Samuel Njiki
Samuel Njiki | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1935 Batala-Bangante, Nde Division, Western Province, Cameroon |
| Died | October 5, 1983 New Town, Limbé, Cameroon |
Samuel Njiki Samuel Njenji (1935 - October 5, 1983) was the first Bahá'í of the Bamileke people. He was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for opening the French Cameroons to the Faith.
Biography[edit]
Samuel was born in Batala-Bangante in the British Cameroons in 1935. His parents were Njenji Isaiah and Minkeu Marie of Batala. His father was a catechist who worked at Basel Mission and Samuel attended Basel Mission primary schools and worked for the mission as a typist. He was disillusioned by the mission when he was refused communion due to late church dues and found a different job as a clerk with the Cameroon Development Corporation in 1950.[1]
In early 1954 Njiki was introduced to the Bahá'í Faith by Enoch Olinga and declared shortly afterwards. In April 1954, a few weeks after Samuel declared, Shoghi Effendi sent a cable to Olinga requesting that he secure pioneers to open territories in Africa to the Faith and Samuel volunteered. He resigned from his job and moved to Duala in the French Cameroons where he was able to stay with relatives, and was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for opening the area to the Faith.
Unfortunately as he could not speak French his teaching opportunities were limited, and he largely taught the English speaking Banyangi people in Duala. He was joined by English Bahá'í Mehrangiz Munsiff shortly after arriving, and as he did not know her their meeting was arranged by Samuel waiting on a post offices steps holding a prayer book so that she could find him.[2] The Local Spiritual Assembly of Duala was established in 1955.[3] In 1956 Samuel returned to the British Cameroons where he settled in New Town, Limbé.
In 1971 Samuel visited Duala at the same time as Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khánum was touring Cameroon and he was able to meet her in the city.[4] From 1972 he worked for the Ministry of Equipment, Department of Construction. In 1974 Samuel visited London where he completed an Advance Diploma in salesmanship. He returned to Limbé afterwards and lived there for the rest of his life. He served on the Local Spiritual Assembly of Limbé up until his passing and also served on the Local Ḥaẓíratu’l-Quds Committee and the Local Visiting Committee.
He passed away in 1983 after undergoing surgery, and was survived by his wife Ndawoua Pauline and five children, one of whom was born after his passing. After his passing the Universal House of Justice cabled the following:
DEEPLY GRIEVED PASSING KNIGHT BAHAULLAH SAMUEL NJIKI HIS DEVOTED PIONEERING SERVICES CAMEROON WARMLY REMEMBERED PRAYING SHRINES PROGRESS HIS SOUL HEAVENLY KINGDOM ASSURE RELATIVES LOVING SYMPATHY[5]
Notes[edit]
- ↑ Lee, A.A., The Baha'i Faith in Africa: Establishing a New Religious Movement, 1952-1962, 2011 Brill: Boston, p 112
- ↑ Baha'i News (1984). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 638, Pg(s) 6. View as PDF.
- ↑ Lee, A.A., The Baha'i Faith in Africa: Establishing a New Religious Movement, 1952-1962, 2011 Brill: Boston, p 112
- ↑ Baha'i News (1972). National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the United States. No 499, Pg(s) 9. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1994). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 19 (1983-1986), Pg(s) 615. View as PDF.
