Festus Ambe Numfor

Biography of Dr. Numfor Festus Ambe

Dr. Numfor Festus Ambe, fondly called Tah Nkenyam was born on the 25th of December 1950 in Bafut to Che Nkenyam and Mama Christina Sirri Shi’Mfor all of blessed memory. He was the third of his mother’s four children. His father died when he was of tender age so he was raised by his mom, late Tah Peter(his elder brother) and also by his uncle Tah Numfor Mathew. Being an intelligent young man, his secondary and High school studies were possible through the scholarships he earned by his excellent performance in the common entrance examination into secondary school and the GCE O’ Levels. His achievements in life were fundamentally based on; honesty, hard work and commitment, not forgetting his Christian background that strengthened his faith in the Lord.

FAMILY LIFE

Dr. Festus got married to Buchinje Grace Atanga in 1979 in Nigeria where both of them spent a good part of their life prior to getting married. They were blessed with five children: Emeline Simfor Numfor (1979), Abiinwi Numfor Christine (1982), Shinwin Ambebi Numfor (1985), Mange Manka’a Numfor epse Ntube (1986-2021), Nforbi Fegra Numfor (1993) and six grandchildren: Shinwin Ambe Achunkwe, Austin Tanwi Achunkwe, Candace Buchinje Ntube, Jade-Eva Numfor Chanel Ntube and Bart-Liam Fuh Numfor.

EDUCATION

His academic journey started in 1958 in Kumbo and from there, he kept excellent academic records which he carried with him throughout his life.

1958-1960: Basel Mission School, Bafen Kumbo

1960-1961: Catholic School Kumbo because he lived with the head teacher of that school.

1961-1964: Basel Mission school Agyati Bafut where he lived with his late Uncle, Pa Numfor Mathew.

His journey to higher heights started from here.

1964 – 1969: Cameroon Protestants College (CPC), Bali where he obtained his GCE O’ Level Certificate.

1969 -1971: Cameroon College of Arts Science and Technology (CAST), Bambili where he obtained his GCE A’ Level Certificate.

1973 – 1977: University of Nsukka, Nigeria where he obtained a B.Sc in Biochemistry

1978 – 1979: University of Ibadan, Nigeria where he obtained an M.Sc in Food Technology

1988 -1992: PhD in Food Sciences from the North Carolina State University, Raleigh USA.

RESEARCH

1977: Worked with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan Nigeria as a Research Assistant.

1981 – 1984: Worked with IRA Njombe as a Researcher (Food Technologist).

1984 – 1988: Appointed Chief of Service for Scientific Animation at the Ministry of Research and Development, Yaounde while cumulatively working as a researcher in Njombe.

1993: Moved to IRAD Ekona as Researcher and worked with the Root and Tuber Crops Research Project (ROTREP).

1994: Award presented to Dr. Festus Numfor for his outstanding contribution to the Root and Tuber Crop Research Project as a Research Scientist Dated this Day of October 1994 jointly signed by Robert B. Dadson Chief of Party ROTREP and Mortima H. Neufville Project Manager ROTREP

FUNCTIONS HELD AT IRAD EKONA

• Head of Food Processing unit in Muyuka
• SAS at IRAD Ekona
• Acted as chief of center for a period of time when Dr. Zok was appointed Director of Research in Yaoundé.

He then retired from the public service on the 25th of December 2005.

During his active service as a researcher at IRAD Ekona and following his retirement from the public service, he worked as a part time lecturer at the University of Buea.

TEACHING LIFE

1971 – 1972: Biology teacher at WTTC Mankon, the present day PSS Mankon. This is when he met his wife, Grace.

1972 -1973: Teacher PSS Mbengwi & PTTC Batibo, the present day PHS Batibo

1982 -1984: Lecturer at the University Centre, Dschang

16/10/2010: He was hired by the PCC as one of the pioneer lecturers for the Cameroon Christian University (CCU), Bali.

2001-2010: Post graduate lecturer at the University of Buea.

2013-2016: Lecturer at the University of Bamenda. 

2014: Head of Department of Engineering and Technology (INSET),  formerly acting as Dean of INSET and cumulatively appointed as the acting Academic officer of INSET, CCU, Bali.

2016-2021: Dean of the Faculty of Science Engineering and Technology, CCU Bali

2018-2021: Acting Registrar of CCU, Bali cumulatively with his duties as Dean of INSET and Development officer.

HOBBIES

He loved to do research on the transformation of local foods, especially the transformation of starch from roots and tubers into usable products. He also loved farming. He was very passionate about planting fruit trees and protecting the environment through the separation and re-use of waste. He loved making fruit juice, jam, soy milk, soy buns, roasted plantains and oil, roasted corn, kumkum and okra, etc. He also loved sports and road trips. Just like everyone else,  he had big dreams. He aspired to transform his locality into an agro- industrial hub. 

CHURCH AND SOCIAL LIFE

He was a church elder in PC Ekona yard for 10 years.

As concerns his social life, he was the President of the Bafut Manjong, Ekona branch from 2000 to 2010.

When he moved to Bamenda after his retirement, he was appointed the President of Ndabong, a Nforya Elite group where he served for 4 years.

He was appointed to the post of president of the Bafut Elite Association (BELA) from 2017 until his demise in 2021.

He was also an active member of the BOBA Bamenda branch.

DEMISE

Dr Numfor Festus Ambe passed on to the Lord on the 18th of September 2021 after a protracted illness. He leaves behind his wife, four children, six grandchildren, a brother and sister, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, extended family members and friends to celebrate his life and carry on with his legacy.