Thousands Pay Last Homage to Mama Rose Murkwi

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On Saturday April 7, 2018, thousands of people from all walks of attended the funeral service at the Revival Baptist Church Binju in Nkambe, Donga Mantung of the North West Region to pay their last respect to Mama Rose Murkwi. Binju quarter was a beehive of celebrations as it hosted dignitaries from across the country as they all trooped in Binju from the fours of Nkambe town to honour and celebrate the life of one of the earliest committed Christian of the Revival Baptist church Binju, and a choir member (Mother of the famous Chief Executive Officer of the Construction Company BOFAS, Godlove Talla Nji alias Kobo Godlove).

In fact everyone was present from administrators to politicians, clergies, contractors to traders, teachers, lawyers, buy’am sell’am etc.

Among the high profile personalities that attended the funeral service was the Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung Division, Nkwenti Simon Doh, Hon. Awudu Mbaya, Hon. Esther Ngala, H.E Shey Jones Yembe, H.E Ngafeeson Emmanuel, Senator Kombongsi, Njong Eric and hundreds other dignities who were buried in the crowd of mourners. There was also the remarkable presence of the Archbishop of the Kumbo diocese and the landlord himself, the mayor of Nkambe, Ngabir Paul Bantar.  

The mood that saluted Mama Rose funeral service from Christian Wake keep to church service was befitting and worth the celebration. 

Delivering his sermon, Pastor Bombang Valentine said Mama Rose Murkwi served God devotedly while alive from all the testimonies given by people and from his personal relationship with her while alive as her Pastor. He called on the kingdom seekers to be prepared at all times because “there is only one room in hell but many in heaven”.  He charged Christians and mourners to be of good behaviour, describing death as unavoidable circumstance in life but went further to caution that everybody is only praying for long life. “When challenges come don’t shake in faith, we are looking forward to new heaven and earth” he continued.

Pastor Valentine enjoined Christians to work in the way of the Lord if they want to enjoy their lives, as well as, inherit the Kingdom of God added that late Mama Rose Murkwi lived a fulfilled life. “It is better for you to believe in Jesus and die not see him than not to believe to die and discover you are far from seeing him”.

He urged her children to imitate the good virtues of their late mother in all ramifications.

Pastor Valentine after drawing inspiration from 2 Peter 3:12-14 and on the Meditation “Making the best use of the Kingdom people” charged the congregation and by extension Christians to see this world as vanity and ephemeral saying the best that human beings can do is to serve God. “Give time to God the creator” he emphasized.

Enter Godlove Talla Nji

Before presenting his eulogy, the second son of the family Godlove Talla Nji aka Kobbo Godlove used the occasion to present to the public Mr. Njong Eric (Buns) whom he said has been very instrumental to his life. He said Njong Eric is “a father, a friend and a partner in business. If I am what I am today, my parents just gave birth to me and when I went into the world, he held me by my hand”.

He said his mother is no more. It is her flesh that is no more but her spirit is alive. Drawing inspiration from Ecclesiastic 3:4, Godlove Talla Nji said the Bible teaches that “there is time to mourn and there is time to rejoice”.  While welcoming everyone who turned out to bid farewell to their deceased mother, he reminded them that they did not come to mourn but rather they should join them to celebrate. “We are not celebrating Mami but we are celebrating God through Jesus Christ”. He said the best gift he gave his mother before he departure to eternity was the fact that he(Godlove) accepted Christ. “I gave her in less than two years what I could not give her after working for 16 years”. He added that Exodus 20:12 teaches us that “Children honour your parents and your mothers”. This he said that is the only commandment with a promise. “I think it is because of that promise that we are all gathered here today and at the same time Mark 10:15, the Bible says “if you don’t accept the Kingdom of Christ as a child, you cannot enter it”. He recalled how in 2016 God sent one of his servants to him asking him to reconcile with his mother. He was surprised that how can someone tell him to reconcile with the mother when they hadn’t any friction. To cut the story short, Godlove testified that for 16 years she was only giving her mother material things whereas what she needed of him was to accept the kingdom of God.

He said he is satisfied that his mother played her part and did her best according to the will of God saying that her mother taught him and other siblings the way of God. He said he is sure Jesus has given his mother peace. He went further to tell the Biblical story of how Jesus healed a blind man on Sabbath day and to the Pharisees he was a sinner but to the blind man whether it was on Sabbath day or whatever, his joy was that he could see again. Harping on the impact of the person who transformed him, Godlove said whether Esther Ella Ze is a fake prophet or what, the reasons is that she made him to see Jesus and more so to give her mother her most cherished gift which was to believe in God. My mother was a poor woman but she always wanted that the day she will die her burial should be a celebration. “So we are just celebrating her life through Jesus Christ which means that it is a life well spent. Jesus is alive and God is alive”.

In a written eulogy, he writes “ Mama others will mourn you but be rest assured that I will remind them that when someone succeeds in fighting a good fight (2 Timothy 4:7) it calls for celebration not mourning: you were a hardworking farmer who should be the first to enjoy the fruit of her labour (2 Timothy 2:6)

Kup Dance, Nka Abee, Mama Rose’s Best Friend Speak Out

Speaker after speaker described Mami Rose as hardworking family head that lived by her words. To all the speakers, Mama Rose Murkwi was frank, honest and someone who spare no efforts to give a piece of advice whenever need arises. She was a problem solver and one that many always look back as in the community and in various groups as a role model mother. Each and everyone shared their memories of the deceased but the most outstanding central was that Mama Rose was a devoted person and very dynamic woman.

Talking to this reporter after the burial, Hon. Awudu Mbaya described the departed heroine as a role model whose hard work has changed lives. Hon. Esther Ngala on her part said Mama Rose’s story is one that will inspire several generations. “She is a good example of a courageous woman” Hon. Esther Ngala added. To H.E Emmanuel Ngafeeson, Mama Rose lives in the Lord and her trappings will forever be remembered. “Just the crowd here can tell you the role she played in Community development”, Mbunkur Julius says.

What You Need to Know about Mama Rose Murkwi

Born in 1940 in Jirt village, Ndu sub Division, into the family of Fai Nganyinkfu and Ngwaakfu (all of blessed memory), who lived a sedimentary life; Mama Rose Murkwi grew up with her only lone sister assisting her in farm work. In the early 40s, education was a rare commodity and luxury and most parents preferred that their children should accompany them in farming than sending them to far distant areas to learn book.

However, in 1957 her desire to build a home linked her to Elijah Nji Kubo of blessed memory and they both decided to get married after fulfilling all the traditional commitments and other dowry rights.

In 1958, the couple was blessed with their first child who survived only for a few months same like the second, third and when in 1962, she gave birth to her fourth child, Patience; it was the end of the death syndrome. The couple was later blessed with Peter Nfor, Wilson Ndi, Godlove Talla, Ida Boka, George Ngala, Angela She and the Benjamin of the house Emmanuel Ndang. But since it is only God who knows why, Mami Rose lost three of her children who were already adults; Ida, Wilson and Patience. Her trust in God, and devotion to the words of God did make her lost faith in the Almighty. Even when she lost her husband, she became the mother and father of the house.

It is worth mentioning that Mama Rose Murkwi was a very hard working woman who relied solely on farming and petit trading principally the selling of puff puff and other perishables from which she raise money to educate her children, pay hospital bills and even bought a piece of land which is the family residence in which all her children, grand children and great grand children live today.  

Those who lived in Nkambe between 1970 and year 2000 would tell you of her puff puff and how caring she was in customer service as well as her family. George Ngala Nji in his eulogy writes “No matter the hard times, there was never a day we came back home and didn’t find food because your energy and sense of providing was constant”. To Emmanuel Kobo, the Benjamin of the house, his mother was his private lawyer during any family matter. “At the age of 10 years” he writes “  I understood the principles of buyam sellam as you had groomed me since the age of 3 as I spent each day watching you get up at 3 am make puff puff so that we could something to eat and basic education. You were in fact a father in my life while dad played the mother role of being soft and pampering me even when I was wrong. We have grown up to be very enterprising because you thought us the genesis of business management”. Harping on the motherly love, her daughter says “growing up, I learnt building a home no matter the difficulties because that is what you taught me....You showed us the true values and responsibilities of a rave woman in the construction of every successful family”. 

Mama Rose Murkwi it should be emphasized lived and died as a devoted militant of the CPDM. When the wind of change swept over Donga Mantung Division in the early 90s, she was one of the few who remained steadfast in the CPDM. She was a resilient grassroot militant. Besides that she was also a committed Christian of the Cameroon Baptist Church, very active member of the women’s movement of the CBC and choir member of Binju Baptist church.

Socially, it was not for nothing that the leader of the Binju Kup Dance Group was one of those who gave testimony about her life. Mama Rose was to Kup Dance Group like a pillar on which group members lean their shoulders. She was a mobilizer, adviser and above all, one of the four pillars of that group.

Mama would be remembered by many as a veritable community leader, a mixer and one who has left her footprints in the sand of time. She leaves behind five children, son in law, daughters in law, grand and great grand children to mourn after her. She will above all be remembered for her modesty, self sufficiency, outspokenness and reserved life, a veritable woman emancipator and societal role model every woman would like to be like.

Burial in Binka

At about 1:30 pm, after thousands of mourners were treated to sumptuous feeding in different places at Binju, all roads led to Ninkong quarter in Binka. The euphoria was total as several dance groups. There was singing and dancing though the pains could be very visible in the faces of the immediate family members as tears keep running across their faces. No one could have captured such a difficult moment more than Mami Rose’s daughter, Angela Seh who writes “though I am crying, its tears of joy because I know you left behind a happy family and saw your kids reconciled as one like any mother would wish”.

In fact, every living thing in Ninkong felt an extraordinary presence of people around them, this just to testify that a heroine has left to eternity.

y their last respect to Mama Rose Murkwi. Binju quarter was a beehive of celebrations as it hosted dignitaries from across the country as they all trooped in Binju from the fours of Nkambe town to honour and celebrate the life of one of the earliest committed Christian of the Revival Baptist church Binju, and a choir member (Mother of the famous Chief Executive Officer of the Construction Company BOFAS, Godlove Talla Nji alias Kobo Godlove).

In fact everyone was present from administrators to politicians, clergies, contractors to traders, teachers, lawyers, buy’am sell’am etc.

Among the high profile personalities that attended the funeral service was the Senior Divisional Officer for Donga Mantung Division, Nkwenti Simon Doh, Hon. Awudu Mbaya, Hon. Esther Ngala, H.E Shey Jones Yembe, H.E Ngafeeson Emmanuel, Senator Kombongsi, Njong Eric and hundreds other dignities who were buried in the crowd of mourners. There was also the remarkable presence of the Archbishop of the Kumbo diocese and the landlord himself, the mayor of Nkambe, Ngabir Paul Bantar.  

The mood that saluted Mama Rose funeral service from Christian Wake keep to church service was befitting and worth the celebration. 

Delivering his sermon, Pastor Bombang Valentine said Mama Rose Murkwi served God devotedly while alive from all the testimonies given by people and from his personal relationship with her while alive as her Pastor. He called on the kingdom seekers to be prepared at all times because “there is only one room in hell but many in heaven”.  He charged Christians and mourners to be of good behaviour, describing death as unavoidable circumstance in life but went further to caution that everybody is only praying for long life. “When challenges come don’t shake in faith, we are looking forward to new heaven and earth” he continued.

Pastor Valentine enjoined Christians to work in the way of the Lord if they want to enjoy their lives, as well as, inherit the Kingdom of God added that late Mama Rose Murkwi lived a fulfilled life. “It is better for you to believe in Jesus and die not see him than not to believe to die and discover you are far from seeing him”.

He urged her children to imitate the good virtues of their late mother in all ramifications.

Pastor Valentine after drawing inspiration from 2 Peter 3:12-14 and on the Meditation “Making the best use of the Kingdom people” charged the congregation and by extension Christians to see this world as vanity and ephemeral saying the best that human beings can do is to serve God. “Give time to God the creator” he emphasized. 

Enter Godlove Talla Nji

Godlove Talla Nji

Before presenting his eulogy, the second son of the family Godlove Talla Nji aka Kobbo Godlove used the occasion to present to the public Mr. Njong Eric (Buns) whom he said has been very instrumental to his life. He said Njong Eric is “a father, a friend and a partner in business. If I am what I am today, my parents just gave birth to me and when I went into the world, he held me by my hand”.

He said his mother is no more. It is her flesh that is no more but her spirit is alive. Drawing inspiration from Ecclesiastic 3:4, Godlove Talla Nji said the Bible teaches that “there is time to mourn and there is time to rejoice”.  While welcoming everyone who turned out to bid farewell to their deceased mother, he reminded them that they did not come to mourn but rather they should join them to celebrate. “We are not celebrating Mami but we are celebrating God through Jesus Christ”. He said the best gift he gave his mother before he departure to eternity was the fact that he(Godlove) accepted Christ. “I gave her in less than two years what I could not give her after working for 16 years”. He added that Exodus 20:12 teaches us that “Children honour your parents and your mothers”. This he said that is the only commandment with a promise. “I think it is because of that promise that we are all gathered here today and at the same time Mark 10:15, the Bible says “if you don’t accept the Kingdom of Christ as a child, you cannot enter it”. He recalled how in 2016 God sent one of his servants to him asking him to reconcile with his mother. He was surprised that how can someone tell him to reconcile with the mother when they hadn’t any friction. To cut the story short, Godlove testified that for 16 years she was only giving her mother material things whereas what she needed of him was to accept the kingdom of God.

He said he is satisfied that his mother played her part and did her best according to the will of God saying that her mother taught him and other siblings the way of God. He said he is sure Jesus has given his mother peace. He went further to tell the Biblical story of how Jesus healed a blind man on Sabbath day and to the Pharisees he was a sinner but to the blind man whether it was on Sabbath day or whatever, his joy was that he could see again. Harping on the impact of the person who transformed him, Godlove said whether Esther Ella Ze is a fake prophet or what, the reasons is that she made him to see Jesus and more so to give her mother her most cherished gift which was to believe in God. My mother was a poor woman but she always wanted that the day she will die her burial should be a celebration. “So we are just celebrating her life through Jesus Christ which means that it is a life well spent. Jesus is alive and God is alive”.

In a written eulogy, he writes “ Mama others will mourn you but be rest assured that I will remind them that when someone succeeds in fighting a good fight (2 Timothy 4:7) it calls for celebration not mourning: you were a hardworking farmer who should be the first to enjoy the fruit of her labour (2 Timothy 2:6)

Kup Dance, Nka Abee, Mama Rose’s Best Friend Speak Out

Speaker after speaker described Mami Rose as hardworking family head that lived by her words. To all the speakers, Mama Rose Murkwi was frank, honest and someone who spare no efforts to give a piece of advice whenever need arises. She was a problem solver and one that many always look back as in the community and in various groups as a role model mother. Each and everyone shared their memories of the deceased but the most outstanding central was that Mama Rose was a devoted person and very dynamic woman.

Talking to this reporter after the burial, Hon. Awudu Mbaya described the departed heroine as a role model whose hard work has changed lives. Hon. Esther Ngala on her part said Mama Rose’s story is one that will inspire several generations. “She is a good example of a courageous woman” Hon. Esther Ngala added. To H.E Emmanuel Ngafeeson, Mama Rose lives in the Lord and her trappings will forever be remembered. “Just the crowd here can tell you the role she played in Community development”, Mbunkur Julius says.

What You Need to Know about Mama Rose Murkwi

Born in 1940 in Jirt village, Ndu sub Division, into the family of Fai Nganyinkfu and Ngwaakfu (all of blessed memory), who lived a sedimentary life; Mama Rose Murkwi grew up with her only lone sister assisting her in farm work. In the early 40s, education was a rare commodity and luxury and most parents preferred that their children should accompany them in farming than sending them to far distant areas to learn book.

However, in 1957 her desire to build a home linked her to Elijah Nji Kubo of blessed memory and they both decided to get married after fulfilling all the traditional commitments and other dowry rights.

In 1958, the couple was blessed with their first child who survived only for a few months same like the second, third and when in 1962, she gave birth to her fourth child, Patience; it was the end of the death syndrome. The couple was later blessed with Peter Nfor, Wilson Ndi, Godlove Talla, Ida Boka, George Ngala, Angela She and the Benjamin of the house Emmanuel Ndang. But since it is only God who knows why, Mami Rose lost three of her children who were already adults; Ida, Wilson and Patience. Her trust in God, and devotion to the words of God did make her lost faith in the Almighty. Even when she lost her husband, she became the mother and father of the house.

It is worth mentioning that Mama Rose Murkwi was a very hard working woman who relied solely on farming and petit trading principally the selling of puff puff and other perishables from which she raise money to educate her children, pay hospital bills and even bought a piece of land which is the family residence in which all her children, grand children and great grand children live today.  

Those who lived in Nkambe between 1970 and year 2000 would tell you of her puff puff and how caring she was in customer service as well as her family. George Ngala Nji in his eulogy writes “No matter the hard times, there was never a day we came back home and didn’t find food because your energy and sense of providing was constant”. To Emmanuel Kobo, the Benjamin of the house, his mother was his private lawyer during any family matter. “At the age of 10 years” he writes “  I understood the principles of buyam sellam as you had groomed me since the age of 3 as I spent each day watching you get up at 3 am make puff puff so that we could something to eat and basic education. You were in fact a father in my life while dad played the mother role of being soft and pampering me even when I was wrong. We have grown up to be very enterprising because you thought us the genesis of business management”. Harping on the motherly love, her daughter says “growing up, I learnt building a home no matter the difficulties because that is what you taught me....You showed us the true values and responsibilities of a rave woman in the construction of every successful family”. 

Mama Rose Murkwi it should be emphasized lived and died as a devoted militant of the CPDM. When the wind of change swept over Donga Mantung Division in the early 90s, she was one of the few who remained steadfast in the CPDM. She was a resilient grassroot militant. Besides that she was also a committed Christian of the Cameroon Baptist Church, very active member of the women’s movement of the CBC and choir member of Binju Baptist church.

Socially, it was not for nothing that the leader of the Binju Kup Dance Group was one of those who gave testimony about her life. Mama Rose was to Kup Dance Group like a pillar on which group members lean their shoulders. She was a mobilizer, adviser and above all, one of the four pillars of that group.

Mama would be remembered by many as a veritable community leader, a mixer and one who has left her footprints in the sand of time. She leaves behind five children, son in law, daughters in law, grand and great grand children to mourn after her. She will above all be remembered for her modesty, self sufficiency, outspokenness and reserved life, a veritable woman emancipator and societal role model every woman would like to be like.

Burial in Binka

At about 1:30 pm, after thousands of mourners were treated to sumptuous feeding in different places at Binju, all roads led to Ninkong quarter in Binka. The euphoria was total as several dance groups. There was singing and dancing though the pains could be very visible in the faces of the immediate family members as tears keep running across their faces. No one could have captured such a difficult moment more than Mami Rose’s daughter, Angela Seh who writes “though I am crying, its tears of joy because I know you left behind a happy family and saw your kids reconciled as one like any mother would wish”.

In fact, every living thing in Ninkong felt an extraordinary presence of people around them, this just to testify that a heroine has left to eternity.

(Coming up next  PhotoNews of the Burial ceremony )

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