Prof. Martin Zachary Njeuma

Tribute to Late Uncle Zac, as I called you.

I thank you very much for the all the visits when I was at school in Ghana from 1961-64, accompanied by late Mrs. Susan Mondoa, Mr. Mokoro, Mr. Sona Elonge and many friends of yours. Thanks also for the accordion you bought for me in 1984 from London and many other things. May your soul rest in perfect peace.

From Samuel Nihbe Njee

First grand son of the Njeuma family and two children.  

Adieu Uncle Zac  April 9, 1940-April 28, 2010

I Am Free

Everything that happens in this world happens at the time God  chooses    

(Eccles. 3:1)

He sets the time for life and the time for death

He sets the time for sorrow and the time for joy,

Whatever happens or can happen has already happened before.

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free

I’m following the path God laid  for me

I took his hand when I heard him call;

I turned my back and left It all.

I could not stay another day,

To laugh, to love, to work, to play

Tasks left undone must stay that way;

I found that place at the close of day

If my parting has left a void,

Then fill it with remembered joy,

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss;

Ah yes, these things, I too, will miss.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow;

I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow

My life; been full, I savored much,

Good friends, nephew, nieces, sisters, my wife,

Good times, a loved one’s touch.

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief;

Don’t lengthen It now with undue grief,

Lift up your heart and share with me,

God wanted me now, He’s set me free

Uncle, you can confidently say like St. Paul

In 2^nd Timothy 4:7

 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

And now there is waiting for me, the victory prize of being put right with God,

which the Lord, the Righteous Judge will give me on the resurrection day.”

Parents, Siblings, Uncles, Aunts, Cousins, Nephews and Nieces,

Let us keep the Faith

Our Uncle has gone to a better place,

Free from all mortal constraints.

Dear Uncle Zac,

Thank God for knowing you. Your pleasant disposition to all is echoed by everybody who knew you, even if it was just for a minute. You welcomed everyone in such a way that made one feel at ease with you. Your jokes, wit, friendliness, and above all your ready appreciation of all one’s efforts made doing any little thing attached to you in a special way. It really did not matter where you physically were but you knew exactly where you were otherwise. Our few meetings during your last days at Small Soppo left me with the impression that you knew where you would receive the “best care ever “ I will quote you. You did say Auntie Limunga was giving you the best care ever, she was strict on your diet and on how you took your prescriptions because she was your Limunga, and usually would take care. She is taking care to the very end.  You left no one wondering about what you thought of your girls  -  Auntie Limunga, Bibi and Emby. You were full of praises for them and all of us. You often flattered me about my IT skills, and this brought us even closer.

You loved History, and you were a great historian. Your intellectual works live with us, even though we miss you body and soul. I pray that God grants you rest as we pray that perfect peace be yours.

Joan Ali Wacka

Dear Dorothy, Christine and Embelle,

The news is so very sad. Martin was such an important person for me. As you know, we lived in each other's pockets for six very important months in my youth - 45 years ago - and made a life-long friendship that included you Dorothy, when we first met, and later Joan (you came to our wedding), and then Embelle and Christine. It also included Margot whom we lost 11 years ago now. Pamela, James' wife, also remembers Martin very fondly from Paris in 1965 and sends her condolences too.
The thing about Sango was that whenever we met he made me feel 18 again! He was living his life with all the energy he could muster... and brought positive vibes with him wherever he went. I can still hear his laughter and feel his welcome hug.
Sadly, along with Joan and my living so long outside London, his world wind of a life (and important academic position and research in the Cameroon) meant that we had all too few occasions to pass long moments together. Those we did remain very strong in my memories. Receiving his hardest tennis service and not even seeing it was going so fast. Eating foo-foo for the first time in your rooms in London. Our visit to Buea thirty years ago... Sango knocking a coin Kerry had picked up in the alley by his mother's house out of her hand to avoid the bad luck passing to her from the person who had lost it! Moments and fragments that make up an exceptional life... and of the exceptional people, you, Dorothy, and Embelle and Christine, with whom he shared that life.
Our thoughts are with you all.

Take care and lots of love
Steve, Joan and Kerry

My dearest bro,

Your untimely death has left me completely dejected and perplexed. The news hit me like a thunderbolt when I least expected it. In fact I thought you were on your way to recovery after I spoke with you and Sister Emilia the night before your death. So what now? All I know is that you have left a mighty void that I must resort to fill only with my cherished memories of you. I treasure the memory of your infectious smile and laughter that made common folks gravitate to you with their problems and joyful events alike. I treasure your limitless love for family that within a polygamous set-up such as ours, made no distinction as to how you interacted with your siblings or their offspring. I treasure your generosity that knew no boundaries in fostering education and self-sustenance for family and many others who crossed your path. Above all, I treasure the special bond we shared in spite of our many fights and disagreements. Yes, you were not perfect. What human being is? But in my world, you came quite close to perfection in your humility and simplicity. I thank you immensely for not only being my bro but also for cultivating those qualities of near-perfection, many of which rubbed off on me. My bro, you will forever remain in my heart even as you rest in the arms of the Lord.

Love always,

Your baby sister, Bernadette.