Yaounde: Top gov’t officials, diplomats…grace Guzang cultural festival.

The call was made in Yaounde Sunday July 16. This was during the 2023 Guzang Cultural Festival which held at the National Museum. It was organised by the Guzang Cultural and Development Association, GUCDA.

It was a ceremony that pulled a mammoth crowd, among them top government officials, diplomats and traditional rulers as well as other important dignitaries. 

Speaking during the crowd-pulling event that assembled over a thousand sons and daughters of Guzang origin, the elite of the village including the Fon of Guzang, Gwan Mbanyamsig III, and the President General of GUCDA, Justice Mba Richard, urged the indigenes to work for peace and development.

Fon Gwan Mbanyamsig III, in his speech described Guzang as a historic place that has since its creation, decades ago, held strong to its status as one of the most development-oriented villages.

He said the records are notably highlighted through the community’s legacy as being unarguably the first in the North West Region to have acquired pipe-borne water. 

These records, the traditional authority reiterated, should be a push factor for sons and daughters of Guzang to do more for their community.

He equally urged them to intensify their efforts in promoting the development of the area through peace and reconciliation. 

“Our culture is that which…cuts across boundaries. It brings people together, promote social cohesion, peace, security and national unity,” Fon Gwan Mbanyamsig III said.

“At the core of this is truth. As such, our cultural values, an instrument of reconciliation in our beloved country today marked by fractions and tensions. Our cultures should be harnessed as a crucial component of reconciliation for peace to foster development,” the revered traditional custodian detailed. 

Pushing for development

When he took to the rostrum, the President General of GUCDA, Justice Mbah Richard, made similar calls like the traditional ruler. 

According to the legal mind, the two-day gathering was an opportunity for Guzang indigenes to revisit their history, traditional values and practices.

The crucial step taken through the cultural festival, Justice Mbah Richard stated, will open the way for more development projects to take place in the community that has already made strides in the domain of education, health, road infrastructure and other key areas. 

“I am proud to say we have attained the objective of bringing the Guzang people together and our well-wishers to come and celebrate with us. From here, we will be able to work as a team so we can develop together. The objective is that we gather funds, do self-development before we stretch our hands to the government or to friendly organisations or better still, partners,” Justice Mbah said.

“We have built a laboratory and a theatre. The government saw our efforts and transformed the centre to a Medicalised Health Centre…we are now waiting for the appointment of a Medical Doctor for the centre,” he detailed. 

According to the GUCDA boss, the association has also built a Science Laboratory for one of the communities’ biggest institutions, Government High School Guzang. 

The laboratory, he continued, will boost the education sector in the area. He also announced that works are underway for the construction of a Multimedia Centre which will host a library and a media structure.

Diplomatic, administrative authorities grace event 

Sunday’s festival brought together over a dozen traditional, diplomatic and administrative authorities from across the national territory and beyond. 

Traditional rulers present at the event included amongst others, the Fons of Balikumbat, Bangolan and Babungo. 

Diplomatic and national dignitaries included the United States Ambassador to Cameroon, H.E Christophe Lamora; the Minister Delegate to the Minister of External Relations in Charge of Cooperation with the Commonwealth, Mbayu Felix; Mbah Acha Rose; Minister Delegate In-charge of the State Supreme Audit Office; the Coordinator of the National Disarmament and Demobilisation Committee, Fai Yengo Francis; the Interim Minister of Mines, Industry and Technological Development, Prof Ful Calistus Gentry and the Director General of Customs, Edwin Fongod.

Speaking at the end of the two-day festival, sons and daughters of Guzang interviewed by The Guardian Post, all expressed gratitude to initiators of the festival.