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A LITTLE ABOUT MADAM EVA BEYUO
Known popularly as MONE MA, EVA NOMAI, by her peers and
fondly called by her children sometimes as “MADAM EVA”, “MRS JIMMY”,” MMAA”,
she was the BELOVED WIFE of the late Mr.
James Dondomekpirnuru Beyuo (popularly called ‘Teacher Jimmy), she was one
of the daughters of Mr. Prosper Bediser and Mrs. Angelina Zimazie Bediser.
She was an active and a vibrant young girl at that time that
she wanted to be a Nun and had therefore been in the convent in preparation for
that purpose.
Unfortunately, whatever plans she had, God did not mean it
that way, and so her plans and ambitions were foiled and she met a man who had
also come out of the Seminary at
that time and had to stay at home for four years before he could go out to date
a woman.
They finally met through the intervention of friends and
family members and whatever happened then, your guess could be as good as
mine.
‘MONE MA’,’ EVA NOMAI’, ‘MADAM EVA’, ‘MRS JIMMY’, ‘MMAA’ as she
was fondly called from time to time was hardworking, energetic, smart,
proactive and however very quick tempered. She could do almost everything that
a mortal man is capable of doing. She could farm even more than some men,
danced like a man, wrestled men to the ground, and I tell you, she could speak
some ‘half-brewed Ga, English and Hausa’
Anytime she was happy and in good mood, she led us in dance,
dancing as a woman and at times like a man.
She was a very strong and vibrant woman until September of
1989 when her husband was to leave for Accra in order to follow up for his end
of service benefits. For the power of the man, the toll it was going to have on
this woman in the absence of the husband, she developed “High Fever” just
within three days after the departure of the husband. Most women will not stand
it seeing their husbands leave them behind with five children for not less than
three months without enough money at home.
Two of her children were in St Francis of Assisi in Jirapa,
two in Basic school and the rest out of the region.
We the five children were very small by then and hardly did
we know it was ‘high fever’ and for that matter used to buy her “sleeping
tablets” which we found very difficult to convince her to take. We had to be
body guards through out the whole night in 1989 because we did not want her to
scale the wall of NVS which she could easily do by then.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ gathered here, we
managed to send her to the hospital when things were getting worse and she was
admitted. When she was discharged, how to get three thousand cedis as at then
(now thirty pesewas) was a problem. We went round town announcing our problems
to people who failed to help at the end of the day. We could not get the money
to borrow, so our dog (called “Nopuonon”) that was the guard of
the house had to be sacrificed to enable us get money to pay for the medical
bills. Fortunately the man who killed the dog got three thousand, five hundred
cedis (thirty five pesewas) out of it and presented it to us, but out of
sympathy and compassion, he only took the five hundred cedis (five pesewas) and
gave us the rest to be sent to the hospital.
Since then, about twenty-two years a go, we have had our
challenges here and there in trying to take care of our mother until the 2nd
of August 2011 when our Almighty Father and Creator put a stop to her suffering
and pain.
‘MONE MA’,’ EVA NOMAI’,’ MADAM EVA’,’ MRS JIMMY’,’ MMAA’ gave
birth to thirteen solid children, eight men and five women. She never slept in
the hospital after delivery, according to records. Anytime she went to deliver,
she came back home that same day until the stopper came, who was “John Paul Ngmenbarka Beyuo”.
If this woman lying here has ever hurt and stepped on any
person(s) feelings or toes, in the past and is here with us, we the children,
grandchildren, great grandchildren and relations urge you all to forgive her and
pardon her of her shortcomings before she is lowered into the grave today.
She has been a great inspiration to us; not withstanding the
fact that she lost her status as the gigantic and powerful woman she used to be
in the 60’s. She did her best for several people who came her way, those who
drank her pito and failed to pay, those who bought her rice, those who ate her
dough nuts (bofrot), ‘kpilikpili’ and the rest.
We get moved when elderly people in their sixties tell us
they ate our mother’s food when they were kids. This makes us feel that life
truly is just a stage, whereby one moves from level to the other.
Most of you gathered here and having known this woman lying
here this day will agree with us that she has been blessed with so many
children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
We thank God for her life and pray that may her mortal sins
be forgiven her and that may the Good Lord grant her ETERNAL REST. Amen.
Thank you and May the Lord Bless all of Us.
