I write here on behalf of the Lewoh Cultural and Development Meeting to pay tribute to a great woman, Dr Atabong Grace, who served the world as a herbal practitioner with a rare gift from God. She is a shining light that has unexpectedly extinguished. This is a tragic loss for the Lewoh Cultural and Development Meeting, for Lebialem and for the world as a whole. Our hearts are touched with sorrow on her sudden death. However, LECUDEM and the Lewoh community as a whole will be forever happy to celebrate the achievements of the woman who displayed extraordinary qualities by making dipresed people happy again.
Dr Grace Atabong was a reputed naturopath, specialized in restoring optimal function to people with injuries to the muscle, bones, ligaments or the nervous system. She inherited this rare herbal knowledge from her mother, Mami Beanju child of Nkematabong from Efong, and she has been a tradi-practitioner for over forty years. She treated patients from far and wide, people of various prominences. Notably, she treated governors, Divisional officers, parliamentarians and their spouses, and in some occasions her patients came from as far as the United States. She worked hand in hand with conventional medical institutions such as the Mary Health of Africa Hospital which often referred very complicated bone cases to her.
LECUDEM was also a useful partner in the accomplishment of Dr Atabong’s godly mission to the world. The organization donated equipment including wheel chairs, crutches and bandages. I am pleased to inform you that on her deathbed (as her children testified) she deeply acknowledged the assistance given to her by LECUDEM.
As a devoted Catholic Christian, she combined her gift of natural healing and her deep-rooted faith in God to cure her patients. We will remember her for her unrivalled simplicity and for her exceptional concern for the destitute and love towards her patients. We will remember her for her unlimited compassion and the unwearied commitment to the service of mankind.
She has left an indelible legacy on the treatment of fractures and other complicated bone problems. It seems the greatest tribute LECUDEM would pay to her would be to encourage any of her seven children whom she has left behind to continue to execute this precious gift from God.
Dr Grace Atabongawung, you lived an accomplished life. You have arrived safely at your eternal destination after a complete consummate life; after an absolute existence that is recorded in your splendid and memorable works of kindness to mankind. We will never again enjoy the qualities of the perfect Queen you were: considerate, caring, hardworking, loving, kind-hearted, simplistic and much more. But your example will be the light for future generations. THANK YOU, Queen of compassion. We say “farewell”, but you will forever remain in our dreams and in our hearts.
LECUDEM has no doubt that God will lovingly welcome you into heaven as a woman who dedicated her whole life caring compassionately for God’s creation.
May your soul rest in the peace of your ancestors!
Nkemngong Nkengasong
LECUDEM General President
