If there is something great to remember about Saint Thomas Aquinas Major Seminary (STAMS), Bambui during my three-year stay and study, it is my encounter and learning experiences with a personality, whom God hurriedly took away from us. Most of my contemporaries in STAMS testify to the beauty of these experiences. Drawing inspiration from the first course he taught us in year one, (History of Ancient Philosophy) I lamented at his funeral in the words of Gorgias: Fr. Christian, “What have you left undone, that should have been done, or what have you done that should have been left undone”. These words make a reminiscence of classroom experiences with Fr. Christian. His was an environment for knowledge construction. He taught us to have disdain for laziness, mediocrity and shallow-mindedness. He was very smart to establish a mélange of strict discipline, rigour and humour. Most often, the mind laboured so much to distinguish between derogatory remarks and compliments. For instance, I boldly complained he never gave us proper psychological preparations for his exams and that he had intentions to trick us to failure in this first semester examinations in the first year. He tagged me a psychologist and later on attributed it to everyone in class. Was this derogatory or complimentary? However, it sounded humorous to me for I was firm in my convictions.
Also, when Fr. Christian appeared in class, or took the pulpit for a sermon or a recollection talk, he inspired and commanded wisdom instilling the burning fire of scholarship. At times, we got expressions like, “the ethics of flight” “the dialectics of Emmanuel Levinas”; “the ineffable, the inevitable, the descent of the soul into the body and “the ascent of the soul to be in union with the One”. “the soul is dizzy”; “brother is degenerate” “ Stiffening of the neck and hardening of hearts” These expressions were understood within the STAMS’ circle. His lessons are immortal. “The Stoic Good and wise man knows what depends on him and what does not depend on him”. “The stoic good and wise man lives according to nature, letting nothing tamper with his/her ataraxia, tranquility, quietude and happiness”.
Again, being impartial in examining students, most of his examination questions and rules were very unpredictable. He wanted us to be curious and alert. In Oral examinations, one could not certain of what one will meet. I made preparations for African Traditional Religions and ended up answering questions in Epistemology, a course taught by another lecturer. However, I understood that he wanted us to be academically keen and alert. When you proved that you were tough; he went further to humble you with what you were not expecting. I perceive him as a golden pedagogue of our time. We do not only study for examinations, but we learn to solve problems at all times in history. In this, Fr. Christian was a perennialist in education.
Besides, he was not only unpredictable in examination questions, but he had an unpredictable personality. For instance, “Some of you say Father Mofor is my man, Father Mofor is my man, I am nobody’s man”. At the time you thought he had found favour with you, that is the time he was going to hit hard expecting you to do more. In some of our interesting lessons in Methodology and African Traditional Religions, we had these experiences;
Brother, What is study? Br. answers: “Study is a continuous observation of something”.
Father reacts; Brother, I am continuously observing the football field, am I studying? Brother answers, No Father. Father reacts, you see the way you reason, your definition is inadequate.
Brother, what is dessert? Brother answers; Father I don’t know? Father reacts: have you ever eaten it? Brother answers: No Father. Father reacts; Can you spell it? Father, I am saying that I don’t know something and why are you asking me to spell it? Father reacts: Does the fact that you don’t know something prevent you from spelling it? Do you see the way you reason? Let us continue.
Brother, what is effigy? Brother answers; Father I don’t know? Father reacts: have you ever seen it? Brother answers: No Father. Father reacts: Can you spell it. Brother answers; Father, I am saying that I don’t know something and why are you asking me to spell it? Father reacts: Does the fact that you don’t know something prevent you from spelling it? Do you see the way you reason? “If I were you (…)”.
Bongba Marcel (Happy You) of Blessed memory, in his usual happy mood tells Father. Father, your logic is limping. Father answers. It is your mind that is limping, not my logic.
Samson Mbilam (Sam Pio) makes a finger snap sound to ask a question and Father retorts. “I am not a Nwerong” (Masquerade in Nso). Father Christian was also an advocate of bilingualism. In logic classes determining the rules binding syllogism, Father Christian taught the rules in English and gave examples in French. This is where Fr. Christian was provocative and kept battling with people he knew had problems in French. For instance:“Tous les avocats sont juristes, Monsieur Dupont est avocat, Donc, Monsieur Dupont est jurist”.
Psychologist: translate. Father I didn’t like French in Secondary School. Father reacts: Did I ask whether you liked French or not? Translate the sentence! Brother answers: Father, it is more than me. Father laughs faintly and says: you will see sparks in June (June, the session for second semester exams).
Further, Fr. Christian taught us approximately one hundred and fifty fallacies. We became drunk and intoxicated with these fallacies. This brought lots and lots of problems when we interacted with others on Campus. We saw cobwebs in every expression or phrase. Even sermons were subjected to rigorous syllogistic reasoning. This was done to the displeasure of our honourable deacons and theologians. I said to myself, “Fr. Christian, you don put we for palaver”. Father Christian gave no room for sentiments as he scored students as they presented themselves. At times, he was so hard and dismissed some before they were even evaluated. He argued you cannot draw water from the rock. To survive this embarrassment, you needed to be active in class. Measurement and evaluation of performance is not a day’s assessment. It has to be cumulative.
Lastly, in a Masters’ defense in L’UCAC, June session 2009, a Rev. Sister wept and mother superior recited the rosary because Father Christian’s multiple criticisms and questions were becoming unbearable. I simply murmured; “Sister, you are seeing sparks in June”. At the defense of my Masters, as an examiner, Father gave me a litmus test for almost three hours. His comments, criticisms and recommendations made a telling influence on me. But during these hot moments, I already had intellectual and emotional resilience built right from STAMS Bambui.
Valentine Banfegha Ngalim (Ph.D), Associate Professor, Chair of Philosophy, HTTC, Bambili, The University of Bamenda. President of STAMS Ex Seminarians (LASTA).