27 Kilometres Through the Day: Tulah Chrystaline's Journey of Grit and Grace

Mon 31st Aug 2026

There are moments that test not just the body, but the very core of who we are. For Tulah Chrystaline, one of the poets of Abakwa Toks: Voices Unbound, that moment came on a 27-kilometre trek from Finance Junction in Bamenda to the Matazem River—organised by the Infinite Infinity Organisation.

It was a challenge that would push her to her limits. But as she would later say, giving up was never an option.

The Journey Begins
The trek started at Finance Junction in Bamenda. The group—a mix of poets, marathoners, bloggers, and community advocates—set off at 8:00 AM. The route would take them through Upstation Customs Junction, Upstation Mile 1, Akum, and Santa, winding through the rugged terrain of the North West Region.

For Tulah, this was not just a physical exercise. It was a statement. A declaration that she—like the words she performs on stage—would not be silenced or stopped.

The Weight of the Road
As the kilometres stretched on, so did the exhaustion. The road was long. The night was cold. The body screamed for rest.

"It was tiring, exhausting," Tulah would later recall. "But I couldn't give up. I could not let my team down."

That sense of responsibility—to her team, to herself, to the spirit of Abakwa Toks—kept her moving. One foot in front of the other. One kilometre at a time.

At some points along the road, the group had to stop, rest, rehydrate, and keep going. Some participants even had to walk barefoot. But no one stopped. No one turned back

Walking Among Warriors
Tulah was not alone on this journey. She walked alongside an extraordinary group of individuals, including:

• Keshiel of the Infinite Infinity Organisation
• Neutral Boo (Leonard) – a physically challenged marathoner and blogger who walked on one leg and two crutches
• Blogger Sporter, White, Blessing, Ngwengu Sharon, and Achem Eviaya

Watching Neutral Boo push forward with such determination—despite the immense difficulty—was a powerful reminder of what resilience truly means. As Mottanni, who also participated in the trek, observed:

Watching Neutral Boo walk on one leg and two crutches for 27 kilometres was a powerful reminder that the only limits we have are the ones we place on ourselves. He showed us that resilience is not about having the most strength—it is about refusing to give up.

 

For Tulah, this was more than inspiration. It was a mirror. If Neutral Boo could keep going, so could she. If he could refuse to give up, so would she.

Arrival at Matazem River
After hours of walking through the night, the group finally arrived at the Matazem River at 2:00 PM the next day. The journey had taken them from darkness to daylight, from exhaustion to elation.

They had done it. All 27 kilometres.

Together, we made history. Together, we proved that we are unstoppable.— Mottanni
 

The Spirit of Abakwa Toks
Tulah Chrystaline's journey is more than a story of a long walk. It is a reflection of what Abakwa Toks stands for—resilience, determination, and the refusal to surrender.

On stage, Tulah speaks truth. On the road, she lives it. She carries the same fire that fuels every poet of Abakwa Toks: Voices Unbound—the fire to keep going, to keep speaking, to keep transforming.

"The only limits we have are the ones we place on ourselves. Keep moving. Keep pushing. Keep rising."
 
Join the Movement
Tulah's story is a reminder that art and life are not separate. The courage it takes to perform on stage is the same courage it takes to walk 27 kilometres through the night.

Abakwa Toks is Bamenda's monthly multidisciplinary platform for creative expression and intellectual exchange. Through spoken word, music, dance, debates, panel discussions, and symposiums, we provide a stage for voices that refuse to be silent—and a space for communities to heal, learn, and grow.

📍 Venue: Y'G Inc., Ndamukong Street, Mile 2 Nkwen, Bamenda
📅 When: Monthly (Every Last Saturday)
🎤 Tagline: Speak. Move. Think. Transform.

 
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Facebook: @AbakwaToks
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Website: www.abakwatoks.com
 
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