in spite of himself, kept a strong attachment to the Church through daily attendance of mass and from time to time assisted in the playing of the Bass Xylophone with the Parish Choir of Fiango, and even helping out with other musical instruments. He loved the Liturgy and he loved God. From time to time, who tell me he was developing a vocation into the Brotherhood but would then give this up.
It was during this period that he undertook to a massive rennovation of the family house where he will now be laid in state. This was goind to be his point of operation for the next several years. The house stood out in Akale Street and won the admiration of all. But it was not only this house he refurbished. Opposite the family house he began a business unit, refurbishing the house wherein today lives the Divisional Officer for Kumba II. He, the family and friends continue to feel proud about this, as his contributions did not only serve the needy but also the State. In this regard, his friendship extended to the Mayor, the Government Delegate, the Priests, the simple and unknown soul and even those who had mental problems. 

He was getting on in age, and his dreams of becoming a footballer had been laid to rest. It was now time for him to try his hands in many petty-businesses around town.  By this time the family had lost Isidore Fomanka alias Tolambo, and had also lost Caroline Emambu Fomanka and our neice Nyoma Patience and our nephew Tumbu Esembieng. Bartholo, determined as ever came up with the idea of being a middle man to many embassies, a vocation he grew in, and learnt to do in such a spectacular manner, that began to earn him a very mighty fame. While many thought his business activities were unholy, he had a firm believe that his good intentions outweighed whatever considerations people were making regarding his modus operandi. He himself will address this issue in his own writing. But let us leave the Lord to judge him here. He therefore, would in an unassuming manner, boast of having helped so many to find meaning in life. But He also would admit he failed to accomplish all the tasks he undertook, as this is typical of any business. Again we need to commend him to God and ask for his mercy regarding his shortcomings in this business venture.

If Bartholo, now popularly known as Tholo came to gain an even greater popularity as one who impact society by his works, it is thanks to an NGO, he began between 1997 and 2000. Assisted closely by Chief Kome of Etam I, Tholo embarked on what would become his pride for the next couple of years: MPYRAA an acronym for Movement for the Promotion of Youths Rights and HIV/AIDS Awareness.

MPYRAA) was a youth-centred non-governmental organization operating in the SouthWest Region of Cameroon. Founded in 1998 and legalized in 2000 it supported under-privileged groups within the communities on health issues and wealth creation through capacity building and information sharing using highly participatory approaches. Tholo’s Mpyraa was grounded in grassroots advocacy and by 2008 it had covered four of the six divisions of the South West Region on Capacity Building, Home Based Care and Psycho-social Assistance to HIV/AIDS infected persons, orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs).

All these were thanks to the vision which propelled the young, enthusiastic and sociable Tholo. He looked forward to working within a favourable and supportive policy environment, and longed to see the youths, under privileged and the aged gain their full rights and benefit from equal access and control over resources that guarantees a sustainable development. These were for Tholo not just ideas. But were founded in his vision that there is no reason why anyone, no matter who you are, should ever suffer when the suffering can be alleviated even if it meant taking from the rich and giving to the poor.

So it was that right at this time, he began developing very big and ambitious dreams, which could be realized if he had the kind of resources he was looking for. His Hope was so strong and his search was frantic. He certainly would return supernaturally, as he says in one of his quotes, and I dare add, in the manner of St. Therese, the little flower,  to see that all these things he hoped for are accomplished. Part of this great vision MPYRAA apart, was his dream to motivate the young around football and create a future for some out of this means. He became a celebrated Cup donor and occupied many youths in Kumba and in Mbetta. It is in this vein that his own team L’Alepoque came to exist and grew by leaps and bounds.

In 2009 Tholo believed something greater awaited him in Nigeria even contrary to the protests of almost all other members of the family. But, he was resolved and no one could convince him to the contrary. He moved together with Regina Ashukem who had come to be known as his fiancée. His stay in Lagos and then Abuja gained him already much popularity as he himself remarked in one of his quotes, leading to the recognition of the job he was doing related to MPYRAA. His visions were however foiled when he ran into trouble with the judicial system of Nigeria over issues beyond his control. The controversies over the issues appeared minimal, but this earned him almost a year in incarceration. The poor conditions he experienced here no doubt were stressors that could later be understood to be catalysts for his cardiac arrest.

After his release in September 2014, he stayed in Abuja for sometime, but was anxious to pursue his Cashew nuts project which was his dream project that continued to fan his hopes.  

He left Abuja telling his friends he wanted to just go to Lagos and rest. I am sure it was a time he was setting aside for something like a retreat, so that he could begin this new life he was envisaging, which for him, was probably the start of a great project of supply of Cashew nuts. He looked forward to this project with hope and believed it would mark a turning point in his life. He had just completed the 4th week of Lent, when we cry, Come, Lord Jesus! And even as he himself was sounding the warning alarm for us to be careful around this period, Christ included hjim in his own alarm. The rest here became the eternal rest he looked forward throughout his life to attain.He will be missed most especially by his pearl, queen and little daughter: Caroline Emambu Jr. and the entire family of 2 Great grand nieces, 5 grand nieces, 6 grand nephews, 11 nephews, 7 cousins, hundreds of cousins, 4 brothers and 2 sisters, myriads of friends and relatives to celebrate and promote his legacy.