Yakobo was born in the 1880s, at the time of the vita vya kilindi ("Kilindi War"), a conflict between the Kilindi chiefs of the Usambara Mountains and the Bondei. In his short autobiograpy, [2] he wrote that "the old people knowing the war, are saying it was the year 1888." [3]. The name of his birthplace was Mgambo [4], a small village to the southwest of Tanga town, in the land of the Bondei, his father´s people.
Yakobo Ng'ombe alizaliwa miaka ya 1880, wakati ule ilikuwa ni wakati wa "Vita vya Kilindi," ilikuwa ni ugomvi kati ya machifu wa Wakilindi wa Milima ya Usambara na Wabondei. Katika wasifu wake mfupi [2], aliandika kwamba "Wazee wanaojua vita hivyo wanasema vilikuwa mwaka wa 1888." [3] Jina la mahali alipozaliwa ilikuwa ni Mgambo [4], ni kijiji kidogo upande wa kaskazini magharibi mwa Tanga mjini, katika sehemu ya nchi ya Wabondei, kwa watu wa upande wa Baba yake.