Emmanuel Beri aka Mabuh
Belgium
Dear Petite sis Quin!
It is unbelievable to know you have returned to the dust we were all made of at your young and vibrating age. What a loss! The cruel death which no one could see coming! I wish I had the eyes and strength to protect you from it. Words seem so feeble in moments like these, when everyone’s head is low, hoping to see you appear and to say it was a lie. Life is so precious, and death is such a thief
I wish I could hear your voice one more time, but I now realise how impossible that can be. I know you can feel my tears as we expect the impossible. My heart is so broken and I can not understand why someone so precious, intelligent, soft spoken, kind hearted, jovial and funny could disappear in to the Heavenly Kingdom so soon.
Our last chat on the 15th of January 2021 was such an interesting and memorable one. You gave me assignments to take care of the 2 children. You asked me to be their ‘father’ when the moment comes. ‘Mabuh’ or Beri as you fondly called me ‘if you disgrace me eh, me and you go get wahala’ . I promised not to forsake them and I promised not to have any wahala with you, as I assured you everything will be fine.
Quin, you have forsaken me, your ‘Mabuh’ your Beri!! I try to seek for some respite by telling myself that you just travelled and will be back, yet reality hits my ribs that you are no more. My heart jerks when I think of the good and ‘brotherly’ family moments we shared in Bamenda right down to Yaounde.
I travelled from thousands of miles away, swinging on an OKADA in the potholed and dusty ways leading to your hibernating place, just to have a glimpse of you. It was my very first experience setting eyes on those moulded, old and barricaded 10m walls. My thirst and zeal to see you surpassed any huddles I had to go through with a foreign passport to see you! And yet, I found my way in and was warmly received by the guards, yet their suspicious stares pricked my body as if I was on thorns of roses. When you stepped through that giant door manned by some men In green, you grabbed me with so much love and the ferocity of having missed a dear one could be felt in your huge arms that engulfed me. I then realised how small I was, as I struggled to have a glimpse of your face and that smile I had missed.
We chatted about stories of then and now for more than an hour and your time to get back in was announced; I shed a drop of tear in saying good by, but you smiled with your own tear of having seen your ‘Mabuh’.
Little did I know that would be our last meeting in person!
Your death was a shame. It brought us shame and those who took you away had no shame!
Rest well my ‘big small sis’ Quin! May the heavenly angels sing their beautiful songs and ornament your entry into the Kingdom with joy until we meet again!