Our father, Professor Ajaga Nji, passed away on Tuesday July 20, 2021.  He was 72 years old.

 

Dad was born in the village of Tugi. Tugi is a little village in the heart of Momo Division in the North Western province of Cameroon, W. Africa. Dad's father, Pa Andere Nji and mother Akwi Deborah Tah Nji, were rural farmers in the village of Tugi.  He attended elementary school in Mbengwi, the headquarters of Momo and received financial assistance from his uncle Mr. M.N. Tah to attend secondary education in Bamenda, a neighboring city. After the first few years, dad dropped out of secondary school yet successfully obtained an O level certification through self learning.

​

A self-taught typist and language translator in his early 20s, dad saved enough funds which allowed him submit applications to over 100 universities around the world to further his education. At some point earlier in his career, dad had decided the best way to take his family out of poverty was by acquiring a solid post-secondary education. 

​

Dad chose to attend Berea College, KY, USA, a school which only accepted students from underprivileged backgrounds but who also excelled in studies. Dad would take advantage of the opportunities offered at Berea College to earn a modest income which financed his way through school. After 2 years of hard work, dad graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with high honors. He subsequently attended graduate school at Iowa State University, Ames, where he earned a Masters and PhD in Rural Sociology.

​

Dad went back to Cameroon after completing his studies in Iowa for an opportunity to contribute to the development of agricultural and financial methods in rural communities. He pioneered financial methods for low-income farming and was responsible for translating these methods to regions across the country through programs at the University of Dschang where he also earned the title of Professor Emeritus.  

​

Dad's passion in education facilitated his contribution to an overhaul of the English-based educational system in Cameroon, subsequently inspiring the founding of Ngumys International School which remains one of his utmost legacies. He is the author of 13 books which can be found in the gallery. Some of his titles including "Why Poor People Remain Poor", "The Triumph of Social Democracy" or "Understanding the Politics of Jesus" have been best sellers in regional areas of West Africa and in some parts of the world.   

​

Dad touched many lives beyond his immediate family through charitable giving and community involvement in both his native village of Tugi and in the town of Dschang, which he called home. Dad mentored or financially supported 13 individuals from the village of Tugi to attain a PhD in several fields including Agricultural Engineering, Pharmacy, Chemical Engineering, etc. Amongst many other accomplishments, he initiated a project to ensure the flow of water to homes within his local community of Tugi, earning him local titles such as Tehfon. At the University of Dschang, where dad attained the status of Professor Emeritus, he is the founding father of the University library,  the Department of Agriculture, the Radio and Distance Educational Programs which enabled collaboration across Canada, US, Europe, and Eastern Africa. 

​

Dad was a man of God who believed and practiced the teachings of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  He grew up in the Presbyterian Church and was heavily involved in several departments including the choir. He was a great singer and great speaker. His passion around the things of God prompted him and several friends to fund and build a Presbyterian Church in Dschang where his family and friends continue to worship today.

​

Our father was a mentor, coach, philosopher, author, and spiritual guide. He was our strength and voice of reason. Dad always said, "do the things that allow you to sleep with both eyes closed" which is a sound philosophy and testament to his alignment in the ways of God. He is survived by 8 children and 12 grandchildren.  

​

You raised us to respect and be empathic to one another, support our communities, and most importantly to be a servant of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You did not ask much of your children but truth, honesty, intelligence, being the best of ones-self, self-reliance and hard-work. We thank you. Words alone cannot express the quality of a father you were, but we are glad to have taken the opportunities to express our thanks and gratitude to you. We further thank you for all the lives you have touched and the legacy you have left behind, and we promise to continue that legacy. Although we miss your gentle smile and your kind but firm words full of wisdom, we take consolation in the fact that you have gone to continue your marvelous works in the Kingdom. 

​

​

​