Mama Veronica N Edimo

A Eulogy (Tribute) in Honor of My Late Aunt Ngosut Veronica Edimo

Held in Buea-Cameroon This Day July 19^th, 2013 
  by Muma

 I extend my greetings to you all as I set about this task to recount some of the memorable and cherished moments (17years of my life) I savored with my aunt and mom “Aunty Vero” whose life we are celebrating today. Since her demise on June 17^th 2013, I have come to realize that a son sees his mother in a different context than those of you who were her lifelong friends or professional colleagues. It is even difficult to speak from a distance so far away whereby I will not be able to see her mortal remains for the last time, but however, I will try to present the shared feelings of love, devotion, hard work, mentorship, admiration and discipline she bestowed on me.

Aunty, your generosity with your time to talk to prospective employers on my behalf to offer me a job as a young university graduate, and the invaluable support you provided for me and many others, throughout the years speaks volumes of the type of person you were. Yours was a legacy of love and helping others in need.  As a nurse working in Buea Town, I vividly remember you cautioning me against attending to patients in their homes just for you to end up shouldering the bills of these patients.

You were part of the entourage that saw me off at the Douala airport as I set forth for further studies to the United States. Our last chat echoes more in me now than ever before. You said “Muma Abako with a lot of gratitude, I can now sit back and relax today as I see what you have turned out to be amidst all your craziness; no more earrings, etc. and she continued…” I know for sure that you will make me proud one day”.  These are the same words she said to me when my dad passed away 5 years ago. Aunty Vero, You breathed reassurance into my bones like a mother and for that I say - Thank You!

Aunty Vero, since we received a call of your stroke and associated malaise, your final days were focused on re-designing and re-molding our faith in God and the need to accept and adjust to your new state. Your sense of dignity was never so tested nor so well demonstrated as in the final days and weeks of your life. Even with a body riddled with incapacity you handled yourself with grace and bravery and this gave us a lot of assurance. You interacted with your visitors in a manner that gave us hope. That was the true bravery of this woman we are celebrating her life today “Aunty Vero”.

Finally, as I struggle to imagine myself being able to meet death with even 1/10^th the dignity that I have observed since your death, from messages of condolence filing in from all corners of the globe, I swell with pride to have known, interacted and stayed in your house. Aunty, you were a Great woman; A woman of Courage; A woman of Simplicity; A woman of Wisdom; A woman of Dignity; A woman full of Strength and Resilience; A woman of deep Faith. Perhaps the key to your happiness was your whimsical approach to life. On behalf of the Muma Asongwe Family of Nkwen-Bamenda who I stand to represent as the custodian of their household, may you journey well Aunty, and do well to extend our regards to all the departed members of our respective families who had gone before you. Also may your children, siblings, friends, neighbors and well-wishers have the courage to bear this great loss.

With Thumbs up Ma.

Your ABAKO (as you preferred to call me).

New Mexico Highlands University

Las Vegas, NM