Robert Gang

“We’ve lost a wonderful grandfather and of course things will never quite be the same. However let’s not look at granddads passing as only a tragedy but also a celebration!!! I remember the weekend trips Ma Manyi and Ma Maggie used to plan when we were much younger, to go see the grandparents in Muyuka. I always thought how cool (sorry there’s no better word) it was that the whole of Muyuka seemed to scream, ‘OOWO’ as they passed his front door or saw him! He was just that kind of man, loved by everyone. My dear father, uncles and aunts when we, your children look at you, we can’t help but acknowledge what a terrific job our grandfather did!! So finally, I would like to say even though he has departed from us, he will always be forever in our hearts and mind.”

Roland Fogwen Gang (Grandson)

“His other secret, not worrying about travelling coz he doesn’t….All that packing, moving and worrying, stresses the mind and body… my grandpa is so wise!!!

Wakuna Gang (granddaughter)

Grandfather, you were a very solid and brave man. In all my life, I had never seen you angry. You were so funny and always making us laugh. You will be greatly missed. Your grand daughter

Candy (Granddaughter)

“The Man who was very mischievous and yet the smartest, respected MAN I ever got to know is RIP. Pa Robert Gang you remain the best. We will patent your sweet Guinness Recipe!! Definitely the coke goes first!!!!Grandpa RIP. We, I, love you!! # celebrating your life!!!!!! Ride on soldier of Education!!” Nyam Nchaaaa oh!!! His Royal sweet Guinness lover!! I am celebrating his life!!! I no di cry no die!!

Doreen S, Gang (Granddaughter)

“What a Great man Pa was! We will continue to remember Pa for his great sense of wisdom and fantastic humor and “idioms” will stay in memory lane. Given a choice the family would not live without ”OOWO” due to unconditional love, but God’s time is the best. We loved OOWO but God loved him more. He is in a better and peaceful place. May Pa’s soul rest in peace.”

Ma Patience Tambekong Nee Dohnji

“I know Pa Nyam –Nchah very well when I had to compete with him in Buea and to bath in extreme cold water as he was used to. He once told me: “My son, this keeps me strong and healthy...” and I believe in Pa Nyam-Nchah’s living testimony. His other little secret he passed onto me was his love for Guinness and since then Guinness became my favorite drink learning from Pa Nyam-Nchah that Guinness is medicinal and curative of most stomach troubles. As an In-Law, I miss Pa Nyam-Nchah hugely, and for all the family, Pa will remain a deep personal loss for the time we all know him but God now wants him in his Heavenly Kingdom more than we need him on earth.”

Augustine Tambekong (Son In-Law)

                    
           Everyone knows you really well. I am glad that I got to meet and spend time with you. I just wish that I had spent more time with you. Even though the time that I got to spend with you were brief, you showed me that you were a kind person.
          Sometimes I wish that I was one of those people who knew you really well because from what I heard from people including my dad and uncles, you were a great person.  I will continue to learn about you from those who knew you better.

                                          Love and I will miss you
                                           Kuna Gang
                                                  (granddaughter)

Papa, When I head you had gone ahead, I cried seriously with pain and flashed back at our lives together.

I thought about how when I was a child you used to carry me on your hairy stomach and gave me butterfly kisses when your chin was a little rough.

I thought about how you taught me in class two and handled me with an iron hand – I had to learn whether I wanted to or not.

I thought about how you were so fatherly, caring, loving to us; making sure that there was always food in the house.

I thought about how you used to sweep the compound sparkling clean and taught us how to do the same.

I thought about how when I was just a little stubborn and off hand, you handled those situation with care at the same time with a lot of love; which is why I am who I am today.

I thought about how you used to enjoy life and taught me to enjoy too.

Above all; I thought and realized that your life had a lot of meaning. You had the “will to meaning”

You always refused the “will to power”

You always refused the will to wealth

And you died a very simple man.

 A simple man who was loved by everyone who came across your path.

I never once heard you preached hate against anybody, no matter what some did to you (very few instances).

 I always enjoyed how you welcomed every one into our house, students, little- kids, old and young, poor and rich.

Your life-style was one for every one to emulate, because it was filled with a lot meaning.

   You lived a life that I, your son Sigala Michael Gang, is trying to live too.

I will always miss your beautiful smile, your gentle ways. I will always cry when I enter your empty room.

  BYE BYE MY PAPA- SEE YOU WHEN I COME. 

Sigala Michael Gang( Son)

Eulogies are for the truly dead: in praise of the wicked sickle reaper. I cannot come to pronounce any eulogy over you: cannot sanctify the sickle holder. First you must truly die.

You called me “Uncle”: You boasted that Pa Agoos-your uncle, had returned from World War I with a “Kung fuu” (a box full of medicines).

Mutual support for the big family was your golden grail. You trained us to fetch and to harvest for your old widow friends. Tribe was indifferent then: Bamilekes, Balis; Backwerians. You adopted a Nigerian, Omunna. Nzenkeng, extolled you as papa, just as you had extolled Pa Simon Nguti. You befriended the Bassa, Bilikas and shared many a beer with Papa C.T. Ewonjug, now the lone witness.  You made all our Uncles our fathers, all our cousins our brothers and sisters, our nephews and nieces our sons and daughters.

Older, you became slower to peel yourself from Muyuka to visit. But when you did, you were heartbeat of the party. To the end you instilled in us, the thirst to strive, to endeavour but never to destroy a friend or foe through hate or unwholesome leaf. We learned never to beg for, but rather to earn, happiness or progress. You cleaned our cuts. No cut could resist your forceps. I was troublingly ill. You came to Sasse college and said “It is worms: Give him castor oil!” Arhh!! I hated you that instant but thanked you hence. How we all survived and grew strong on your lean salary remains a miracle of God!

I spent 2012 desiring everyday in vain to visit and talk with you. Now, talk to me!! You cannot truly, totally, finally be dead? Or, if you must be dead, first you must, one last time, before the casket curtain is drawn, whisper love and striving to all your grand children. For us, your brother and your children, I do testify. You did your very, very best to the end. Live on high, as the Lord wills.        

Beng’yela Augustine GANG. (Son)

Nothing takes me down memory lane quite like thinking of my grandfather. Before grandpa moved to eternity, Dingana; my younger brother, who just came in from the USA, and I decided to pay him a visit in Muyuka. We called Uncle Edwin on our way and he informed us that Grandpa was admitted at Mount Mary hospital in Buea. We hurried there and met grandpa full of happiness and so elated to see us especially Dingana whom he had not seen since 2002.

A few days later auntie Maggie and Thierry informed us that Gandpa had been ferried to the Douala General Hospital not far from our home in Bonamoussadi. We headed for the hospital and met Grandpa who chatted with us at length and also proved to be responding to treatment. We planned to pay him a visit on New Year’s Day but the Almighty God decided that Grandpa return to dust from where he was formed.

My Auntie –Maggie called me by 6.30am on January 1, 2013 to say Grandpa was no more.

Grandpa had a generous soul that, I am sure, many of you here can attest to.

He set a shining example of the kind of unconditional love that we all need to emulate. The size of the gathering here is a testimony to how much he was loved. Grandapa! May your gentle soul rest in the bosom of the Lord Where we will meet to part no more.

 Samjella Gwanyalla (grandson).

Back in 1978, I was honored to know and later appreciate a receptive self- disciplined, respectful and humorous father-in-law, papa Gang. Papa you stood out as a ‘Moyo’ through whom I learnt a lot in life and you won the admiration of many who came across you.

Suddenly, at a time people were exchanging best wishes and greetings of the festive season, we learnt of your ill health that late afternoon of 29^th December 2012. But I was certain you would regain your full health before New Year’s day in order for us to sit down and enjoy our “sweet Guinness” like we did last season. But the events that followed were scandalous and incomprehensible as we had to move you from Buea to Douala General Hospital. At your last stop at Douala, I was still sure we were going to, at least, smile at each other at your hospital bedside on New Year’s Day.

When Maggie phoned me around midnight of December 31, 2012 to say your lights were slowly fading away, I was petrified. The cold hands of death had the courage to snatch you from us at the early hours of January 1, 2013. I was in deep shock and disbelief.

Pa, the time we spent together, the impact of your personality in our lives will forever remain green in our hearts. My whole family joins me in thanking God fervently for an excellent father-in-law, grandfather and greatgrandfather and prays for your peaceful rest in God’s bosom forever.

Joe Engeh (Son-in-law)

I can without doubt say you are the best granddad ever. Growing up, you were the only granddad I had and I spent lots of my summer vacation with you. I remember coming over very often from Yaoundé. You will crack lots of jokes and I remember how you will tell us then to either watch the TV and have the lights off or put the lights off and have the TV on. I think this in a way has taught me how to manage my resources.

Granddad you were the kind of person that will show up at every occasion. I remember you visiting me in the hospital in April 2009 when I had a gunshot. You made all my friends laugh and they were surprised to see such a granddad who spoke such fluent English.

I was in Cameroon in June 2012 and I visited you. I thank God for the blessings you gave me then because that was the last I received from you. The jokes you cracked which kept Thierry, Lehna and myself laughing till we got back to Buea are still on my mind. Granddad I was planning a trip to Cameroon this summer to show you your youngest grandchild and for you to bless him like you did to me all the time I visited you in Muyuka while I was in the University of Buea. You emphasized the value of family and always acted as a family man. I learnt lots from you especially facing the realities of life.

On the 24th of December 2012, Thierry sent me a message saying he was driving you, Ma Glory Gang and the kids (Precious, Chris and George) to Kumba to spend the Christmas with my Dad. Soon after I heard you are in hospital and then I called on the 31st of December, 2012 to talk to you and I was told I can’t talk to you because

you were resting. The next day (01/01/2013), by 5:45am UK time, Daddy sends me a text and Thierry calls me to say you just left us. I burst out crying because it sounded too soon and I felt like I just missed the last opportunity to say I love you. I am happy that I was able to get to know you so well and spend so much time with you; not everyone is so lucky. I will cherish all the time we spent together and will always remember everything you taught me. Rest in Perfect Peace Grandfather. I will miss you.
Adieu!!!!!!
Gang Bissona Georgette

Your granddaughter

Though I never met you, I heard about how great you were. You were a kind and friendly man, and in your own way you were a leader that kept the family strong and together.

Though I never met you, from my father and uncles, I see you taught them to be like you and for that I am very grateful.

Though I never met you, I’m sure if you saw how great your sons have raised their families, especially here in America, you would be very proud.

Though I never met you, you will always be in me and my families’ thoughts, words, and actions for you taught them before us and they will pass on your wisdom and kindness.

By: Lema Gang (Granddaughter)

Papa! - You brought me up as a poor devoted Catholic Primary School teacher. Just  like you did to me nine other brothers and sisters. With meager income you succeeded to bring me up amongst many others as a lawyer. The continuous moral lessons you gave me over the past nine years when I was opportune to be close to you, earned me the little success I may count today.

Papa there is no doubt that despite the little or nothing you had as income you placed our education highest on your scale of preferences.

Papa all your Children recognize and acknowledge the fervent belief you had in GOD as your Father almighty and thus are not surprised that though we need you he needs you most.

Papa, I wish you peace, success and quiet in the bosom of the Lord All mighty and pray you be our Divine Advocate in his Kingdom till the day we meet to part no more.

Edwin Gang (Son)

I’m still in shock!

A farewell and hugs for a brief trip I was making in September.

 No Goodbye and advice from you before your journey to heaven.

Papa! Darkness surrounds me but I trust you will shine your touch to brighten my path.

Yours is a constant and pure love.

Rest in peace –you deserve it.

You are the best dad ever.

I will always love and miss you.

Your Confidant

Na Manyi Agnes Gang -Gwanyalla (Daughter)

Ba Gang Robert Pasiga- You fought a good fight and won with excellence. Your leadership skills and life principles have been exemplary to us all. You demonstrated to this entire family and the wider world that from limited or zero human resources it is possible to reach infinite limits that transcend generations.
 I am proud to be one of the family members to have benefited from your unshakable life principles and moral application. May the almighty God grant peace and rest in the kingdom as you begin this spiritual journey.  You will forever remain in our hearts and memory. May your soul rest in perfect peace (RIP).

ADIEU! 

Ba Buma Richard Dohnji.

     

        You were the heart and soul of this family. From very humble beginnings and with very little resources you trained my parents who in turn trained me to be what I am today.

       Thank you for being kind and loving whilst on earth. You would always say we must stick together as a family and help each other in time of need. You wanted peace to reign in the family and I trust in God that your wish will be accomplished. I remember the advice you gave to me when I came to present my fiancé’ to you for the first time.

      Granddad, indeed what you see sitting, children like us standing cannot see. I will always love and remember you. For those we love remain with us, for love itself lives on.

  Cherished memories never fade and yours will stay with me forever until we meet to part no more.

Joyce Dohnji (niece)

       

       I have lived enough years to know you as a granddad with style.  You were energetic and you always smiled, no matter the situation at hand.

       My dad told me many stories of his childhood: how you brought him up and through this I saw a man whom I would love to emulate.

        Grand Pa, I enjoyed the last moments of your life with you. I have it vivid in my mind that on the 23^rd of December 2012, I carried you to Kumba in my car –something you normally will refuse. Yet you accepted this time around. Little did I know that was your loving Adieu to me, at Christmas.

      I slept in the hospital there after with you from the 29^th till that moment you breathed your last at the Douala hospital. I also remember your last words to MA Glory and me, “LET THERE BE PEACE” shortly before you left us. Grandpa, you made me strong as it was the first time I ever witnessed someone pass away. We wrapped your body up and transferred you to the Buea mortuary. Teacher that you have always been, you taught me one last lesson that morning; to face things as they come., to be mature in times of trouble.

Papa, together with my mother and brothers (Ma Gladys, Dob, and Daiga), prepare a place for us on the last day.

          Papa, I miss your company and also miss the chance to offer to you your “Choice”- a mixture of Guinness and coke (Sweet Guinness). I feel God needs you most in his vine yard where you would join the other angels to fetch more souls in the eternal Kingdom. Let his will be done.

SAFE JOUNEY

Gang Thierry (Grandson)

     You are the foundation of this family. You are gone physically but not gone in spirit and from our hearts! Your wise utterances have been my guide line in life and your thoughts were alive. I know you are heaven.

      Thank you for teaching us how to be happy, to share and to understand the benefits of being generous. Thank you for demonstrating to us that simplicity is ultimate sophistication.

      May your soul rest in perfect peace as we live to meet again. We love you but God loves you more!
 

Dinga Julius Dohnji.

   You shook my hand in August 2012 and told me “Ba ti  lum o” (See you next year) I did not know you were only telling me I will only see you again at your funeral .

       Thank you so much for all the good memories. You were the best dad ever. I will keep you in my prayers. Your granddaughters cried a lot when the news came on New Year’s day. You met them only once and magically turned them into your disciples.

       We all will miss you dearly but we know you have gone to a better place. Say hello to all the family members who welcomed you over there and pray for us to continue working for the good of mankind. Till we meet again, I say “Bon Voyage” 

Peter Gang (son)