Ma Musoko, legendary teacher, celebrates 91st birthday

Ma Catherine Ebie Lyonga Musoko is a household name across the Southwest Region and within the circles of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, PCC and the Cameroon Baptist Convention, CBC.

Ma Musoko spent 45 of her 91 years teaching with the CBC. Some of her students of Baptist High School, Buea, have fun memories of her.

Before that, it was the Baptist Teachers Training College, BTTC, where Mrs. Catherine Musoko was appointed the first black and first female headteacher.

Motivated by her rich career in the area of education, the plethora of social actions she has carried out, her tenacious political life and the many people whose lives she has impacted; the five out of six biological children (one deceased) of Ma Musoko and those she sponsored and brought up in one way or the other came together, Sunday, January 3, 2016, at the Presbyterian Church, Buea Station, to do a religious thanksgiving for her.

The thanksgiving service was crowned with a birthday party organized at the esplanade of the Buea Council.

In his sermon, Moderator Emeritus The Very Reverend Nyansako-Ni-Nku, saw in Ma Musoko a very courageous woman, principled, hardworking, kind, honest and community-oriented person.

Nyansako-Ni-Nku entreated the children of Ma Musoko and all those who know her to follow her example, noting that she is a monument in the Cameroonian society.

Ma Musoko fondly called Catha received lots of blessings and appreciation from her parents, for being obedient and taking good care of them during their old age. The fine quality of Ma Musoko was aptly captured by one of his children; “If we don’t follow her instructions, it would not be for want of education but stubborn hearts.”

Many times elder and lay preacher in the PCC; from Great Soppo to Down Beach Victoria (today Limbe) back to Buea Station, Ma Musoko was known for her lovely sermons, spiced with anecdotes and stories. In 1983 she was privileged to represent the PCC at the World Council of Churches in Toronto, Canada, and in several other occasions across the nation and abroad.

From her humble beginnings in Nyasoso, till she was appointed first black headmistress of the prestigious and pioneer Girls’ School, Victoria, Ma Musoko’s main aim was empowering the girl child through education, at a time in the 40s and 50s, where girls in Cameroon were destined for wives, dowries, making children and keeping husbands.

Many Cameroonian women; magistrates, teachers, and other professionals owe their success to Ma Musoko’s diligence. She worked her way up in between having children and going back to school in the UK and university in the USA.

Even though most of her friends have gone ahead, she lives with beautiful and loving memories, especially Alice Torimiro, Priscile Athenée Modi Din, Mrs. Ngende, Esther Ntuba, Julie Cocobassey, Prudence Chilla, Dorothy Atabong amongst others and she continues to pray for those who are still alive like Monya Dorcas Martin and Muto Luma.

Always interested in politics, Ma Musoko believed like Plato that one of the penalties for refusing to participate is that you end up being governed by your inferiors.

Ma Musoko held the prestigious post of CPDM Section President for Fako where she did, singlehandedly, the work that is today done by four people in Buea, Limbe, Muyuka and Tiko.

To Ma Musoko, it is not over till it is over. So, everyday, wake up, get up and look up! There is a great God watching over you.

While celebrating the life of Ma Catherine Musoko, it was also a moment for the children, the family and friends to remember in a special way the passing away of their daughter, sister and friend, Dr. Olive Mbango Musoko, who slept in the Lord some 11 years ago.