Monkam was born in the village of Bakassa [fr] in the department of Haut-Nkam to Nganou and Leukam Monkam, both peasants. He lost his father at a very young age and lived with his brother, Michel, in Douala.

Monkam founded the Société des Établissements Monkam in the early 1960s. His father-in-law gave him a loan of 300,000 Central African francs so that he could buy his first hotel, "Coin du Plaisir".^[3] In 1972, he founded the hotel chain La Falaise, starting it out in the upscale Douala neighborhood of Bonanjo [fr], where former French colonists still lived. He would also open Douala hotels in Akwa [fr] and Bonapriso [fr], as well as in Bafang and Yaoundé. He opened other locations in South Africa, including twin towers bearing his name and three hotels in Pretoria.^[4]

Aside from his business life, Monkam was polygamous, with five wives: Jeanne, Jacqueline, Jeannette, Dorothée and Chantal. He fathered sixteen children, including Paris and London Bar member Alain-Christian Monkam.^[5]

In 2019, President of Cameroon Paul Biya awarded Monkam a Grand Cordon of the Order of Valour.

In 2021, Monkam was taken to South Africa as part of a medical evacuation and placed on a ventilator.^[6] On 18 February, rumors of his death were circulated across Cameroon by numerous media outlets.^[7] However, hours later, these rumors were debunked by his son, Alain-Christian and by Cameroon Radio Television.^[8]

Pascal Monkam died on 27 February 2021 in South Africa at the age of 90.^[9]

Biography

References