 |
| Hearse transporting the remains of Lydia Ngowo Mbella epse Fru for burial |
By Christopher Ambe
 |
| Late Lydia Ngowo Mbella epse Fru |
Lydia Ngowo Mbella epse
Fru, 66, a retired teacher, died last January 12 at the Buea Regional Hospital
of a cardiac problem.
The mother of four
and grandma of five died 10 years after her beloved husband Fru Moses Ndeh had
given up the ghost on January 9,2010 -and was buried in Santa, Mezam Division
of the Northwest region. They got married in 1982.
Mrs. Fru had lived with her husband in Bamenda
for decades, but only returned to Buea months before her death, because of ill
health.
She was buried at her
parents’ Likoko Membea residence, thanks to an understanding between the Fru
and Mbella families.
Mrs. Fru was a famous deaconess of the Apostolic Church in Cameroon
and her enormous contributions to the spiritual growth of Christians and the
infrastructural development of the church were acknowledged in eulogies at the
requiem, which assembled mourners from far and wide.
The funeral service
was officiated by four Ministers of God viz: Apostle Dr. T.V Ndih, Rev.
Evangelist Eric Fon Fortu, Pastor Penn Hardison and Elder Egbe Michael.
 |
Mourners at the burial and picture of Late Lydia Ngowo Mbella epse Fru
|
Apostle Dr. Ndih, in
his sermon on “Death and Resurrection “, which drew inspiration from the Bible
book of John 11: 9; John 11:25 and John 11: 34, emphatically said death is a faithful servant that must come
to everybody.
The clergyman urged all and sundry to be
prepared for death, which, he said, is a divine verdict passed unto the world
when man sinned. “Everyone is a sinner because of Adam,” he said.
But he advised mourners
not to worry about the way death visits. “We cannot wage a war against death.
Only Jesus Christ conquered death and this is the one to whom Lydia has given
her life” the Apostle said.
He was optimistic
that Late Mrs. Fru would be favored by God. “On resurrection day, she will wake
up,”he predicted. “When it comes to resurrection only believers will wake up.
Death has no power over Lydia.”
The Apostle drew the
attention of mourners to the Bible book of Revelation which talks about second death.
“But cowards, traitors, perverts, murderers,
the immoral, those who worship idols, and all liars-the place for them is the
lake burning with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Consequently, the
Minister of God implored everybody to “give their lives to God early enough.”
In his eulogy,
Senator Charles Mbella Moki said her deceased sister had an extra-ordinary
personality and was not
only a sister to him but acted more like his mother. She was a huge source for
inspiration to many, he added.
Recalling how
instrumental the deceased had been to his upbringing, Senator Mbella Moki sobbed, “My moral fabric has been shattered!”
Other eulogies from
family members, friends, the church and colleagues described late Lydia Ngowo
Mbella as motherly, God-fearing and exemplary in her different activities.
In a published tribute,
Professor. Ndiva kofele Kale, a cousin to the deceased, said “her generosity
was legendary and universally appreciated”.
For his part,
Professor Julius N. Esunge(USA), said, “Her golden voice may now be silent ,but the impact of
her love,kindness,hospitality and generosity
will proceed into many generations unhindered because she did all for
the glory of Christ in whose presence she will dwell for all eternity”
Lydia Ngowo Mbella
epse Fru was born in 1954 to Pa Bernard Mbella Woka and Mama Elizabeth Nalova
Mwambo in Likoko Membea ,Buea,
She was trained as a
Grade II teacher at then Baptist Teachers Training College (BTTC), Soppo-Buea
and later obtained the Teachers’ Grade One Certificate. She was integrated into
the Public Service in the then Ministry of National Education. She taught in primary
schools in Buea, Limbe, Fundong and Bamenda.
Mrs. Fru also
obtained a Diploma in Cookery, qualifying as a kitchen expert.
“Visitors to her home
went back with a lasting impression about her dishes and so did all who
attended ceremonies that had the organizational and gastronomical touch of
[Lydia Ngowo],” remarked her biographer.
She leaves behind her
children, grandchildren, relatives, friends and the Christian Community to
mourn and remember her.
No comments:
Post a Comment