Justice Scott Moses Ataba Anyangwe: First Oshie Pharmacist Justice Scott Moses Ataba Anyangwe: First Oshie Magistrate / Judge
Justice Scott Anyangwe was born in Oshie into the Oshie Royal Family to Chief Etunyi Mathew Anyangwe II, popularly known as Ataah and Avo Akandi Ngwi. After his Primary School education in Government School Bamenda Station, he attended St. Joseph's College, Sasse, from 1951-1956. Given that he was a clean freak, it came as no surprise when he was made Sanitation Prefect in Sasse. He was a very brilliant and balanced student, both in the Arts and Sciences, as evident in the two professions he pursued in life. After outstanding performances in both the Junior and Senior Cambridge Examinations, he was awarded a scholarship to study Pharmacy at the First Higher Institution of learning in Nigeria, the University of Ibadan (an affiliate of the University of London) from 1958-1962. Upon graduation, he was employed by the West Cameroon Civil Service, and assigned to head the Government Pharmacy in Buea. After then, he was also assigned to head the Government pharmacy in Victoria (now Limbe) and then to Mamfe in the latter part of 1963.
A popular Cameroonian adage says that "a goat feeds where it is tied." While in Mamfe, he met and fell in love with a young, beautiful, and charming Bayangi girl from Nchang, by name, Helen Ayuk Besong. The two lovebirds got engaged in 1964 and two years later, on April 30th, 1966, they wedded in Mamfe.
In 1966, Mr. Scott Anyangwe was transferred to the Headquarters in Buea to head the Pharmacy at the Buea Government Hospital. He was very hardworking, assiduous in his duties and was rewarded with salary increments, but things were to take a different turn. In those days, irrespective of your job performance and your income, job satisfaction was fundamental to happiness. By nature, he was a very cheerful and proud fellow, with a lot of intellectual curiosity. An extrovert par excellence! He loved company. He loved discussing and exchanging ideas, both on the job as well as in his private life. In fact, he was at his best when talking to a reasonable hearing audience. With these attributes, he found the pharmacy profession too quiet, isolating, and not intellectually stimulating and tasking enough for his liking.
Consequently, in 1968, he tendered his resignation as the Government Pharmacist in Buea. He requested and was granted study leave, to study law at the University of Nsukka, Nigeria (UNN). But caught up by the Nigerian Civil War (1968-1970), he was transferred by the Cameroon Government to the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Nigeria and awarded a Cameroon Government Scholarship.
On completion of his Law Degree from UNILAG, he attended the School of Magistracy (ENAM) in Yaounde from 1970-1972. While in ENAM, he went to Military training in Ngaoundere and French Language Studies in Leon, France. Upon graduation from ENAM, he was given employment, this time, in the Cameroon Judiciary, where he served as Judge in Buea, Kumba and Bamenda. In his last posting in Bamenda, he served as the Judge of the High Court and Vice President of the Court of Appeal.
Justice Scott Anyangwe took ill and had a successful kidney transplant in March 1987 in St. Thomas' Hospital, London. HIS YOUNGER BROTHER, MR. GEOERGE AKANDI ANYANGWE, WAS SO GENEROUS AND KIND TO DONATE ONE OF HIS KIDNEYS TO HIM. WHAT A TRUE EXPRESSION OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE! UNCLE GEORGE, WE WISH TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK YOU IMMENSELY FOR SUCH A SELFLESS ACT OF LOVE. MAY GOD BLESS YOU. YOU WERE INDEED A FAITHFUL BROTHER, A BROTHER IN TIME OF NEED. THANK YOU. But alas! They say good things and good people never last. He did not live long enough to fully reap the fruit of his many years of studies. He went away too soon, with every imaginable medical facility at his disposal. Exactly a year after his kidney transplant, he took our family and very wide circle of friends at home and abroad by storm when he succumbed to the cold hands of death prematurely on March 5, 1988 around 5:00 am at St. Thomas' Hospital, London. He was laid to rest on March 12, 1988 by the side of his house in Oshie, Njikwa Subdivision.
During his lifetime, he was very open and friendly to all who came his way. He was well-known throughout the Civil Service in West Cameroon. These attributes left him with an incredible following as friends throughout West Cameroon. Quite apart from his social popularity, he was held in very high esteem within the Civil Service. Sufficed it for any Oshie person to cite his name when in any diffculty or awkward situation, and the tides would change. Many Oshie people used his name, and had doors opened to them.
Justice Scott Anyangwe belonged to a several social clubs, notably, the Lions Club International, a philantropic organization and several Njangi groups like Njangi 82, a well-known organization in Bamenda. Reading was his passion. He loved playing scrabble and walking.
Justice Scott Anyangwe is survived by his lovely wife, Mrs. Helen Ayuk Anyangwe, who enjoyed her marriage for barely twenty-two years, and has remained a committed wife for another 26 years after his passing away. He is also survived by his children: Ms. Marion Enow, Mrs. Ngwi Tozzi, Mrs. Njiwam Galega, Dr. Njwen Anyangwe-Ngute, Mr. Akoh Anyangwe, Dr. Nkonghonyor Anyangwe Jonkam, and Mrs. Ejenyi Anyangwe Tanteh. Unfortunately, he did not live long enough to see his sons-in-law, and his grandchildren- Naila, Phil-scott, Wakuna, Richmond, Ayuk Kibel, Donald, Yadema, Kah, Cayenne, Anieh, Caleb and Vicester. He also left behind his brothers, sisters, aunties, uncles, nieces, nephews and many friends, some of whom have since joined him in the great beyond.
Though gone so young, like a candle in a wind, Justice Scott Anyangwe's legacy lives on in his children, grandchildren and subsequent generations to come.
Abridged Biography: Courtesy of Ni Martin Anyangwe, Mrs. Helen Ayuk Anyangwe, Prof. Carlson Anyangwe, Dr. Njwen Anyangwe-Ngute, and Mrs. Ejenyi Anyangwe Tanteh.
