Mrs. Lydia Nyake Fonmboh, fondly called Lydia by her friends and "Ma Nyake" by close relatives, was buried Saturday, March 29, in New Town Municipal Cemetery, Limbe.

Lydia died Wednesday, February 27 at Mount Mary Hospital, Buea, after battling with diabetes and high blood pressure for more than a decade. At the funeral service at Presbyterian Church, Down Beach, Limbe, Rev. Kang Alobwede, in his sermon, invited Christians, mourners to seek refuge in the Lord God all the times of their lives.

From Psalm 73, the pastor read; "Lord, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel; and afterwards. You will receive me to glory. Who have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing upon earth that I desire beside you. My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever, for me, it is good to be near God."

According to Alobwede "The foundation of the human personality will always keep shaking, but we must have hope in God; must have love for one another as a family and should always bestow our trust in God," he said.

The pastor prayed to God to grant "Ma Nyake" a safe return, untroubled rest in the world beyond and comfort to those left to mourn her, especially her children that she showed love to, by providing them with an updated educational background and good moral upbringing.

Eulogies

"Ma Nyake" meant many things to different people in and out of her family. Her elder brother cum father, Pa Masango Edi-Mesumbe saw in her "a pillar of strength." Dr. Paul Enongene Ngang found in the late woman; humility, kindness, enterprise and bravery.

Her first daughter, Mrs. Raheal Fonmboh Ndi Chia, who fondly, used to call the mother "Nyakis" or "Nyaks" described her as "Nyake, The Fighter." Mrs Ndi Chia commented; "You were a fighter, fighting your way through the hurdles of life, including sickness that eventually led to your passing on."

Epote Fonmboh in her poem; "Sleep On," dedicated to the mum scribbled these words in the third stanza; "sleep on, sleep on for hard work is over no more left undone."Lisette Fonmboh said her mother's life has been her greatest teacher while Shetou Dohnyem found in "Ma Nyake" GRACE IN ACTION.

Mrs Grace Fonmboh Kulu wrote "Mother was a "Great Man." She will quickly add; "I'll always remember you as the mother no mother has ever been, because, you were available, not only to your children whom you always described as the reason why you lived, but you were also a mother to my friends, your brothers, sisters, cousins, neighbours and more."

Charly Ndi Chia, son-in-law to the deceased looked at her transition as "When Death Is Meaningful!" To Ndi Chia, Nyake Fonmboh was not only a mum, a friend but a socialite. "You were a woman of intense courage, profound energy and dogged determination," he noted.

Polycarp Chia, brother-in-law, will find it difficult to forget "Ma Nyake" who "Stayed Tuned," despite the odds" while another son-in-law, Daniel Kulu wrote; "You were a great woman."

Bio-data

Mrs Lydia Nyake Fonmboh was born December 8 1945. She did her primary education at Presbyterian School, Mwebah Nninong, Kupe-Muanengouba Division, Southwest Province, where she obtained the First School Leaving Certificate. In 1961, she would get married to John Gutmia Fonmboh (late), with whom they had seven children.

In 1967, the Fonmbohs would fly to England, where the husband pursued studies in Economics at the London School of Economics, while she enrolled into the Paris Institute De Haute Couture, to study fashion designing & dress making.

1970 was home-coming. While Mr. Fonmboh got a job with CDC as Administrative Assistant, Mrs. Fonmboh went in for a joint venture with Mrs. Cres Kilo in dress making and fashion designing in Limbe, where they were settled. Subsequently, she would quit the venture and go solo, opening her own shops in Ekona and Limbe.

This was the base of a private business venture that would blossom and be diversified into road transportation, contract works, sales of drinks and real estate.Rooted deep in business, Mrs. Fonmboh's Christian roots and altruistic nature would not be perturbed. She was an ardent Christian of the Presbyterian Church, Down Beach Congregation, Christian Women Fellowship and other social and philanthropic associations.

Concerned with the betterment of her community, she militated with the CPDM and was one time elected a councillor to the Limbe Urban Council and a ward president. In the early 90s, she was diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure. From then on, her health began to degenerate, which culminated in her death on February 27.

"Ma Nyake" leaves behind six children, five grandchildren, a great-grand child, her mother, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters and sons-in-law and friends to mourn her.