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Life story
1932
 

Family Life:

Pa Peter Asangong was born in 1932 in Chup Village Momo Division, North West Region Cameroon. He left Chup as a child and grew up in Gunekwu village with his maternal uncle.  He later left Gunekwu at a tender and estimated age of 9 to live with his aunt in Victoria (Limbe). Papa got married to his beautiful soul mate Mrs. Miriam Muyang Asangong (RIP 1979) while in the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) camp in Moliwe. They were blessed with seven children:- Pius Dase Asangong, Boston, Massachusetts; Margaret Bih Asangong, Boston, Massachusetts; Elizabeth Tenguh Asangong, Limbe, Cameroon; Samuel Ngu Asangong, Glendale, Maryland; Constantine Tita Asangong, Laurel, Maryland; Pamela Manwi  Asangong, Bowie, Maryland; Chris Sama Asangong, Bowie, Maryland. Papa’s riches and wealth continue today with 14 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild. He started his life in Fako from the late 1940’s and spent the rest of his life in Limbe, as a true God fearing, faithful and humble servant of God.

 

Professional Life:

Pa Peter Asangong travelled to the South West region in search of greener pastures. In Victoria, he underwent driving training at an estimated age of 17. He never enjoyed driving tractors in the CDC Moliwe plantations; but he had to do it because he was a determined and hardworking man. He’s always neatly dressed in white shirts to go to the plantation farms.  He gained the name “neat boy” because he will sit and wait for the cleanest tractor to come before he stands in the tractor drivers’ line for the day’s assignments. Then came an opportunity for a driver needed at the CDC, Head Office in Bota, Limbe to drive some British experts who came to train estate managers. No doubt Papa Asangong was selected from the line of drivers because of his neat appearance. With a good recommendation from the British experts, Papa Peter Asangong was permanently employed as one of the pioneer drivers hired to work at the Head Office in Bota; and his role at the Head Office stayed as the clean driver who drives all the “Whites” visiting from Britain, Canada and many other countries in the West. His neatness, always on time for work and attention to orders and directions earned him a good reputation with the expatriates who came for board meetings. Within a short period of excellent service to all his foreign bosses, his name was written in all the books and all the foreign trainers will request in advance that the Head Office make sure that “Peter” is available to pick them up from the airport and remain their driver until their mission is done for the trip. That trend continued and that is how Papa Asangong got himself even more enlightened about the western culture and trained his children to become great men and women who they are today. Pa Peter Asangong became the permanent driver of the Chairman of the Board of Directors – Chief Mukete for a very longtime. Before July 19th, 2017, he was actually the last surviving drivers among all the pioneer drivers of CDC.  With this reputation child of all the pioneer drivers of CDC Bota camp, most of whom are very successful in Cameroon, the United States and Europe funnily nick name Pa Asangong “the last man standing”. Bota camp live was a wonderful experience to both parents and their children at the time. Papa Peter Asangong received a Golden Medal of award for good service and another medal as the best driver who drove for 30years without an accident. He drove with the CDC for over 35 years, until he went on retirement in the late 1980’s. What a professional perfection!!! 

 

Religious Life:

Pa Peter Asangong was deeply religious and always taught everyone around him the values and ways of the Lord. As a young boy he was an active member of the Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF) at the Presbyterian Church in Moliwe and later transferred to the CYF Middle Farms Church. He loved music and the piano and consequently joined the Messiah choir (English choir) at the Presbyterian Church Down Beach Limbe for over 25 years, he sang tenor; within this period, he perfected his piano skills and was the main organist at down beach for a very long time. Pa Asangong was the only organist in town who could play the bridal chorus (Here comes the bride….), and so was invited to all church Weddings, Baptism, Birthdays and other religious ceremonies in town. He also enjoyed visiting new churches and will always offer to sing with them choir or play the piano. He did this as a hubby throughout his 32 years in retirement in Limbe, Bamenda and in the United States. He visited and made multiple and frequent trips to the US in the past 17years. You will hardly know if he is resident in Cameroon or the US. Through God’s Grace on earth, his children showered him with all the love that he thought them how to. Through his visits to churches, Papa realized that Bota middle farm church did not have a permanent organist, so he decided to transfer back to Presbyterian Church Middle farms his original church, purposely to serve as an organist and train the young ones how to play the organ; at same time Pa Asangong still paid homage to Down Beach and Presbyterian church Sokolo Limbe. Papa played the organ using “Staff Notation”. His legacy remains a respected member and dedicated servant of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon.




Social Life:

Papa was a very sociable person and always loved to interact with people to know and learn more about them. He had this smile that will brighten your day every time you meet him. He understood the power of a kiss to show affection to everyone. As the Chairman’s driver, Pa Asangong was a registered member of the Bota Senior Service (SS) Club and also the Limbe River club where the elites of CDC Bota Limbe met and socialized; but he will not drink alcohol. He had his first bottle of alcohol after retirement. Whether in town or away from town, he ensured that his children benefitted and enjoyed the privileges that the CDC clubs had to offer to workers and their family. Do you now understand why the Asangong family loves tennis so much? SS Club Bota. His children will always participate in the Limbe River Club end of year parties where there was plenty of fried chicken and fireworks to celebrate the New Year. Papa poured his children and grandchildren with plenty of love despite the absence of his dear wife. He made sure their mother’s absence would not create a significant impact in his children’s life.

Pa Peter Asangong despite growing in the coast honored and respected tradition and will always take his entire family to the village during Christmas holidays. His kind heart and humble personality earned him respect from his dad who made him the heir to his father’s throne in Chup. But because of Pa’s clear goals that he set for himself, and true believe that a village leader should be someone who deeply understands the culture and has experience in village custom, and that the chief should always be around for his people, Pa Peter Asangong decided to transfer the chieftaincy title and authority to his younger brother and has never looked back to it – I’m not interested he will always say. He had explained to his children and family why and how he made that decision and signed legal documents at the Mbengwi Divisional Office and council to transfer the chieftaincy lineage to his younger brother, the present reigning chief of Chup Village. Pa Peter Asangong was also a member of many village meetings, including Gunekwu, Chup, Mbengwi and MECUDA Limbe and made generous contributions to better the ones back in the village. He was a very occasional alcohol drinker during his retirement years, but a very good dancer, which he claimed were one of the traits he used to charm his late wife the mother of his seven children. 

He was a wonderful landlord to all his tenants in Ambas Bay Mbende and Sokolo in Limbe. He often throws Christmas parties to his tenants. He remained a wonderful neighbor to all those who have been blessed to be his neighbor.  Pa Peter Asangong truly enjoyed his life despite a tough and challenging road in the beginning. Papa love pictures; his archives are made of photos and albums from the early 1950’s through all his family, Christian and social life. Please take time to enjoy the photo gallery.

Pa Peter Asangong will forever remain in our hearts.