Born to the TAKU CHIABI family on the thirtieth day of May in the year nineteen thirty five, Mama Mary Bihnguoh-Futsi MBENG grew to become one of the kom girls, who would be chosen to attract women into schools in Kom, the Baptist mission schools in particular. She grew up a mission girl, and eventually attracted and fell in love with the man she leaves behind to bury and mourn her. Her husband, Johnson Mbanginu Mbeng, hailed from the Basel mission church, now known as Presbyterian, joined her in the Baptist church, where they have worshipped till date.
Mama had just been transferred from the Ndu field to the Belo field, after the sudden deaths of her sisters, Susanna Kuoh-Futsi Akpey nee CHIABI and Frida Fulai-Futsi Ndi nee Chiabi. Thus she had four children, Yuin, Abla, Tuh, and Foinbujof when she married her husband in 1952 at the Belo Baptist church. She went on to carry more pregnancies, giving birth to Malai/Sam, Kafain, Victoria, Joy, Paul, Angeline, Irene, and Gilbert. She continued growth amidst her CHIABI siblings, Mami Nakoma, Solomon Kuobu, Joseph Yuh, Clement Sunde, Esther Mbuh, Emmanuel Mucho, Henry Ndichia, James Jam, Emmanuel Nges, Wain Nkeni, Simon Kuobu, Mami Mbongha, and Joe Bangsi. On the BIHNGUOH clan, she had Mami Maih, Mami Fuam, Mami Yulia, Mami Mbuh, Fangyen , Mein, Rebecca Neng, Thadeus Jam, Na Nyinghee, Stephen Ngong, Clement Ndokuoh, Helimina Muso, Andelli; amazing how I still remember all these names without calling to consult and confirm. Many many names are still pending though.
Mama started her teaching career as a C teacher in the Ndu Baptist schools system. She was then transferred to the Soppo field, then Belo field in 1959 when her husband left her for studies in the United Kingdom/ Scotland. When he returned in 1962, they moved to the Bamenda field, where she spent a majority of her teaching years with the Cameroon Baptist Mission School, Nkwen, with a brief interlude in Batibo to receive further training. In the late 80’s she joined her husband in JMBC Ndu and taught in CBC school Ndu. When her husband went to open the Baptist Teacher’s College in Bamunka, Ndop, she was there and taught at the CBC school, Ndop until she retired.
Mama has died a Grade One teacher and has taught thousands of children in elementary schools all over NWR. She also carried lots of roles in the Baptist Mission and Convention, and the BIBLE has always been her first book. Her grand children all have assigned bible verses to attest to her religious mentoring, and Malai, Kafain, Victorine, and Joy were compelled to recite the Beatitudes at breakfast everyday in Nkwen Baptist mission where they grew and schooled.
The interesting thing to remark about Ma Mbeng by Kuoh Yuin, Chia Nyangha, Sone, Dorothy, Achu, Naah,Abongwa, Elmer, Dan, Williet, Kuoh Malai, Karl, Emmanuella, Randy,Ndzi Abla,Ernest,Sam,Glory Kuoh Foinbu, Akpey, Chiabi,Fulai, Joe, Martha Futsi, Gladys Ndokuoh, Mildred Futsi, kafain Jr, Taku , Johnson Mbeng Jr, Evan, and Victoria; amazing again how I remember names off the top of my head, is her sense of humor. From stories that I hear these kids tell, and from stories of my personal experiences with her, she’d crack you up even when there is nothing to be excited about, which I believe is why she will be greatly missed by so many people including her husband of sixty plus years.
