ForeverMissed
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Her Life

Acknowledgements

July 23, 2016

Special thanks to Dr. Anjorin and his staff at the Hill Crest Group Clinic, Sokolo, Limbe for their devoted care of Aunty Eirene in her final moments. Aunty herself was full of compliments and appreciation as they doted on her when she arrived.

We also wish to thank all those who have volunteered their time and efforts to Aunty Eirene's Homegoing arrangements. We only hope to come as close to Aunty's own high standards as we bid her farewell.

Memories

July 20, 2016

She leaves behind, within God’s all-encompassing arms of comfort grace and mercy, five sisters: Hon. Mrs. Gwendoline Etonde Burnley; Mrs. Grace Mamua Monekosso (Lobe); Dr. Gladys Ejomi Martin; Mrs. Divina Munjonge (Esi) Kweti; Rev. Pamela Mesanga Martin; and one brother: Col. Dr. Samuel Kofele Martin (Ret), (Liengu). She is also survived by her very many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, cousins, in-laws, friends, and her church and school family.



Written with loving care by Rev. Pamela M. Martin

Civic and community life

July 18, 2016

Her impact on the civic, social and cultural fabric of her community, region and nation is limitless and legendary. She had a way of touching people’s lives even without directly dealing with them, for better or for worse. Her father and oldest sister having been in engaged in active politics, she was drawn into the political world by circumstances. Behind the scenes at all the receptions, only those who knew, realized that the gorgeous decorations and the sumptuous spread had the creative genius of Auntie Eirene. From 25 Makangai Street, Limbe to GRA Bota, through the Council Hall receptions; from home family meetings through birthdays and weddings, her touch and art was present; from one-on-one “Auntie show me” sessions to classrooms, church meetings, clubs, women’s groups, etc; her skills were lovingly transferred, far into posterity, by those who would bother to acknowledge it. Her marriage thrust her even further and higher into demands on her skills that would try a trooper! From the splendour of the CDC General Manager’s Residence in Limbe to the Prime Minister’s home in Yaounde; through the highways and byways of national civic and cultural society, her late beloved sister-in-law would display, with pride, the very best of Auntie Eirene’s culinary, decorative and managerial skills--all behind the scenes never in the limelight. And today, we honor one who always served the best of herself on a platter of quiet love and devotion.

The CBM and later CBC could write volumes on her work with the church, the NABC missionaries and other church related activities. Maybe, again she got thrust into church affairs by being the daughter of Pa and Ma Baptist! Her mother having been one of the founders of Kakane - later to blossom into the Baptist Women’s Union, she started off by being a protective companion of her mother to several meetings both national and international. Thus the Tiny Girl who left her parents’ home to far away Nigeria when other kids’  hands were being held to start school, became a world traveller. Starting in CBC primary school, which itself grew out of the school her grandfather established in New Town, Victoria, she faithfully served the mission and convention in Saker, BHS and the churches, especially building up small flailing churches in preference to the established big churches. With her experience in the US and GTC Molyko, she ran seminars and workshops for churches and women’s groups. Her creative gifts were evident in the handicrafts displays that crowned every project. One could pause here and ask for testimonies to the impact of Auntie Ei on each life she touched and we will exhaust every time limit any of you have. Thus besides teaching, she was involved in women’s work in the Church, the Cameroon Baptist Women’s, the 3 H, the Girl Guide Movement, and in spreading adult education in home improvement, cookery and sewing.

She was EMS, Rapid Response, Spiritual Navy Seal, you name it, rolled in one. Auntie Eirene could travel at the drop of a hat! It was as though when Auntie Eirene showed up, you knew EVERYTHING would be all right - spirit, soul and body. Haba, her great grandmother from Garoua would have said.



Written with loving care by Rev. Pamela M. Martin 

Carl Steane

July 18, 2016

After the death of her beloved husband in March 1968, Eirene joined her sister Dr. Gladys Ejomi Martin in Rochester, New York and studied Home Economics at a community college. She then went to the North America Baptist College in Edmonton, Canada where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies and a Diploma in Teaching in 1973. She returned and rejoined CBC on the staff of SBC, BBSS (later BHS) where she served until her retirement. She joined her mother in the Carl Steane Memorial Nursery School, where she worked with her, not only to establish a primary section but simultaneously worked at her own entrepreneurial and creative skills. She fulfilled a dream of hers which was to selflessly provide for others what she could not have herself - a world class secondary education. Thus she later founded and directed the Carl Steane Memorial Secondary School later to become the Kofele Luma Academy, a fully accredited post primary institution that has turned out hundreds of graduates since its inception.


Written with loving care by Rev. Pamela M. Martin  


Marriage

July 18, 2016

In December 1966, she married Mr. Fritz Isoke Mbongo, an accountant (like her grandfather, Samuel Luma Martin) who had worked as Stores Manager for the United Africa Company and was recently returned from studying at the Architectural Institute in Takoradi, Ghana. The couple was very happily married for 15 months which they spent in the staff quarters at Saker# **(godly compassion of the nurse and the perfect homely hospitality of food service.)**#Baptist College. She claimed that the marriage bliss she experienced during those fifteen months, some people never found in a lifetime. If you ever visited their home and were single, you would WANT to get married; if you were married, you “go jealous!” These folks had stacks of dishes and plates but you will find them eating out of one plate; feeding each other! No wonder that she remained a devoted widow and part of the Mbongo family all her life. Glory to God that, against all odds, she is with him now in glory and with peace on earth, her remains will rest beside his in Buea.



Written with loving care by Rev. Pamela M. Martin

Education

July 18, 2016

Eirene finished primary school when secondary education for girls in the then Southern Cameroon was limited the Roman Catholic, St. Francis TTC in Kumba. So she travelled once more to her aunt, Mrs. Priscilla Adewale, nee Steane, to attend the Teacher Training College in Ikeja, Lagos. Here she found herself immersed in Domestic Science and Home Economics, the teaching of which her aunt was Senior Education Officer in charge. The Adewale clan have a whole series worth of Auntie Eirene’s exceptional value to the Cameroon/Nigeria arm of this illustrious family. While in Lagos, she connected with the Martin arm through her aunt, Mrs. Gladys Tombise Sapara, nee Martin, a nurse/midwife (like her mother Katherine Muindo Martin, nee Cooper). It is here she developed her people-service oriented qualities. Upon graduation she was employed at Saker Baptist College.


Written with loving care by Rev. Pamela M. Martin

Aunty Ei

July 18, 2016

Coming from parents both renowned educators, it was no surprise that Eirene grew up to be an excellent teacher in her own right. She was soft-spoken, competent and productive and well loved by her colleagues and students. She taught in Cameroon Baptist Mission Primary School New Town, now CBC, Saker Baptist College Limbe (SBC) of which she was the pioneer House Mother; she briefly taught in Government Girls’ Technical College, Molyko, Buea before rejoining the CBC at BBSS/BHS Soppo Buea. Eirene was creative and a master at multi-tasking; her level of productivity required such energy that many found it hard to keep up with the high standards she set. Her Modus Operandi was ‘hospitality on steroids’! There was no time when anyone visiting her would not find or be offered food and drink, from a modest sandwich to a sumptuous spread. Not even the lack of time or an inconvenience made any difference. You left with a rain-check or a ‘doggie bag of goodies.’

During her early days as House Mother in Saker, she honed her already superior maternal instincts by mothering those kids, especially the ones leaving home for the first time, far from home. Many a first former spent a few teary nights on her bed smothered with her genuine TLC applied to their imaginary illness. Many who could not go home for vacation had a home away from home with her. Did anyone just say generous hospitality on steroids!!

Auntie Ei was the most travelled of all her siblings and most relatives have stories of her visits. This may be due to the fact that she spent her earliest years in Port Harcourt, Nigeria with her aunt, Mrs. Comfort Manga Bell nee Kofele, whose husband, Mr. Manga Bell was a Pharmacist in Port Harcourt at the time. She began school in Port Harcourt and her first language was Ibo! Since she had been told by her parents “Make sure you go everywhere with your aunty,” Eirene dutifully obeyed instructions. She wouldn’t go to school unless her Aunty Comfort sat with her in class. When she returned to Cameroon, she attended the Buea Government School where her mother taught in the Infant section.



Written with loving care by Rev. Pamela M. Martin

Introduction

July 18, 2016

Mrs. Eirene Evenye Mbongo, nee Martin was born prematurely on 9th of April 1937, her mother’s birthday, in Kumba, South West Region of Cameroon. She was the fourth of 10 children born to Hannah Nene Enanga Martin nee Steane, and Ernest Kofele Martin, both of blessed memory. Growing up, Eirene was slim, a tiny girl and ended up being known by her sisters and cousins as Tin’gal, a name she literally outgrew and would accept only from her siblings! Her precious nieces and nephews fondly called her Auntie Lileen. To many she was just Auntie Eirene or Auntie Ei. To her professional colleagues and wellwishers, she was Ma Mbongo.



Written with loving care by Rev. Pamela M. Martin