This is the story of the queen of multi-tasking. Her caps are so many you would wonder how she copes with the heavy demands of every activity she engages in. Yet, Shiwoh Queentar Mani is the perfect example of a goal setter and achiever.
Call her Queen of Hearts and her family and friends will tick you right. For a daughter of a police superintendent, (Moh Henry Mbaritiang) it is small wonder that she is a disciplined woman. Her father was also a writer. No doubt Queentar is also a superb writer as hard working as her devoted farmer mother, Shuri Dorothy Mbaritiang.
Born in November 1979 she grew up as second daughter in a polygamous family of eleven.
Here is an inexhaustive list of the different caps she wears: wife, mother, friend, counseling psychologist, youths advocate, gender expert, gospel artist, writer, radio broadcaster, talk show host, evangelist and above all, servant hood leader. The hat she puts on determines the way she interacts in a relationship throughout the day. This graduate of the university of Buea with a Bsc in Women and Gender studies with Sociology and Anthropology (double major), post graduate diploma in Counseling psychology in the University of Bamenda, post graduate diploma in Theology in RCCG Bible College, enrolled in a diploma in journalism and mass communication in NPB.
She is a masters student awaiting defense in industrial and organizational psychology in the university of Bamenda.
HER DRIVERS
Everyone’s life is driven by something. It can be either problems, pressure, deadline, painful memories, or an unconscious belief.
Many people are driven by guilt, resentment and anger, fear, materialism, need for approval. But for Mani Queen as she is popularly called God’s purpose for her life is her driver, she says. “My goals are geared towards the humanistic standpoint. As someone wearing several caps, I pray for a day when nations will be judged not by their military, capital splendor and amazing infrastructures, but by the wellbeing of their women and children and where their most primitive needs are met because it is only when their physiological needs are supplied, can they function and progress to higher levels. All what I do in my works, job, vocation, and profession is centered towards helping people develop positive self-worth, self-concept and self-esteem for a productive, happy and healthy living. Still, my goal is to let everyone understand that humans as individuals are unique beings and should be recognized as such
wherever they are.” This is what Mani Queen intends to achieve.
MOTIVATION
Mani Queen is motivated by so many factors. Hear her: “First and foremost, I am a product of grace.
When I picture where His love and mercies took me from and where I am today; when I think about so many of my friends lying in their graves, the gift of life, my salvation, my husband,
children, lofty ideas, I have every reason to freely give back to humanity because I deserve nothing to be whom I am and where I am today.
I had a very poor orientation before getting enrolled in to the university, and I do not want those experiences to happen to the upcoming generation.
Reason why in 2016 before the uprising in the two English speaking regions, my team voluntarily offered guidance and counseling in some primary and secondary schools with the assistance of the delegate of education at the time.
We used to hammer mostly on sexual reproductive health, subject choice and career orientation, personality development just to mention a few.
This was done free of charge but to our greatest dismay; some schools refused opening their doors to us for whatever reasons only God knows. Unfortunately, the crises in the region frustrated the initiative and we still continue to pray for effective resumption of schools.
ACTIVITIES
In March of 2019 Mani Queen launched a fortnightly talk show named “Moments With Mani Queen” which holds at Mawa Hotel Mile Six, Nkwen.
The vision of the show is to bring young people at the center of development, she says. “If there is any hope for the world, it will have to come from the younger generation.
The older generation has become too set in their ways, too content with the status quo, and too docile to attack evil. Yes, it will have to come from
young people who will have to stand up for what is right, who will proclaim the life of God and righteously confront those, young and old who are inwardly dead. Yes, it is possible.”
The talk show features experts to x ray themes of the day which include:
Sexual reproductive health- gender based violence in all its forms. The arts and science of leadership, everything rises and falls on leadership.
Entrepreneurship, business ideas, incubating business ideas, and others Mani Queen is active with other programmes. “We run a Youths program on CBC radio every Saturday from 11 am to 12 noon and a rebroadcast on Sunday at 1pm to 2 called * Youths Platform* she says.
“This is a very interactive show where people call to chip in their contributions and appreciate the impact of the program in their lives and we intend to put all discussed topics on CDs for the benefit of all.
MUSIC HEELS
“Last year on the international day of peace, we released a lamentation album of six tracks with some of the children we work with which has gone viral especially on social media entitled JUSTICE AND PEACE FOR A BETTER WORLD, with the most peculiar songs calling on state and non-state actors to drop their arms for the sake of peace, we can’t go to school, and where should I go! These songs were not for sale.
Mani has another album of ten tracks in the market titled Revival. But why revival songs? Her response:
“We live in perilous times, most of us are dead spiritually and need to arise, resurrect in order for the devil not to sow painful tares in our lives.
I am convinced and intentional, that whoever listens to revival songs will be revived in all aspects. My songs come spontaneously with the help of the holy spirit and I believe it comes for no other reason than to revive every dry bone.”
THE GREATEST TEACHER INSPIRES
Inspired by her own students of GBHS Bamenda, Mani Queentar published a book titled, The greatest teacher inspires. The foreword is written by Prof Kongyuy Patrick of the University of Bamenda. She calls it the work the mother of all motivational books.
She says: “The tittle of the book came from a quotation from William Author and Horace Mann where the former affirmed that the mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates and above all, the
Greatest Teacher Inspires.
The latter was of the opinion that a teacher who attempts to teach without inspiring the learners with the desire to learn, is hammering on cold iron. I was intrigued with these quotations and decided to caption the book the greatest teacher because I had their ideas in mind before putting the manuscript together.
Many learners have given up because of the inability of some teachers to encourage them. Some have been labeled invalid by their own very teachers who are supposed to inspire them. More than 700 hundred copies have been sold already, she says.
The PSYCHE EMERGENCY CONSULTING is a common initiative group newly registered for the benefits of individuals, families, groups and organizations of any
kind and type to offer psycho social support using the multi-sectoral approach where we are making arrangements for effective partnership with related organizations like health, justice, social welfare, security, community heads, to give a holistic approach to problems or concerns raised especially in cases of gender based violence.
At the level of organizations and industries, PSYCHE EMERGENCY CONSUTING applies the principle of psychology to the work place and are concern with practical issues as recruitment and selection, training and development of personnel, occupational health and safety, industrial relation schemes, work place diversity, ergonomics, work life balance and many more to improve productivity, performance and working conditions of workers.
FAMILY
Happily married to barrister Yijofmen Kol Mani, the couple have four amazing kids – Kendra, Kieh, Kenan, Kemuel. Queentar describes her man as “a loving, organised and responsible father to our awesome kids”. I thank God for the life of my husband and how far he has taken us.
He always give the kids freedom to play and disturb even when he is busy working on pertinent files back at home, something I will hardly tolerate.
What I admire most in him is that, he has made it a duty to take the children to the beauty saloon each time he notices their hair is about to outgrow.
He is tolerant of me given the fact that I do so many things on a daily basis which some husbands won’t accept from their wives.
I love him more for that and also because he believes so much in me and often refer to me sometimes as the source of his inspiration.”
DISLIKES AND LIKES
“I dislike disrespectful and proud behavior, a chronic complainer and liar, overly jealous persons, ignorant behavior.
Her list of hates is long: the act of marginalization, discrimination and trampling on the rights of people; war and violence in the place of her birth; “The bible says whoever hates a brother or sister is a murderer.
As a psychologist, we try not to be judgmental but attempt to find out the root cause of certain unacceptable behavior for reintegration” she says.
On the other hand, Queentar loves a peaceful society void of violence of any kind, selfless people public speaking, inspiring others. Singing is just her way of life. She loves children unconditionally.
Travel experience
Our woman of our time traveled to Dubai in the middle east in 2008 for business. But her 7-day experience was overwhelming. “My mouth can’t tell it all what my eyes saw. I was amazed with how car owners respected pedestrians on the road especially when one is crossing the road. But here, Jesus Christ! Help Cameroon. I understood that most of their achievements were attributed to good leadership.
Dubai is a desert but when I got to Dubai Mall, I was marveled to see man-made sea. Incredible right…I saw many Africans, black Indians all in menial jobs, some in to drugs and prostitution.
You could see Arabs in sophisticated cars parading the streets with their families while most Africans worked as slaves. Their currency which is called Diram is far more valuable than the CFA Franc.” That is Mani Queen.
I have not started my ministry yet. And don’t be surprised if you see her someday running her own church. “I am still struggling to build a solid foundation for my life and ministry and strongly believe that at age forty, the walls of the house will be raised.
By the grace of God, I wish to retire at fifty five instead of the normal sixty five because by then I must have done a lot for humanity after which I will continue to win souls for the kingdom of GOD like never before which is the only reason why we live in this wilderness.
If you will like to contact our Queenly Queentar, here are her coordinates:
Contacts: 677787066,
Email: Maniqueen1234@gmail.com
Facebook: Mani Queen