Pierre Ngijol Ngijol

Ngijol Ngijol Pierre (8 August 1934 - 29 June 29) was an African scholar, social critique and tribal leader. He was born Musi Pierre in the 8th August 1934 and was the only survivant son of Thomas Ngijol (c. 1905 - 1971), a Cameroonian nobleman from the Ndog Njeh Clan, one of the leading family of Bassa’a Ethnic of Cameroon. His mother, ngo Maloum Marie Therese (c.1902 – 1968), was also issued was issued from tribal nobility. His parent had sixteen children of which only three survived into adulthood. He was one of them and the oldest son.

He his best known to the world for his pioneering work transcribing the Cameroon epos The Sons of Hitong into French. A French Grammarian (1963) and Phd in French, Latin and Greek letters, he also held a postdoctorate degree in Oral Negro Africa literature (1982). He was a university professor for four decades, a 3- times Dean of the the faculty of letters and social sciences at the University of Cameroon (a.k.a Yaounde University). He was rightly considered by his Cameroonian peers one of founding father of the Yaounde University and a by far the largest contributor in molding the national education system of the republique of Cameroon. He retired early in 1994 and spent the remainder of his life teacher pro bono at the high school of his native villag. From time to time, he has sought after by the Cameroon’s Ministries of higher Education and Scientific Research to direct doctoral dissertations.

Prior to his death on the 29 June 2009, he was appointed the director of a doctoral school by the Ministry of Higher Education. Ngijol Ngijol Pierre was many 4 times, twice divorced and is survived by seventeen children, more than twenty grandchildren and an older sister and a WIDOW.

During four decades of public service he achieved many milestones and received many accolades.

  • He was the first Cameroonian to transcribe a native epos into French
  • The second African to become a Professor agrege of French Grammar
  • The Youngest ever dean of the Faculty at Yaounde University
  • He was a tribal leader, High Counselor and Recordkeeper who heavily contributed to writing the chronicles of his people
  • An insatiable athlet and Football club leader who won the national trophy with the “Cha Cha Boys” of the Dragon Club of Yaounde in 1979
  • He was instrumental in building exchange programs between the University of Cameroon and many international institutions of higher learning
  • Chevalier de L’Order de la Valeur of the Republic of Cameroon
  • Officier des Palmes Academiques Francaises
  • Officier de L’ordre de la Francophonie et du Dialogue des Culture
  • Former Honorary Mayor of the City of New Orleans
  • Twice guest of the State Department of the United State

He died one month short of his seventy fifth birth day.

References

fr:Pierre Ngijol