Have additional information to contribute?  Celebrating  TWO  Remarkable Milestones in Saker Baptist College's Musical History & Legacy.

​ALL 15 SONGS FROM THEIR OUTSTANDING MUSIC ALBUM ARE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE FURTHER DOWN ON THIS PAGE, ALONG WITH THE ARTICLE THAT TELLS THEIR REMARKABLE STORY! - SE BWAM YENO - YA BE PETE PENYA - SHOW A LITTLE BIT OF LOVE & KINDNESS - I AM NOT SKILLED TO UNDERSTAND ...

< 1969 1981 >

THE CAMEROON COLLEGE SINGERS (1969)

ALL 19 SONGS ON THE CAMEROON COLLEGE SINGERS' "SONGS OF FAITH ALBUM ARE AVAILABLE  INDIVIDUALLY  ON THE  MUSIC  PAGE OF THIS WEBSITE

Cameroon College Singers'  Photo & Documents Album  (Click on image to view Album. FULL SCREEN VIEW PREFERABLE!) Click on PLAY button to enjoy the complete "SONGS OF FAITH" Album posted on YOUTUBE by  Mr. GERVASE NDOKO (aka TheBueaBoy)

Click on ICONS above to read the Full Official Report of the Tour prepared for The North American Baptist General Conference.  Please Click on Icons above to view pages of Tour Pamphlet with Lists of Songs, Tour Members and their Bios ​SO, WHO WENT ON THE TOUR? WHAT PART DID THEY SING? WHAT WERE THEIR EXPERIENCES? WHERE ARE THEY NOW? DON'T KNOW? NOT SURE? WELL, FIND OUT ...!!!

1 ) NWIGWE Stella :  - Part:  TENOR - Solo:  O MASTER, LET ME WALK WITH THEE

- School of Origin:  S.B.C. VICTORIA (LIMBE) UPDATE:  Now Dr. Mrs. ANYANGWE; Retired from WHO, resident in Pretoria, South Africa. 

2) NDOKO JULIANNA: - Part:  SOPRANO  - School of Origin:  S.B.C. VICTORIA (LIMBE) UPDATE:  DECEASED. Was Mrs. Gobina.  Died in January of 1987, in an airplane crash en route to Brazil. (R.I.P.)

3) HADDISON DAISY : - Part:  ALTO - School of Origin:  S.B.C. VICTORIA (LIMBE) UPDATE:  Now Mrs. ETYA'ALE; Lives in Cape Town, South Africa.

4) SHIRO, SINATA :  - Part:  ALTO - School of Origin:  S.B.C. VICTORIA (LIMBE) UPDATE:  Now Dr. Mrs. Koula; lives in Yaounde and is Secretary General  in the Ministry of Public Health.

5) WOLOA, SOPHIE :  - Part:  ALTO - Other Role:  Taught at SBC - School of Origin:  B.T.T.C. SOPPO - BUEA UPDATE:  Lives in Buea, Cameroon.

6) ACHU, FERDINAND : - Part:  TENOR

- Other Role:  GROUP PRESIDENT/LEADER - School of Origin:  B.T.T.C. SOPPO - BUEA UPDATE:  Lives in Bamenda, Cameroon

7) EWUSI CHRISTIANA : - Part:  SOPRANO - School of Origin:  S.B.C. VICTORIA (LIMBE) UPDATE:  Now, Mrs. ATTERE, lives in Milwaukee, WI

8) NFOR JESSE : - Part:  BASS - Instrument Played:  UNDER ARM BASS DRUM - SOLO:  SUNSET IS COMING  (& the Baritone“Hmmmm” in Di ma dangwa Yerusalem”) - School of Origin:  B.T.T.C. SOPPO - BUEA ​UPDATE:  Married, Lives in Washington, D.C.

9) NFOR EMMANUEL: - Part:  BASS - Instrument Played:  STANDING DRUM - School of Origin:  B.T.T.C. SOPPO - BUEA UPDATE:  DECEASED (R.I.P.)

10) MODIKA, WESTERMAN: - Part:  BASS

- School of Origin:  B.T.T.C. SOPPO - BUEA UPDATE:  DECEASED. Passed away 6 Months after return from U.S. Tour. (R.I.P.)

11) KONI, JAPHETH : - Part:  TENOR

- Solo:  ALL GRASSLAND SONGS  (Except for Be ye te kwerre Ke) - School of Origin:  B.T.T.C. SOPPO - BUEA UPDATE:  ??

12) MAFANY, ERNEST : - Part:  BASS - School of Origin:  B.T.T.C. SOPPO - BUEA UPDATE:  ??

13) FOKAM, CLAUDIA : - Part:  SOPRANO - Instrument Played:  SHAKERS - Solo:  MARY’S BOY CHILD - Other Role:  CHOIR CONDUCTOR - School of Origin:  S.B.C. VICTORIA (LIMBE) UPDATE:  Now, Mrs. BUMAKOR, lives in Yaounde, Cameroon

14) BESONG, GRACE : - Part:  ALTO - School of Origin:  S.B.C. VICTORIA (LIMBE) UPDATE:  ??

15) BELL, MIRANDA : - Part:  SOPRANO - School of Origin:  S.B.C. VICTORIA (LIMBE) UPDATE:  Now, Mrs. LIFANDA, lives in Limbe, Cameroon.

16) ESAPA, RUTH: - Part:  SOPRANO - School of Origin:  B.T.T.C. SOPPO - BUEA UPDATE:  DECEASED (R.I.P)

17) IKOME, DOROTHY : - Part:  SOPRANO - Solo:  BA MA NA BIBEL 

- School of Origin:  S.B.C. VICTORIA (LIMBE) UPDATE:  Now Mrs. FORBIN; Lives in Yaounde, Cameroon.

18) CHIE, MARITA :  - Part:  ALTO - School of Origin:  S.B.C. VICTORIA (LIMBE) UPDATE:  Teacher ,  Lives in Bamenda, Cameroon

19) ESEKE, FRITZ: - Part:  BASS - Solo:  SUNSET IS COMING  (& the Baritone“Hmmmm” in Di ma dangwa Yerusalem”, along with Mr. J. Nfor)  - School of Origin:  B.T.T.C. SOPPO - BUEA UPDATE:  Based in Nigeria.

CHOIR DIRECTOR: Mr. DON WITT - Principal of S.B.C. (Plays the violin in the Group's Instrumental Rendition of "Hallelujah For The Cross") UPDATE:  Still sharp as a tack at 82! He and his wife, Mrs. Ruth WITT live in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee. **(Mrs. Ruth Witt passed away on March 7 2014 and Mr. Don Witt on April 19 2016. RIP)

CHAPLAIN: REVEREND LYSONGE UPDATE:  Lives in Buea, and runs an NGO that focuses on the environment. Still a reverend pastor!  **(Passed away Saturday October 24 2015. RIP)

TOUR BUS DRIVER/OWNER: Mr. LLOYD TEMPLETON ​UPDATE:  ??

First Row: Claudia Fokam, Grace Besong , Miranda Bell, Ruth Esapa , Dorothy Ikome , Marita Chie .

Second Row: Don Witt, Fritz Eseke, Stella Nwigwe, Juliana Ndoko , Daisy Haddison, Sinata Shiro , Sophie Woloa , Ferdinand Achu , Christy Ewusi

Back Row: Jesse Nfor, Emmanuel Manjong (did not make the trip; Emmanuel Nfor took his place), Westerman Modika, Japheth Koni, Ernest Mafany.

THIS SECTION OF THIS WEB PAGE IS BEING RE-STRUCTURED! IT WILL BE UP AND RUNNING - BETTER THAN BEFORE, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE!

Late Julianna Ndoko Gobina

IN THE WORDS OF THE CHORISTERS THEMSELVES ...

THE CAMEROON CHORISTERS 1981

As was the case with THE CAMEROON COLLEGE SINGERS Project I took on earlier, my decision to embark on this CAMEROON CHORISTERS Project came about as a result of my inability to find any readily accessible, substantial, or worthwhile information on the INCREDIBLY TALENTED Group of Men and Women, Boys and Girls that toured North America in 1981, showcasing Cameroon’s Culture and Music with BRIO! This group, which included 3 SAKERETTES – 

- HANNAH HADDISON (now WILLIAMS, Class of ‘75), - FLORENCE WEYIH (now GROB, Class of ‘78), and - YOLANDA NOKURI (now HEGNGI, Class of ’81)

produced an ALBUM with Age and Time-defying melodies but, regrettably, neither the MUSIC nor the PEOPLE behind it ever got adequate or befitting exposure to start with, (given the absence of the internet and a viable Cameroonian Television network at the time), and with the passing of time, both have been all but forgotten! My intention in collecting and publishing the Information and Music about and from THE CAMEROON CHORISTERS is, therefore, to “rectify the situation” and put THE GROUP and THEIR BEAUTIFUL MUSIC “on the map” so to speak. That way, as is now the case with THE CAMEROON COLLEGE SINGERS, a simple GOOGLE search will provide ANYONE who seeks, with an opportunity to APPRECIATE & SAVOR the fruits of the labor of the 19 individuals, who, led and directed by Ms CLEO ENOCKSON, (now Dr. CLEO HAGEN), represented us VALIANTLY, and did us all PROUD!!

Here’s their Music and their Story – in their own words, and with the PRICELESS PICTURES that help bring the people and events ALIVE! 

WHAT A TREAT!

Please Click On Picture Above to view Picture Album comprising of pictures collected from various members of the tour!

CHOIR MEMBERS ... SOPRANOS Angeline Ngangwa Gladys Kuni Florence Weyih Monica Wango Yolanda Nokuri

ALTOS Helmine Chia Grace Ekfuingei Rose Nsufor Hannah Haddison Victoria Tatah TENORS Joseph Nkemontoh Abraham Chiamba Emmanuel Nsah Johnson Tata  Samuel Fai

BASS Martin Gemlack Noah Ndiba Elias Bongmba Edward Ngebi THE MUSIC ... Angel Ni Bihf In Christ There Is No East Or West

Yesu Te Le Kuntombyi Ni We Make Us One Njung Xylophone (Instrumental) Yesu Tele To Mbi Tukuwe Mbe De Cheghina Te Marie (Efik Song) Yabe Pete Penya We Jeli Greater Is He That Is In Me What A Friend We Have In Jesus I Am Not Skilled To Understand Show A Little Bit Of Love & Kindness I'll Tell The World That I'm A Christian Se Bwam Ye No

IN THE WORDS OF THE CHORISTERS THEMSELVES ... HANNAH HADDISON WILLIAMS ...

Being a part of the Cameroon choristers is one of the most memorable experiences I have had. Flying abroad for the first time in a Boeing 747 that looked like a mini city with people walking up and down the aisle, noises of soft conversations and chatters all around me was exciting but a bit overwhelming. As our plane loomed over the great city of Chicago, my relative Yolanda Hegngi (Nokuri at the time), the youngest member of the choir and one of the Sakerrettes on this tour turned to me, eyes lit up with excitement and said, “Sister Hannah we are in America!!” We both watched in awe as the 747 landed in the Chicago O’Hare Airport.

Our reception to the US was very warm. We travelled in vans to 23 states in the US and 7 provinces in Canada performing in designated North American Baptists churches.

We had to learn many things as a group. We had to get used to our new environment and culture. We also had to get along with fellow choristers traveling together in a van for hours every day. We took turns leading group devotions.

We were paired to each host family in the cities we performed and the reception by these families was just exceptional. We ate foods that were new to us but tasted good and we had lots of fun shopping in Malls for the first time. One fun memory that I would like to highlight was our first time seeing snow. I believe we were scheduled to return to Cameroon in late November so, we were all praying and anticipating that we would get a chance to experience snow. I remember we were traveling in the Van in British Columbia( guys correct me if I am wrong). I was catching some ZZZZs, being true to my nick name “Digger”, when I heard some elated voices, then a shove by one of the choristers: ”It is snowing!!!” came shouts from the van. SNOW!!! SNOW!!! SNOW!!! Our driver stopped the van and we all went out to examine this new phenomenon. It was fascinating!!! Pure white flakes falling from the sky! Then someone told us that every snow flake had a different shape - this was mind boggling! We sniffed it, tasted it then got silly and started throwing snowballs at each other. We laughed at how funny we all looked in our big coats, mittens and gloves, something we were not used to. It was quite exhilarating! We however quickly got cold and climbed back into the van.

This choir tour experience was a time of growth for me personally. I was thousands of miles away from my family. I grew emotionally, mentally and spiritually. I am ever so grateful to the Lord for having given me this great gift to be a part of a wonderful group of people: Our choir director, trainer and friend, Cleo Hagen (Enockson at the time) who was so much fun to be around. Our Pastor, Stephen Nteff, guided us spiritually. Dr. Jerry Fluth and Mr Ray DeNeui our drivers, planners and guardians on this trip. Our Mamas, Ma Monie Fluth and Mrs Edith Schroeder DeNeui who made sure we had what we needed and altered our uniforms when for some reason our waistlines started expanding . Joel Michaelson who was the muscle man helping the other guys with loading and unloading the van between concerts and also the sound technician. Last but not the least, our little companion boy Fluth who made our trips lively fooling around with the intercoms in the vans sending messages from one van to the other; “We are stopping for lunch, over…”

Hannah Haddison WILLIAMS, is married with two young ladies, 21 and 18. My husband is a Workforce Development Specialist. We reside in Bellwood, a Western Suburb of Chicago Illinois.

Yolanda Nokuri Hegngi ...

In each of our lives there are a few significant defining moments. Perhaps for some of us a couple of early defining moments were when we left the comforts of our homes for Saker, at an early age and learned to adjust to living with hundreds of other young girls. For many of us, another significant defining moment was when we left our beloved Cameroon for studies overseas and we had to bridge cultural norms and approaches to academia. In my case, a significant defining moment was the combination of those two experiences.  When I reluctantly transferred to Saker at 15, to Form Four, I had no earthly idea what would be in store for me. In addition to the academic focusing that happens to young girls in single-sex schools, Saker helped open the door for me to be the youngest member of the Cameroon Choristers in 1981. Like the Cameroon Singers who toured, North America in 1969, the Cameroon Choristers comprised of 19 young people, (10 females and 9 males) and Sister Hannah Haddison (now Williams), Sis Florence Weyih (now Grob), a class of ’78 and I were the only Choristers from Saker. A very interesting article was written about us in Michigan and can be accessed here:  http://digitize.gp.lib.mi.us/digitize/newspapers/gpnews/1980-84/81/1981-09-10.pdf As I look back now, I realize how the early years of accompanying my grandmother to Choir Practice at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Limbe, erstwhile, Victoria, with Pa Haddi as Choir Conductor, paid rich dividends. I would not say that our family home was especially musical, but it was the fact that, at 7 years of age, while living with my grandmother who took me everywhere, I learned to harmonize in treble because she sang all the time, as an alto. What an opportunity for voice lessons! In a nutshell the Cameroon Choristers experience is still one of the richest experiences that I have had. The lessons started when we traveled all over Cameroon for choir practices and I had a chance to visit places like Belo, Banso, and Ndu. In addition, we sang in Cameroon at the US Consulate in Douala and in Yaounde, before the then Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Yang Philemon! The flight through Brussels to Chicago in August 1981 was the first time I left Cameroon and as the plane landed at O’hare airport, I knew my life would never be the same. The Choir spent time in the Chicago area, practicing and recording the album, before starting the tour in Michigan, into Ontario and across Canada. As a young 17 year old, I learned invaluable emotional and spiritual lessons from Sister Hannah, Choir Director, Cleo Enockson, and my “tour mother”, late Sister Mary Mbeng. In fact, the Cameroon Choristers were like an extended family for me that year and I love seeing each member when I return to Cameroon. Since the Choir tour, I have had many defining moments in my personal and professional life, however, my experience with the Cameroon Choristers made an imprint at an early age to make the world a smaller place for me. Consequently, I can pack a suitcase and hop on a plane to the farthest parts of the world for work, because at a young age, I was exposed to the kindness of Choristers and of North American Baptist Conference families during the tour. The Cameroon Choristers experience was a very rich gift to me. Thank you for indulging me in this reflection piece. Blessings to all who read this…

Dr. Yolanda Nokuri Hegngi currently resides in the Washington D.C. Metro Area. This author wife and mother of 2 remarkable sons is the Founder and Managing Partner at Stimulus Consulting LLC

Dr. Yolanda Nokuri Hegngi Mrs. Florence Weyih GROB and Husband, Mr. Walter Grob (2012)
Dr. Elias BONGMBA & Wife, Dr. Odelia Ngala BONGMBA (2012

MORE EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS & PICTURES TO FOLLOW ...