Birth and Childhood

Delphine Bokeng Ma’a Anjoh was born on 25 Febuary 1974 at Anong in Batibo Sub-Division, Momo Division of the then North West Province of Cameroon. She was the fifth Child of Late Pa Anjoh Isaiah Ehno who died in 1994 and the seventh Child of Mama Anjoh Sarah Mweti nee Mboe Sarah from Kokobuma Bafaw in Konye Sub-Division Meme Division of the South West Region of Cameroon. She grew up with her maternal family in Kokobuma Bafaw but also lived her childhood in several places like Yaounde, Kumba, Wum, Batibo and Mbengwi since her father was a civil Servant in the Cameroon Public Service. As a child she was very full of life, intelligent and hardworking but would never do a thing in a hurry.

Education

She did all her primary education in Kokobuma Bafaw where she obtained her First School Leaving Certificate in 1986 from Government School Kokobuma. From there she moved to Franhacourt Secondray School Mile 1 Kumba where she started Form One. When her father was transferred from Kumba to Wum she accompanied him there and later went with her father to Batibo for Transfer in 1989. By the time she left Wum as a student she was pregnant. But this pregnancy was only discovered by her parents when they had moved with her to Batibo. This pregnancy interrupted her secondary school studies. After giving birth to her ONLY child by name Menyoli Ngessang in 1990 she went back to school in 1991/92 academic year and obtained the G.C.E. Odinary Level Certificate in six subjects from G.H.S. Mbengwi in 1992. She continued High School in G.H.S Mbengwi and obtained her G.C.E. Advanced Level in 1994. From Mbengwi she enrolled in Yaounde University I to study Geography in 1994/95 academic year. She was among the very few English speaking Cameroonian who could dare to study Geography. At that Time it was called “Fire La Geo”. She braved the huddles of the Department and obtained a B.SC. in Geography from Yaounde University I in 2000.

 

Life after University

This was the most challenging part of Dels life. After obtaining a first degree it became very difficult for Delphine to have a job. She wrote and passed the written part of both the entrance examination in to ENAM and ENS Yaounde but for obvious reasons (Lack of Gombo) could not pass the orals. However, like a fighter that she was she decided to try her hand on private business and opened a fashion shop at Chappelle Nsimeyoung from 2001 to 2006. In 2007 she was taken by one of her uncles –Ni Steven of blessed Memory to Samaritan Insurance where she was given an opportunity by the proprietor to do a One Month Training Course as insurance agent in 2007. Between 2007 and 2008 she did probation as Commercial Agent for Samaritan Insurance Inc. Due to her assiduousness she was promoted to the rank of permanent Commercial Agent for Samaritan Insurance Inc. in 2008.  In this capacity she met up with all her targets and even did more. She was then move to the position of Secretary/Cashier for Samaritan Insurance Inc, Bureau Direct de Biyem-assi in 2010 where she served tirelessly still 2012. All this while her monthly earnings did not go beyond 50,000 FRS but she worked like someone earning a million francs a month. From September 2012 to May 2013 she was Secretary/Cashier in one Private school in Yaounde where she was earning 60, 000frs although in her usual style she worked more than what she earn.

          The only time after 13 years of obtaining her first degree that Delphine had a job commensurate to her qualification was in June 2013 with SUD CAMEROON HEVEA S.A. at Meyomessala in the South Region of Cameroon. She was recruited there as Office clerk with more than double pay package of what she had previously been earning. On 8 January 2015 her contract was amended and she was upgraded to “Agent de Bureau” in Sud Cameroon Hevea. In fact this position made her second in Command after her Boss. She was the pivot of activities and controlled 73 percent of the company’s asset. Her Boss mr. Jimmy an Indian had much trust and confidence in her. He said and I Dr Rose Anjoh quoting from my diary notes taken on 10 April 2015 at the head office during our interaction with him that “…we are going to miss her. The whole office of central concession in the south was run by her. She was a fighter and a manager. She knew how to get things done….”  She had even helped to get two other daughters of Anong village to gain employment in the company.

Declaration of her Death

On that faithful Tuesday 7 April at 10:39am my Phone rang. I saw Anjoh Del but the voice was not hers. It was Prudence crying for help and shouting that Delphine has collapsed and is not talking again so we should come and assist her. I got confused because I am too far in Buea to provide any help. So I quickly called Anjoh Mboe in Yaounde and passed on the message. Meanwhile I immediately started praying cancelling and binding the spirit of dead. By the time I finished the prayers I called my Pastor friend and told him. He asked me to pray Psalm 20 and 41 using her pictures. Immediately I put all this together and opened my bible to start praying again my phone rang again and the BREAKING NEWS was released Delphine is dead. Meanwhile in Yaoundé Mboe had already called his wife and Delphine’s son to travel with his driver immediately to Meyomessala. But before they could leave the house the die had been cast and the NEWS on the air was that Delphine Ma’a Anjoh has just PAASED ON.  On the eve of her demise Miss Slyvia a co-worker to Delphine testified that she followed her Communicating on Radio the whole day of Monday. Her voice was sharp and clear not sick. That she was shocked when on Tuesday Delphine called her boss to send the Company car to take her to the hospital that she was not feeling well. She said few minutes later the cook Miss Prudence called on Radio and not up to 10 minutes again the cook called again that Delphine is dead. What a World…. Miss Prudence who was the last person with Delphine recounted that on the morning of 7the April 2015 Delphine asked her to call the company car to take her to the hospital. When the car arrived she walked to the car but on their way to the Chantal Biya Foundation she started feeling restless. Shortly she started changing and then shouted JESUS and that was all. When they got to the hospital the Doctor declared that she wad dead.

Acceptance by the family

It was very hard NEWS to grabble with on that day. Phone calls were made to family members and friends. There was panic, Fear and shock in the family but like David in I Samuel 30 we encouraged one another in the Lord and enquire from God and we were confident that we would pursue, overtake and recover all the enemy has stolen and intends to steel from us. Psalm 91 opens with ‘He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God ; in him will I trust. My family has decided to hide in God and to trust in God in this time of grief.

Delphine Bokeng Ma’a Anjoh we the Akpo-Makia and Mbangwi Families thank God for making you one of us. Our solemn prayer is that God will keep you in his bossom. Adieu Del we love you deeply and we will forever miss you.

Dr Rose Anjoh for both families .