In life we must chose to believe and hold on to faith while trusting in God and his decisions and the timing of events in our lives. This weekend a great man will be laid to rest, a man l am proud to call my uncle. A man who was smart and humble. Popularly know in the family as the peace maker and known for his brain power by everyone who came across him in this life. Even with all the smart siblings he had, he was usulabeled the smartest in the family. Uncle Wali as we fondly call him will be missed by the entire community he served and some of the continent medical associations. We have lost a heavy weight in the medical field and a very loving and caring son, husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend and colleague. Rest In Peace Our Angel Until We Meet Again...

I had many teachers when growing up. Professor WaliMuna supported me as a father, a brother, and a teacher. He provided me with hope when I lost the will to hope. He uplifted me when I was down. He reassured me of my strengths when I doubted myself. He consoled me when I was sad. He gave me money when I was broke. And heinterpreted my dreams when nobody else could. This was my relationship with Dr. Wali Muna. The relationship was not only with me but those who got to know him. Mine was exceptional for he cared for me in words and deeds. I am who I say I am because of him and others in my life. He took my calls when teaching or in conferences and never once felt disturbed. He sacrificed for me to be who I say I am. He is gone but if there is life after death as he told me, then we shall be together again in heaven when I too take my last breath on earth.

Professor Wali Muna worked so hard to leave a legacy behind. I am a living example of his. Professor Wali was fascinated about his specialty as he discovered and produced many lifesaving protocols and healthcare management standards. Early on, he was fascinated by computer science for his very first computer project was designed in FORTRAN. The program took students’scores and computed the weighted grade to rank students. This was when very few people knew about Computer Science. He has been fascinated by Computers since then. As a young Computer Scientist who designed and implemented the first EMR in Cameroon, Professor Wali Muna provided me with the medical processes, which I translated into computer logic. We bonded through this symbiosis relationship.

My former hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard University Teaching hospital is staffed with world renown medical doctors. When he visited Boston, it seemed he was coming for a class reunion for many in my hospital knew him. Among  his school mates was The Senior Vice President, Dr. Stanley Lewis. “It is a small world,” Dr. Lewis said. Stanley shared some of their lives as Medical Students with me. He recalled Professor Wali wanting to play American football, which he did very successfully. He noted that Professor Wali wanted to try so many things but for their support and advice he settled his dreams on Medicine. They reconnected frequently in Geneva during conferences on Cardiology.

Professor Wali leaves behind a reach legacy of humanitarian work. We initiated a project called PATH SYSTEM to help the people of Cameroon. As a teacher, he writes to me:

“My Dear Thaddeus,

Excellent work! Before we continue I just want to beg that we do our homework at "home" and learn from past experience. I would strongly suggest that before you make any more contacts and plans we really STOP for a second and meet! We need to get it right this time. We cannotcontinue plan before we pre-plan. I want to suggest that we really plan and hold a large meeting with all who are potentially or remotely interested in this project before we move forward. We need to get everybody (at least those who want to come )  on board when the train is scheduled to move. There are those who delight in criticizing while the game is on or after it is over. Can we agree on a time , place and date of such meeting? Let us develop a working document that can be circulated and developed as an instrument to guide or help us in lobbying. It should also serve as a road map for future generations.......;.at least so we do not keep making the same mistake! I would suggest that you, Dr. Tata, the PCC Health Secretary and the current PATH leadership in Cameroon work on putting such a meeting in place as soon as possible! Today's  technology can permit a wide participation even for those not physically able to be present. It is just a suggestion! Peace!”

I live still in Boston, revisiting his visits in my dreams. He is gone but he works live forever. Thank you, Ni Wali MUNA.

Agwo Thaddeus Tata.

Boston, USA

Many of  Ni  Wali’s visits  to Boston were exciting ones for me and my family. 

Once I  called Ni Wali to find out  what to prepare  for dinner. Ni Wali said something like, “Kate don’t cook. We are going to eat out”. I  loved that of him, as he was understanding and resolving problems proactively. 

When l was emotionally down, he would call and cheer me up.  He was there for me as my therapist, my supporter and healer. I miss him so much. 

It is written that, “the dead are more happier than those who are already alive” - Ecc. 4:2. He is smiling on all of us. 

May his soul Rest In Peace