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Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because dawn has come. Rabindranath Tagore


This memorial website was created to remember our dearest Hilary Chuyeh who was born on September 281970 and passed away on February 9, 2013. You will live forever in our memories and hearts.

Click Here for Wake and Funeral Details.
Slideshow
Latest Memories
Enestine Wife April 15, 2013
 
Memories of you is all i have these days... Pictures on the walls too.

Everyone remembers your wonderful smiles, your good nature, your calm and gentle spirit. they remember 'my 37degrees man'... never hot, never cold. just you at 370! how did you build such a teperament?.?
Memories of your character and behaviour was shared with the world and we all miss that so much.
other memories of you i also have...
i remember the shape of your hair line.... the length of your hair and the style on it. you had just shaved on Friday, just the way i liked it!
i remember the line on your forehead...  you never really liked this line... i told you i could care less if they were scars like Seal's.  eh have you seen the scars i now bear on my face? Still dont care for lines or scars.
i remember the thickness of your eye brow, the shape of your eye lashes, the size and color of your eyes. your daughter Nsangi bears them all.
I remember your Nose. every bit of that nose, the fun we made of each others nose. i was attached to your nose you will say. God knows i will miss touching and pulling "my Nose".
i Remember you Hilary, good memories of you engraved in my core.
Every scar, every single part of your body.  just all over.

i remember your happy moments and your sad ones.
i remember your safety consciousness, at home and on the road.
 i remember the last journey we made... how you would slow down and halt to answer a call.
i remember all the conversations we had.
then i do not remember.
the darkness started , that must have been when i started walking through this dark valley of the shadow of death. pure black! 
when i entered this rollercoaster that never stops. i am in it so alone.  i am sinking in this ocean and never hitting the bottom and cant get my bearings. my tight  train is in this tunnel with no lights and there are no stops to gasp for air nor light. 

nobody understands where i am or why i am there.  i am so trapped, tied up like a mommy. i want to shake it off and be with you, but the breath just keeps coming! they say i have to take the breaths, one at a time for our kids. that is all i do, breath...
In all of this tumoil i go through i still remember you.
DO YOU  SEE ME? cAN YOU HELP ME?
i can go on and on.. 



i remember and miss your 'OK...' meaning you have had enough of that topic when i went on and on.... 

Memories of you are raw and fresh and i will keep jelously.
Sule Nformi For my Friend and Small brother February 18, 2013
 

February 6th, 2013  “ The Ngantus and Ngenges, Sad Indeed. Accept my condolences. It is always very difficult to cope and accept the passing away of very close and cherished relatives. I pray you to take heart and that God is in control. May their souls rest in perfect peace. Chuyeh Hilary (Mr) Douala “. How do I begin to reconcile these statements written by Hilary on the ex-GHBS Nkambe online group with the news from Lilian two days later that Hilary was gone? I must have fixed many things around the house that day just to avoid thinking about the possibility that this could be true and true it turned out to be.

After a good secondary education in GBHS Nkambe, I opted in 1984 to do the high school in CCAST Bambili. By so doing I did not get the chance to have been part of Hilary’s years in GBHS Nkambe as he made his entrance into the school later that same year. Fast forward to the 1991/92 academic year when the new batch of Cameroon students bound for Leeds University arrived when I was just starting the 2nd year of my PhD program. The intention on meeting them was to give the type of warm reception that I had personally received from the many other Cameroonians that were already in the University at the time. These Cameroonians had made the university so homely for me, I wanted to in return provide the same warm reception to this new batch that included Hilary. “Hilary Chuyeh”, I asked him “Are you Ernest’s brother?”. Ernest was my classmate in GHS Nkambe so connecting this was not only exciting but a big relief as I hadn’t met Ernest since leaving Nkambe. Hilary and his colleagues (Alfred, Kiki, John, William, Rudy) settled into their departments quickly with Hilary into his Civil Engineering Department. That first year had very little drama despite the fact we had already started experiencing symptoms of problems with our allowance payments. The following year, news filtered that the Cameroon government had not paid multiple years of fees and a meeting with the Vice Chancellor indicated that we were going to be expelled. The Leeds Engineering departments expedited these expulsions faster than many of us had anticipated. Coupled with the no allowances, life was tough. We opted for different approaches to earning a living in factories, farms etc by night and attempting to reconnect with school work by day. Hilary as always found ways to make us smile and joke about how to survive with no money. He helped staged the most magnificent plays and cultural events the university had ever seen through our sheer determination not to be kept down. Through the strong Leeds University Union of Cameroon students, we danced “Mbaya”, "Mbanglum",  “Bikutsi”, staged plays, offered fashion shows among many other things to the students and staff at the University. We shared many great moments with Hilary including living in the same, not so great house in the Harehills area of Leeds with himself, Lilian and my now wonderful wife Cordelia. Life was tough but with the encouragement of each other and theCameroon network of friends, we sailed through these difficult times. With the formation of Bong-Abi UK of which he was an integral pillar, we had added a Wimbum element to trying to live life as opposed to just surviving. Upon completion of the BSc in Engineering degree, Hilary did not back down. He enrolled in and completed the Masters program. As always he did not only keep smiling but had an answer on anything no matter how complex a problem seemed at first.

Hilary’s academic credentials were never an issue or subject for question. My greatest admiration for him (Cordelia and Lilian will testify) will always be the day he came to us that he had some news after the completion of the masters program. As attentive as we were, he said he was going back home. We tried various ways to reason with him not because any of us ever wanted to do anything but return home but because we were penniless and in most cases had thousands of debt that needed to be paid off. How can this be done from home? Hilary’s mind was already made up and he had a plan. We finally settled and he left. He knew the beginning was going to be rough and it was but as always he took it in his stride.

Hilary was and will remain a great Leeds University Alumni, a wonderful foot soldier of ex-GBHS Nkambe which he did not only help form while in the UK but became an integral part of its project execution, a great founding member of Bong-Abi UK, a resident expert on executing projects for WICUDA-USA, a great mentor for young kids and we all know, a great leader and servant of WICUDA Douala.

I will greatly miss the fact that despite talking by email and on the phone, we didn’t quite come round to sitting at the table to talk about old times. I will greatly miss his no can’t do approach to life. With Hilary, there is no hidden agenda, fearless,  no politics involved, just the will to get good things done. If only we have many like him, the world will be a better place. But through his wonderful wife Ernestine and kids, I am sure we will continue to see him through them.

Good bye Hilary, you were more than a true friend and small brother. You will always be here with us, in our hearts and thoughts even though not physically.

Hilary, weh shang a mahsi wir  njo kee si weh vu mi ndzi?

 

Sule Nformi

Allen,Texas,USA

WICUDA USA Tribute to Hilary Chuyeh February 18, 2013
 

WICUDA-USA is deeply saddened by Hilary’s passing.  Hilary’s tenacity allowed him to walk through so many challenges with relative ease.   Hilary was WICUDA-USA’s hands-on ambassador and he spared no efforts in proving to the organization that development projects can indeed be successfully executed at home. He rolled up his sleeves to ensure that all obstacles, minor or major, did not stand in the way of successfully getting the job done for the benefit of Wimbum land. 

Our hearts go to Ernestine and their three children.  We pray God gives Ernestine the strength to raise the kids to honor Hilary’s memory by maintaining excellence in their academics and work. This would be a lasting testament to Hilary’s hard work and dedication.


Hilary(right) coordinated the shipment of medical equipment donated by WICUDA-USA to wimbum area hospitals.
 

Hilary(standing) was part of the project team that coordinated the donated items  from WICUDA-USA to Sop/Taku Storm victims.


Oliver Tangiri
Chairperson, WICUDA-USA

Cordelia R. Nformi Tribute to a dear Friend February 18, 2013
 

Hilary my friend, it was an honor to have known and learnt so much from you. Your courage, strength and determination, as you tried to pursue your goals at Leeds, despite all the hardships and obstacles endured. Your success at graduating from Leeds University, Civil Engineering Department was a testament of those qualities, as we know how gruelling their Engineering course is! 

What would my time at Leeds been, without your presence there, I wonder! Remember Harehills Lane, Leeds Union, many friends and that our Engineering building. Having endured so much obstacles and succeeded at Leeds, it was definite that wherever you settled, you will be successful. For it humbled and created great characters out of all! 

Thank you for all that you showed me. Your ability to accept everyone as they are, with no judgment and joyfully lived life like a Christian should. I will definitely remember your chuckle, your laugh and above all your great calmness. 

May your way be smooth and free of any obstacles.

May you forever rest in Eternal Peace.

Cordelia.
TX, USA
February 18th, 2013

Dr Sam Atungsiri (aka Ta Tala Kubam) Eulogy for my Friend Hilary February 17, 2013
 

My grandmother, in her immutable way had two qualifications for "an old man": (1) anyone who has lived through many unexpected occurences; (2) anyone who has watched many people born after them die. As grand-mama used to say: "any one - even if they have not lived for many years - having experienced enough of the above becomes an old man". Since I heard of Hilary's death, I have felt particularly old. Strangely, now that I think about it, Hilary has always made me feel rather old. 

I was amongst the first generation to spend 7 years in GHS Nkambe. When I first met Hilary at an ex-GHS student's meeting in England in 1994, I realised that he was the first ex-GHS student I ever met who also spent 7 years in GHS but who did not meet me in GHS - Hilary enrolled in GHS in Sept 1984 after I had left in June 1984. Even in those days when I was still a spring chicken, Hilary made me feel old! We had arranged that meeting to brainstorm on what to do in 1995 to mark the school's 20th anniversary. Until his death, Hilary was still working on how to help the current and future generations of GBHS Nkambe students! Hilary helped enormously with that project as we ultimately delivered the first set of ICT equipment to GHS Nkambe in Sept 1996!

 As the millennium dawned, Hilary earned his MSc in theUK. This was a period in which employment opportunities inCameroonwere virtually nonexistent. Despite this, Hilary bucked the trend of highly qualified Diaspora Cameroonians as he opted to return toCameroon. On his repatriation, he spent a few years in the early 2000s finding his feet. I often met him inDoualasea port clearing consignments for some company I think he worked in. In those days, we would discuss the opportunities that he could have in opting to work abroad. He would sparkle into that heaving, broad and infectious laughter of his and say optimistically that "things around here are not as bad as you think". Then at some point, he contacted me to inform that he had found a job with the pipeline people. From then, he was on his way. 

In the intervening years, he had continued to study hard! For many years, Hilary would get me to order books for him from AmazonUKfor delivery inCameroon. It was no surprise to me that he rose so high with the pipeline people and seamlessly moved into Exxon-Mobile. 

Hilary had the biggest heart of anyone I know. When I had taken the ICT equipment from theUKto GHS in 1996, I went through experiences with Cameroonian bureaucracy that I told Hilary I never wanted to go through again. I vowed to Hilary that I would never lead a project like that again. Around 2001 Hilary sent me a most moving email to convince me that we had to continue to help the school. With other ex-GBHS we devised a project to deliver another set of computers to GBHS. I told the project team that I could get the computers fromUKto Bamenda. Hilary and Nelson Tawe undertook to deliver the equipment to Nkambe. When I arrivedCameroon, Hilary happened to be too committed at work to travel to Nkambe. Amazingly, he arranged for Nelson to travel fromYaoundetoDouala, pick up funds from Hilary then travel to Bamenda. Nelson and I packed all the equipment and Nelson travelled to Nkambe to deliver it to the school.

Then in 2006 Hilary visited us in theUK- he had visited GBHS again and they were in need of books in the library. In the ensuing project, Hilary led the fund-raising drive finally raising more than 1 million CFA with which he acquired and personally delivered many books and other material to GBHS. As 2010 approached, we discussed that GBHS will be 35 years old. We devised a project which Hilary christened as 'Project 35' with aim to deliver 35 computers to GBHS on her 35th anniversary. Once more, as project manager, Hilary led the fund-raising drive amongst ex-students across the world. Thus in Dec 2010, he personally delivered 18 computers to GBHS with a promissory note for 17 more to follow. These 17 had been raised through the efforts of ex-GBHS students in theUSAbut had not arrivedCameroonyet. It is to be regretted that Hilary - despite his many efforts to get these 17 computers delivered - has passed away without fulfilment of this promise made to the staff and students.

In African society where age is synonymous with wisdom, one is often reluctant to see people younger than oneself as role models. I can say with certainty that Hilary Chuyeh (Mr) was one of my role models. Firstly, he seems to have spent so much of his short time on this earth working for the improvement of others - something which I admire to the utmost. Secondly, he was a highly intelligent young man, a high flyer by any standards but with feet firmly planted to the ground. Another quality I aspire to. Thirdly, he was such a strong family man. His love and dedication to Ernestine and their children seemed to me to be of paramount importance to him. Within a few years of being in a stable job, he constructed a homestead for his family inDoualawhere he worked. They must miss him dreadfully! Finally, for those of us stuck out ofCameroon, he lived our ultimate dream - to return toCameroonand make it - despite his fears. 

Hilary my friend, you lived your life at such a pace - almost as if you knew time was running out. Despite your early departure from this world, I hope your friends and family will find the strength to accept that you have achieved, in your short sojourn here, what most people take a life time to do and more.

Do go well my friend.

Dr Sam Atungsiri (aka Ta Tala Kubam Atungsiri Ndo’oh)

Basingstoke,UK, Feb 17, 2013