Biography of Njunkeng Jacinta Satia.
Jacinta was born on the 7th of June 1955 in Kumba, Cameroon to Pa Philip and Mami Thecla Asongate Satia. She was born 2 weeks before her father died which is something that marked Cinta most of her life.
She was the youngest of 7 children, 5 girls, and 2 boys. She had fond memories of growing up with her nieces as Mami Thecla loved to have all her grandchildren around, indeed her nieces say she was like a loving big sister.
She attended St. Therese School (STS), a primary Catholic school for girls just across from her home in Kumba. From 1968 to 1973 she attended the prestigious Queen of The Rosary College (QRC), Okoyong the first Catholic secondary school for girls in the country. In Okoyong, she was a notorious student, not because she was stubborn, but because she stood out as she was taller and therefore more noticeable than most of her peers.
Immediately after her O'Levels she traveled to the USA where she enrolled in the University of Washington in Seattle, graduating in 1978 with a BSc. in Psychology. Missing home and her beloved mother and family, she returned to Cameroon and secured employment with the Ministry of Education. She later graduated from the National Institute of Education, ENS, in Yaoundé as a member of the first batch of students who studied Guidance and Counseling in 1984.
As a pioneer in Guidance and Counseling there was a need for a lot of ground breaking interventions for teachers, parents and students and Cinta was equal to the task. She distinguished herself as a hardworking, dynamic young lady with excellent work ethics and leadership qualities, and was thus appointed the first Provincial Chief of Service for Guidance and Counseling for the North West Province (now NW Region). She would later be appointed Regional Chief of Service Planning, Counseling and Extra-curricular Activities for secondary education for the NW Region, a position she held until she started experiencing health problems. Part of her job as Provincial and Regional Chief was the training of students from ENS in guidance and counseling. She excelled as a mentor, coach and hands-on trainer. She also served as Admission Officer at the Faculty of Letters, University of Yaounde, as Senior Lecturer and Resident Guidance Counselor at G.B.H.S. Bamenda, and participated in the development of psychological testing materials for secondary schools in Cameroon. She coordinated and hosted the radio programs "Helping You Choose a Career" on Radio Cameroon Yaounde, and "You and Your Future" on CRTV Bamenda.
Her leadership qualities were expressed in other areas of her life as well, especially in her Christian faith. She was one of the founding members of Saint Paul's Church and a member of the Parish Pastoral Council in Bayelle, Nkwen, Bamenda. She loved music, and was an ardent alto singer in both the Tridium choir of Saint Paul’s Church and the Bamenda Cathedral choir.
Her spirituality and unrivaled faith in God kept her strong, positive and hopeful during her illness, resigning her fate in God’s hands. She demonstrated her faith through devoted work. She was an ardent member of Saint Jude Society, Bamenda and Kumba branches, Chair of the All Saints Parish Council, Beyelle and member of the Leity Council of the Archdiocese of Bamenda. One of the most memorable moments during her stay in the USA, where she was receiving treatment, was a visit to St Jude’s Shrine in Baltimore, MD and she took home prayer booklets for the members of her local St. Jude Society branches. She also followed the Bruno Gronning spirituality group in Bamenda and can be referred to as an example of a prayer warrior.
Cinta loved life and lived it to the full, participating in various social activities. She was a founding member of K Town Boys and Girls Social Group in Bamenda, and was its first president, holding the position until her failing health made it difficult to continue.
The friendships she established in Okoyong, meant so much to her so that some of her classmates described her as a ‘hero’ and others simply ‘the ultimate die-hard’ OPSAN (QRC Okoyong alumni association). An OPSAN member since the early 1980s, only in situations beyond her control would Cinta miss an OPSA meeting or event. She held different leadership posts within the association both at chapter and national level vis Secretary Yaounde chapter, Secretary, Treasurer, three terms as President of Bamenda chapter and National Financial Secretary. She was a very active member of OPSA Bamenda. When she moved to Kumba in 2014, OPSAN Bamenda lost one of their "very active, dedicated and dynamic," members, in the words of the current President. Cinta exemplified the qualities of transparency, clarity, honesty and objectivity.
She was a tireless advocate on behalf of the less fortunate particularly children, starting an NGO to provide books to children in rural and remote areas. In her later years she took up the cause of cancer education, volunteering with the Patcha Foundation and spearheading and coordinated its activities in the NW Region. She was instrumental in the successful Patcha Foundation medical mission to Bamenda in 2014, during which thousands received free medical services and hundreds were screened for various cancers.
Above all, Cinta was a devoted mother, sister, cousin and aunt, not just to her immediate family, but to relatives and friends. She adopted, raised and educated many young people. Her guidance and counseling job did not end at the office. She brought it home and helped direct many children. She made sure every child around her exercised whatever talent they had to their full capacity, and provided the love and moral and financial assistance they needed to flourish.
When her health started deteriorating in Cameroon, and there seemed to be no probable cause, she went to the USA in 2010, where she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, something she considered one of the major miracles of her life due to the circumstances of the diagnosis. She had been seen by a doctor who told her she had a sciatic nerve. While waiting for her ride and praying the rosary, the doctor rushed out and told her she needed to do more tests. She was then diagnosed with cancer. After undergoing extensive and aggressive intervention, including several rounds of radiation treatment, she was informed that the cancer was not responding. She decided to return to Cameroon in 2012 and continued to be treated by the oncologists at the General Hospital Douala until late 2016 when she decided to stop cancer treatment and focus on her pain reliever. She would often state that the Lord knew she did not need the cancer treatment since the pain seemed to lessen after she focused on pain management.
Cinta was full of life energy and a determination to get well. She was radiant, enthusiastic and cheerful despite her pain. Above all she was full of joy and kindness, with a voice and laugh that were unique. She attended daily mass, sang in the choir, attended meetings and fulfilled social commitments until she was no longer able to.
In the last years, on her sick bed, Cinta still counted it a blessing to participate in daily mass, either said at home, or on EWTN and AIT TV channels or at home. Being a steadfast Catholic Christian, she also seized every opportunity to pray the Stations of the Cross, Rosary and Novenas to the best of her ability. She maintained a smile and courage until her last breath, participating in mass and receiving the Sacrament of Extreme Unction just hours before her passing. For this we are thankful to God that we have an angel singing with the choirs of Heaven.
Cinta had 2 biological kids, Philip Satia and Melanie Foju, but counted Ajifack Corince, Vanessa Demassa and Mimi Teclaire among her children.
Cinta also counted her blessings by the love, sacrifice and selflessness of those who cared for her, especially during her last days. She especially expressed deep appreciation for her beloved Nephew and personal physician Dr. Xavier Tchetnya, god-daughter Ashley, auntie Celine and husband Etienne Tafeufack, Ursula, Mispa, Milk, Ngafi Etienne Bizzel, Steve Tanyi, Pa Azung Casimir, Fr. Nkeng, and many others. May God Almighty reward you abundantly.
Cinta was preceeded in death by her parents, oldest sister and two nieces. In addition to her children, she leaves behind and is treasured by 3 sisters, 2 brothers, countless nieces, nephews, grand nieces and nephews and a great-grand niece, whom she joyfully welcomed as the '4th generation Satia.' She will forever be deeoly missed.
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