Isaac Njeuma

ISAAC NJEUMA HEGNGI.... Nov.4,1962- March 5, 2017.
" Gone too soon!"
Wow, it's kind of surreal, that I'm writing about my cousin, Isaac Njeuma. I am still in shock and possibly denial, like most of the family, since the tragic event and news on March 5, 2017.
I had the singular and distinct privilege to live and grow with Isaac, at the home of our maternal grandmother "Mbamba" Sophie Mondinde Njeuma,in the boisterous/rambunctious "Stranger's/Babute quarters".
I recall the fun, the fist fights, drawing water from the public faucets( " ( pump,water points),hewing wood from the slopes of Mt.Fako,the football/soccer games in the community,the adventures and escapades harvesting guava (from the Upper farms),jack fruit, "bioma", "Wrekeku", tondo etc); brewing and sampling "kwacha, corn beer and some afofo...
The excitement seems so recent.I recall the firm love- centered foundation Mbamba provided for us to survive and thrive. You grew up to be a fine person,cousin, father ,uncle to many.
And today,we mourn you,and simultaneously celebrate your life! What can I say to the family to lessen the pain and loss of your apparently tragic demise?
I read of a man who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on his funeral program, and would be tombstone. For you, it's 1962 - 2017!
He noticed that, first came the date of birth, a dash, followed by the date of death. with tears in his eyes, he said what mattered most was the dash between those years. For that dash represents all the time that you lived on earth. And now only those whom you loved know what that little life was worth. Here we pause to recall Isaac's children, Livita and Embelle; his mother Ma Rose Hegngi, his siblings and rest of family and friends. May God grant us strength and courage to bear this great loss.
- For it matters not how much we own (cars, homes, etc. ). What matters is how we live, love and spend our "dash" as attested by the numerous tributes, eulogies today.
To the perpetrators of this heinous crime, and the source of our sorrows, I ask "O death,where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"  May God in His infinite wisdom, compassion, mercy give us Grace to navigate through this painful chapter.
May this be a source of greater family unity and new dynamics.
Mbap_fac

Uncle I still can't believe this I am in shock . through my whole entire life you've been just around the corner or down the street. But now you're no more but you're just a memory a great memory at that . I will never forget when I was in Cameroon and I would go out with my friends and grandma would yell then you would say "e mami use to pass through window atleast e di go and cam back through door "! what hurts this most is how much u cared about Embe and Livita when you heard I was living in maryland you made sure I called and visited Embe. You were so funny and full of life March 5th will forever be a sad day for me and whosoever did this to you i will continue to pray for them because they took my uncle away !!!! Bye bye uncle gone but never ever will you be forgotten and I promise to look over Embe and Livita because I know that was your main focus.

The news of your sudden, abrupt and despicable death sent cold shrills down my shoulder! That infamous 5th March, a day I'll always remember though in a sad way! I can't really fathom what could've happened, especially as you weren't I'll or involved in an accident. That you were brutally taken out of this world by unknown hoodlums still beats my imagination! Who could you have wronged? What could you have done to merit this sadistic, macabre, and sordid end? I can keep on asking questions, but obviously will not have answers! You were a peaceful, gentle and sociable person who mixed freely with your pals at random. Our friendship dates as far back as in our college days when you always gave me reason to believe that you were a gentleman of great class! Your departure to the US temporarily separated us but when you finally decided to come back and settle in Cameroon we often met and cracked our usual jokes with plans for a future reunion when I'll be back in the Southwest, precisely in Buea to live my last days. The last time we shared a meal in a restaurant in Yaounde you were bustling with life and had lofty plans for your business. Little did I know that this was our last meeting on earth! I've shared excellent friendship with you; camaraderie, brotherliness, and above all, a special relationship that spans the length of your life! I hate to talk about you in the past, but the present circumstances make me to do just that. I'm in tears as I write this eulogy, completely shattered, dismayed and emasculated. You gave me all the reasons to believe in true friendship that knows no bounds and brotherhood in the real sense of the word. I'm flabbergasted, devastated, and and completely depraved by your departure without saying good bye! I know how it feels for a family to lose such an illustrious son like you! Your aged mum, your lovely children, your entire family and friends, the Njeuma and Hegngi families, in fact, your numerous acquaintances, all will miss your constant smiles, your sociability all nd debonair attitude. But I've faith in one thing; that God's will can't lead us to where His grace will not cover us! We shall weep, we shall mourn, we shall groan, and we shall gloat on your leaving us, but we remain confident that the good Lord knows why all happened, and will prepare a place for you in His celestial Kingdom until we meet to part no more! Go in peace, adieu, good bye, aurevoir, I hate to bid you this farewell, but reality is staring me in the face! May His grace embalm you, may His blessings be with you, may His angels accompany your every step, and lead you into eternal glory, in Jesus's mighty name, I pray, Amen!

Dr. Samuel-Martin ENOH BESONG,
Yaounde, Cameroon.

Isaac Njeuma, a.k.a kisskolo, has been a friend for over forty years, since primary school in Buea town. I am still in shock, and words cannot describe the deep sadness in me. Many of us wait until a friend has died to tell the world what a wonderful person they were, and I am as guilty of this as the next person. I want to thank you Isaac, my dear friend, for all the things you did for me. You put yourself in uncomfortable situations so I could be happy. I want to thank you for all the jokes and encouragement over the years. Thank you for standing by me when I was going through difficult situations. Thank you for flying from Atlanta to Maryland to be by my side when my younger brother passed. Thank you for the videos you shared with me about your life in Cameroon. Thank you for making me the godfather of your beautiful daughter. Thank you for sharing your difficult moments with me. Looking back on life, some of the best memories were the simple moments I spent with you. I miss you, and I will never forget you.

Rudolf Dibonge 

Njeuma!!! I cannot believe you're gone!! You were my favorite big bro. I will never forget our days in your apartment at 7333 New Hampshire avenue. And most recently our good times in Douala. You showed me so much around town. I'll never forget our days and times of eating achu or fufu and eru or your favorite puff puff and beans. You always made me laugh. Weh-eh my best big bro. Your passing is untimely, unreal and most definitely unfair!! God knows best.