A Dirge for Dr. Ralph:

A Lamentation of Lamentations.

We, too, heard the voice;

It was distant, clear and persistent:

“Dr. Ralph is no more”…

That day Both Family and Friends

—and Strangers, too—

Woke up in a world without

our ever-present and ever-ready Dr. Ralph:

It’s a different world…

A world in which we are speechless and in shock.

One thing we can and should do is to pray:

Oh, God Almighty, you gave us Dr. Ralph

and you have taken him away from us.

Being in your majestic presence,

We pray that Dr. Ralph should finally rest

in the peace that passes human understanding.

Even as we collectively mourn the passing of Dr. Ralph, we pray that Our Father in Heaven

should console us individually.

Amen!

                  --The Forgwes’ Family

I arrived in Miami in 1997 and was looking for my fellow African brethren, when I was directed to Miami Dade north Campus, where fellow Nigerian played soccer. I met Dr. Luma who gave me Dr. Takeh's contact, for Dr. Takeh was the de facto Cameroonian consul here in Miami. I was engaged and about to be married and I needed my Cameroonian brothers and sisters to join in the celebration.
I gave Dr. Takeh a call and on short notice, he rallied the Cameroonian community to come attend our celebration. That is how I was introduced to this special man who I came to know and admired. 
For the following years Mr. and Mrs Takeh open their homes to Cameroonian meetings, new year celebrations, birthdays and graduation parties. They opened their homes to fellow Cameroonian new to Miami and offered them start-up jobs in their business. As one of the Cameroonian Pioneer here in Miami, he built bridges between us and facilitated the social integration of the new wave of settling brothers and sisters.
He will forever be remembered as the man who stood for causes greater than himself, a man of principle, integrity,  compassion and above all a loving husband and very caring father. May he rest in peace