Shifting
A gripping memoir of a nation’s birth

Sudden death of our son Jeffery Nathan

DANIEL KUMBON

Jeffery Nathan

WABAG – Samuel Opop was studying Surveying and I Communications Engineering at the University of Technology in 1976.

The late Jeffery Nathan followed in our footsteps and completed that which we, his fathers, never did.

I spent three years at Unitech, did not finish and later attended UPNG to do journalism while in the employee of the Enga Provincial Government.

I became a journalist and author. Samuel became a pastor.

We are from the Nauk hausman of the Kondo Taunde major clan of the Aimbarep Pumbuti tribe.

Samuel is now in Port Moresby to bring home Jeffery’s body for burial.

Jeffery Nathan is our son. He attended Unitech much later to do Civil Engineering.

Unlike us, he graduated with flying colours.

We have seen him advance, earning himself a Masters degree and then moving on to senior positions with major companies in the private sector and later joining the Department of Works and Highways.

He died in his office while the country was glued to television sets watching the State of Origin rugby league match.

When Jeffery's parents, Bessi and Nathan seperated, he was looked after by a kind Christian family from Nyungu village in Laiagam, who treated him as one of their own children.

His sudden death has left all of us in shock, a grief which is hard to describe.

I admired my son Jeffery. He was the only person with a Master's degree in my Nauk hausman.

And the only person who held a senior position at national level.

My only hope now is in Jeffery's three children. I am glad, he prioritised education for them.

Trevor, the eldest boy, has come to his dad's funeral from a top school in Australia.

I know Trevor's mum will ensure he completes his education and the education of his two siblings.

Comments

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Alice Nathan

Correction: Thank you Mr Kumbon and Keith Jackson for the updates.

Just a little addition: Jeffrey Nathan is a Mechanical Engineer (Director, PTB Works Department, NCD) NOT Civil Engineer - a field completely different from civil engineering.

His son Trevor is studying to be a Civil Engineer in Australia.

Lindsay F Bond

Thank you, Daniel, for us to be sharing in the life of Nathan.
My two sons born at Katereda, Oro Bay, are of early 1970s.

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