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| Mr Yong Francis on a receptive mode |
Interpersonal relation has proven to be an indispensable asset in every successful business endeavor especially like education, sports and media whose success depends on a wide range of individuals cutting across generations. Being a man from humble beginnings Mr. Yong Francis did not limit his relationship to his employees nor his type. He understood that there are still many others wallowing in poverty where he was nearly half a century ago. With a clear cut understanding of the relationship between education and success, Mr. Yong Francis established a perfect universal relationship with everyone including the have and have not’s through an avalanche of schools. Even though he placed at the head of these institutions professionals for efficient management, Mr. Yong Francis build a firm fatherly relationship with his students. Throughout the year almost on daily basis stories of Mr. Yong paying fee for students especially for the underprivileged are told. Appealing for the readmission of dismissed students to his administrators following pleas from the family and the payment of tuition fee in kind constitute some of the ways he paved his way into the hearts of students and parents.
As if to say he was not satisfied with his outreach he got into sports particularly football a team sport whose mastery does not depend on your academic qualifications. Through this Mr. Yong started a new family as the problem of players including family problems became his. Players in the likes of Kongnyuy Jude have been quick to describe the dead of Mr. Yong as the dead of a father. To Kongnyuy, he has found it difficult playing away from Yong Sport Academy based on the fatherly relationship which went beyond a professional one with Pa Yong as he called him. At the Bamenda municipal stadium Mr. Yong Francis interacted with everyone just like one who could not easily be related to multimillions.
A personality of his caliber could freely without any cause for regret relate with state officials, business people and other high standing personalities to keep his business without looking at the commoners what so ever yet he did not. To many of his employees Pa Yong as they will prefer to call him will slow down, wine his glass to greet you even during his very busy movement.
The stories of indefinite suspensions and dismissals then readmission or re-employment are many. One interviewee responded to me saying that Pa Yong dismissed him twice by implication he was employed twice even when it had to do with financial misappropriation.
At the entrance into the Bamenda municipal stadium Mr. Yong Francis is a draf game player not because he could not invite his play mates to his house but his confort with everyone in Bamenda did not stop him from going to the stadium gate every time he felt like practicing the arts. He regularly took time off not only to relax but to share some moments with his age group, crack jokes and relate with everyone. An insider told me that that Pa will even forget to take his drugs because he was playing draf and charting with friends at the entrance into the stadium.
The numbers of groups that gave him membership and leadership or made him patron or adviser are countless.
His generosity demonstrated through an indiscriminate style of giving gave him a smooth relationship with everyone. Politicians, churches, underprivileged, war and disaster torn communities like Mbessa and others can attest.
Almost everyone knew that Pa Yong Loved football passionately and thus a lost for the team made him very sad. Being a man of the people all knew when Mr. Yong was happy or unhappy. What better way can explain his likeness for people other than the way the news of his dead spread. The rumour or the news of his dead spread like wild fire not because anyone wished him dead but simply because anyone who heard in disbelieve wanted to confirm if it was true.
In his home village of Ayajua his departure reminds many of his love for people through developmental endeavors.
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The dead of Mr. Yong saddens everyone. No one is indifferent. Truly he was a man of the people.