Mme. Mbongo Nokuri Agnes Mambe, also known to many of us as Auntie Mbongo or simply as Iya, grew up in the Kumba and Ekondo Titi area with her elder sister, Mrs Anastasia Nokuri Beseka, and her three late brothers, including Christopher and Peter Nokuri. Their parents were Late Pa Bernard Sunday Nokuri and Mami Regina Eta Musa.
She was a member of the pioneer class at the Queen of the Rosary College, Okoyong-Mamfe where they announced that "Queen Mbongo Nokuri Agnes Mambe registration No. 7/56 was the pioneer House Captain of Fatima House."
After studies in London where she was married to Captain Edward Mambe, she had a career with the Cameroon Bank. She later studied in the USA and worked in various locations such as Douala, Victoria, Mamfe, etc. After her retirement from banking, she continued investing in young people, in her family and in her community in Mundemba, around the Ndian Division and in Kumba, the Meme Division through the Federation of Environmental and Ecological Diversity for Agricultural Revampment and Human Rights (FEEDAR & HR).
One of her later honors was as a Senator and Alt-Senator where she continued to serve her community and inspire many young people and women. Her work expanded internationally at the World Intellectual Property Organization: WiPO.
Education profile:-
- She obtained her First School Leaving Certificate in Government Primary School Kumba,1955.
- In 1962 as pioneer student at the Queen of Rosary College; Okoyong Mamfe, also pioneer girls secondary school in Cameroon and obtained the West Africa school certificate grade 1
- 1970 she obtained first degree in Financial Management majoring in Banking at the London Chattered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators,
- 1980 she was elected a Chattered Secretary by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators London; and became a Commonwealth Professional Member
- 1980 obtained Masters Degree in business management (MSc) majoring in banking; Northern State University, South Dakota; USA.
- 1981 professional banking training at credit commercial de France Paris.
- 1981 professional banking training at the republic national bank; New York
Political Profile.
Mrs Mbongo Nokuri Agnes Mambe joined the Cameroon political class very early and during the era of the former president El Hadji Ahmadou Ahidjo through the support of a prominent Ndian Politician Hon. Lobe Ekwelle Nwalipenja.
She choose rural development as her post-retirement career option, to bring many communities, women and young people out of poverty. While dedicating her time to this focus, she attained the position of 3rd Vice National President of the Women Wing of the ruling party, the CPDM. In 2013 she was appointed Alternate Senator of the Cameroon upper house of parliament for the South West Region. She was recognised as a Commandant of the National Order of Valour Cameroon.
In 2018, she was appointed a second time as Alternate Senator of the Cameroon Upper House of Parliament for the South West Region, and died in an active mandate.
Working Profile:-
- 1965-1969 worked as Administrative Secretary; Cameroon Embassy London in charge of the placements of students and follow up of financial problems.
- 1970-1972: Deputy Sales Director with Cameroon Development Corporation, Bota Limbe
- 1973-1976 worked as an Administrative Officer with Ministry of Finance in the Exchange Control Department in Douala.
- 1977-1980: taught at the University Center Douala; Lycee New Bell and Lycee Bonaberi,
- 1980-1990 worked with Cameroon Bank ltd in various capacities; Branch Manager; Recovery Officer; Operations Manager; Budgetary Control; Personnel Manager; Foreign International Operations in various towns; Douala; Mamfe; Limbe and Yaounde.
Works, Conferences and community activities undertaking:-
- 2017, Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore taking place between the 27th Feb – 3rdMarch 2017, Geneva Switzerland.
- 2015, FESTI COCOA International Conference on Cameroon Women in Cocoa, Yaounde.
- 2011, United Nations International 1stWidows day celebration, Yaounde.
- 2005, The launching of the International Micro credit year by UN Women representative in Yaounde
- 1998, Participated at the Grameen Bank- Common-Wealth, Poverty Dialogue Programme at Dakar, Bangladesh on the usefulness of Micro finances for the poor women.
- 1997, Attended an International Seminar at Makerere University, Uganda on Women and Biodiversity for Sustainable Development of Africa, Sponsored by the Common-Wealth Secretariat.
- 1996, Participated at the Common Wealth training on Credit Schemes Management for African Rural Women Entrepreneurs at Buea Cameroon.
- 1994, Participated at the Dakar African Regional Conference in preparation of the UN Women´s World Conference holding at Beijing China 1995
- 1993, Attended in Madrid, Spain the 22ndWorld Conference of Women in Business Relations to ameliorate living standards in the South.
- 1992, Attended in Zimbabwe an International Seminar on Environmental Protection, Ecological Sustainable Development organized by UNDP Africa 2000 Project
- 1990, International Training of Rural Women Entrepreneurs at Abidjan, sponsored by African Development Bank and USAID
- 25 March 2017, second Stakeholders meeting on Cocoa Cooperatives formation and registration under the new OHADA law and the subsequent formation of UNIONS and a Federation in the South West Region.
- 16thMarch 2017, 1stMeeting of Cooperatives and Stakeholders Meeting of the Cocoa Sector, Ekondo Titi, Ndian Division.
- 2010 At Konye and Ekondo Titi Organized a Divisional Conference on enhancement of Widows Rights, Sponsored by the European Commission Cameroon.
- 1995; Organised an International training of farmer leaders in Buea, on Agriculture as viable venture having the adequate resources, land, finances and Seeds backed by World Bank FIMAC project.
- 1994, Mundemba Bakassi Hosted an International Training of Trainers on Human Resource Management, Sponsored by the Canadian International Development Agency in Yaounde.
- 1993 – Sponsored by the British Council and the Common Wealth, organized a regional conference on rural Development in Cameroon, needing a holistic approach at Ekondo Titi.