65-year-old Mbah Ndam, former long-serving Member of the National Assembly died Monday, April 13, 2020, in Yaoundé shortly after he was rushed to the hospital for medical care. His remains have since been preserved at a morgue in Yaoundé pending funeral arrangements. He will now be buried 19 days after the interment of his fellow SDF Legal Adviser, Barrister Sama Francis Asanga who passed away on Monday.

“The funeral ceremonies and burial of Hon. Mbah Ndam Joseph will take place on the 26 and 27 of June 2020 in Yaoundé,” Senator Jean Tsomelou, Secretary-General of the SDF said in a statement Tuesday night. “Details of this program shall be made known to you in the days ahead.”

The delay in the burial of the deceased SDF strongman may not be unconnected to the coronavirus pandemic that restricts gatherings and travels, as well as the conflict in the North West and South West regions which has greatly affected his native Batibo.

Mbah Ndam became Member of Parliament for Momo West Constituency (Batibo) following the May 17, 1997 Parliamentary Elections in Cameroon that saw the SDF win 47 of the 180 seats at the National Assembly. He was voted out on March 22, 2020, after close to 23 years of service.

He was born on February 28, 1955, in Batibo, Momo Division of the then North West province. He was a member of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the SDF since 1991.

Besides being a politician, he was a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Law of the University of Yaoundé from 1988-92. Until his death, he was the adviser on legal and judicial matters of National Financial Credit Bank and chair of Union of Cultural and Development Association of Momo Division. He was a practicing Protestant Christian; he was married and a father of many children.

His house in Batibo was burnt down to ashes by armed separatist fighters on Sunday, December 15, 2019. The events from 2016 till April 13, 2020, may have contributed to bringing more frustrations to Hon. Mbah Ndam’s last days. His demise is no doubt a painful end for a man who invested his life to social change, showed a lot of loyalty to the Social Democratic Front and its National Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi. Although he had debatable positions, he died a staunch member of the SDF.

He was also an adviser on legal and judicial issues for the National Financial Credit, NFC bank. He was also the President of the Momo Cultural and Development Association. Married and a father of children, he was a faithful member of the Christian Men Fellowship, CMF, of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC.

Just like was the case with Late Barrister Sama, Hon. Mbah Ndam will be buried in the absence of SDF National Chairman, Ni John Fru Ndi. The opposition leader is currently on a medical visit in the United States of America.