Buea: Hundreds bury veteran journalist, Njomo Kevin.

Last Saturday’s funeral mass that held at the Divine Mercy Co-Cathedral, brought together the crème de la crème of the country’s media industry.

Prominent among the mourners were present and former workers of the Cameroon Radio Television, CRTV; where Njomo Kevin enjoyed a distinguished career. Uncle Njomo, as he was fondly called, died on May 9, 2026, at the age of 73. 

Mourners at the funeral service in Buea, described the late Njomo Kevin as a man who left an indelible mark on sports journalism and on the lives of all he encountered.

Speaking to reporters Saturday, veteran journalist, Charlie Ndichia, said he had lost a friend and a big brother. 

Ndichia, recounted that he first met Njomo in Calabar, Nigeria.

"I met him for the first time in my life in Calabar, when he was the news editor at Radio Nigeria (Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation, Calabar branch). And then, we met here again in Buea," Charlie Ndichia recalled.

"Njomo was a very de-tribalised person, and very hardworking. He had his finger in almost every pie. Njomo would do music, Njomo would do research into football stars, into music stars... He was a jolly good fellow, and a man of many parts," he said of the late journalist.

Ndichia noted that the late Njomo Kevin exemplified professional humility, hard work and will forever remain an icon.

Born in Kumba in the South West Region in 1952, to parents from the West Region, the late Njomo Kevin studied at Sasse College in Buea and completed University education in Nigeria, where he earned degrees in English and journalism.

He returned to Cameroon in 1979 and quickly rose to fame at the State broadcaster through the 1980s and 1990s. 

He is credited with founding pidgin news in Cameroon, hosting what is believed to be the first pidgin newscast during his time at the State broadcaster, CRTV.

During active days, the late Njomo Kevin earned a huge reputation for himself as one of the most versatile, friendly, and longest-serving journalists in Cameroon.

He enjoyed a journalism career spanning over four decades, with the longest duration of the practice coming during his time at the CRTV.

During his time with the State broadcaster, Njomo Kevin garnered respect and admiration within and outside the journalism milieu for his prowess in live sports commentaries, especially in the field of football. 

Following his retirement from the State broadcaster, he transitioned into many ventures, embracing sports administration. 

He provided what was described by generations, both old and new, as the much-needed mentorship to younger journalists, while also championing his private media engagements. 

The man who was also nicknamed Uncle Njomo, due to his constant support for younger professionals, created the Njomo Kevin TV, as part of his investments; after full-time practice at the CRTV.

Through the project, the media veteran shared memories of landmark events, especially those of Cameroon. He covered topics cutting across sports, culture and several others through the segment which he later named “Story Time with Uncle Njomo”. 

In 2017, he was appointed member of the FIFA Normalisation Committee, with mission to stabilise affairs at the Cameroon Football Federation, FECAFOOT. 

This was after a legal dispute led to the cancellation of the election that brought in the Tombi A Roko-led executive at the helm of the federation, in September 2015.

The ace journalist and the team, which was led by Cameroonian legal luminary, Dieudonné Happi, ran the daily affairs of FECAFOOT for several months. 

The team, among other things, drafted new statutes for the federation in consultation with stakeholders, in compliance with FIFA’s Statutes and standards, reviewed the statutes of the Regional and Divisional leagues.

They also ensured their alignment with the FECAFOOT statutes, identified delegates of the FECAFOOT General Assembly and of Regional and Divisional leagues. 

The media professional and the group ultimately organised the election that culminated in the 2018 election of Seidou Mbombo Njoya, as President of FECAFOOT, an exercise which has since stabilised the hitherto highly-shaky federation. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3839 of Monday July 06, 2026