It is definitely with a heavy heart that I write this tribute to a fallen hero, my darling sister, Helena Lega Tata nee Gwanyama. Ma Helen was born in 1950 and I was born in 1952. Our Late father, James Kanga Mukong Gwanyama loved the name “Helena” so much that he also named me Helena Luma Gwanyama. Ma Helen went to Saker Baptist College in 1964 and I followed in 1965. Before I left Bali, our late father realised that going to the same school with the same initials to our names will create a problem. So he asked me to choose any name I liked. The Ekitis were in Bali at that time and one of their daughter’s name was Patience Ekiti. Oh how I admired her and loved her name. Therefore I quickly told my late father that I’ll like to be called “Patience”. My primary school friends know me as Helena while my Saker friends know me as Patience.      

Ma Helen, in our large family setting, has been more than a sister to me. She grew up with her Grand Aunt, Na Ma Robert Segmia; but we used to just call her “Na-ALO” because invariably “Lobot” was easier said in Bali than “Robert” since her first son was called Robert. I visited her at Na-ALO’s place a lot. From January to December for some six years, Ma Helen was the brain of that family, planning everything from farm work to harvesting and storage, the daily menu and of course going to school. So you all can see where Ma Helen got all her energy and planning skills from. We will eat groundnuts during the groundnut season, roasted corn, plantains, foofoo and njamanjama etc. I never came back from Na-ALO’s place without either guavas, plums, garden eggs, cracked mbanga, berries, garri, pears etc. There was always something in that house for visitors. You never visited Na-ALO in a hurry. If you didn’t have about an hour to spare, you better stayed back. Prayer sessions with her never lasted less than 20 minutes. After that, one had to recite some Bible Verses to her, then promised to be a very good girl. Na-ALO was a very strict, clean, organised and busy woman. It was rare to see her sitting around with nothing to do.No wonder Ma Helen picked up those qualities forever; always busy, strict, honest, well organised, very generous and caring. One also never visited Ma Helen in a hurry. 

Back at Saker Baptist College, she was such a wonderful and caring sister to Ma Alice Yeba and I. We both went to CCAST Bambili together where our bond grew even stronger. After Bambili, Ma Helen married a “Bush Faller” in the person of Ni Thomas Tata. Of course, Ma Helen became a real financial anchor for most of us in the family. If you didn’t get close to her, it was your fault because those of us who did reaped a lot of pocket money and niceties. Transfers and work separated us a lot but whenever we met, Ma was always so full with gifts for me. 

 When she and Ba retired, and lived at their Up Station Residence; the place became so homely and nice. A visit to Ma and Ba started off with dining, wining and then a tour of the freezer, kitchen, or garden for what to take back. I never visited Ma and Ba in a hurry. And I always went back with my car filled with vegetables, corn, germinating bitter-leaves or beans etc. Sometimes, I had to go with her to the farm where she had planted cassava, cocoyams, sweet yams, okro etc. When you went with Ma to the farm and came back, the tiredness was much. Ma had so much energy and it wasn’t easy to match up with her.

Ma Helen also used to fire guns at cry dies in Bali. She also helped to tone down how widows were treated in Bali. In most meetings, she stood with those who were weak hence the name “President of the Popular Side” in our EXSAN meeting.

I am not a very active member in our Fed Fed and EXSAN Groups, so I always relied on her to cover me for any “eventualities”. But see what has happened. Ma Helen, you have dealt with me. I know you are looking at me and laughing because you always told me to try to attend meetings.

I am going to miss all those wonderful times we had together. I am going to miss all the advice when I had to make difficult decisions. I will miss the laughs over my cooking and your savior-fair. I am going to miss all the Achu and your excellent coconut rice. I am going to miss the really ocean fresh roasted fish from Douala or Yde. I am going to miss all the roasted plums and plantains. Somehow you and Ba always had sweet fresh palm wine in the fridge. Who knows what both of you have carried with you to heaven to entertain those already there!!!!! Fair ye well. It is Well. You and Ba Nkom have left an unbeatable record. Go to your Reward and Award. The dream is unending but I am going to dance to your happy tunes only.
             Patience Ndi nee Gwanyama.
Here is what one of my Sons, MR John Buh wrote:::Thanks for sharing this deep feelings of yours expressed in  such simple terms.As I read I saw the real life part of the drama on stage for I used to accompany you in some of those visits to ma Helen.All you have said of her is very true and I saw the relationship that existed amongst you .I personally saw her as  the iron lady of the  Gwanyama family. She gave the tone of most events in the compound and she had the respect and support of  the Gwanyam children. She is one of those who had  a very high attachment to the Gwayama name and worked hard to raise many children in the compound to ensure that the flag of the family remained  floating in  the horizon. She was more than a sister to you and you never failed to send me to get her a small guiness to keep her at ease whenever she visited you. we all love her but God choosed her to be the first to see him. We share in the pain  of her disappearance .Ashaii ma, ashaii.