Efforts at return to normalcy: NW Fons to stage maiden peace, reconciliation festival.

The announcement was made by the head of the delegation, who doubles as the Fon of Bambalang, HRM Fon Yakum Kevin Teuvih. 

This was during an audience granted the traditional rulers by the Minister of Arts and Culture, Bidoung Mkpatt. The audience took place at the Conviviality Hall of the National Museum in Yaounde, on Wednesday, August 28. The delegation comprised the Fons of Bali Nyonga, Kom, Guzang, Bamali as well as some senior palace officials.

Fon Yakum Kevin told the member of government that the festival aims to act as a trigger and meeting point of all sons and daughters of the North West Region, to display their various cultures with main objective being to help contribute to return to normalcy. 

He said the festival, to last four days, is envisaged to hold in the first week of December 2024. The North West Region, Fon Yakum regretted, has been greatly affected by the over seven years armed conflict in the two English-speaking Regions of the country. 

Fon Yakum said the festival will be an opportunity for them to revive the cultural festivals of different villages that have been put on hold due to insecurity. He cited the Lela in Bali and Ngonso in the Nso land, among others.

“…it was necessary for us to do something, even as we do not celebrate the festivals within our villages. We thought it wise to come and have symbolic presentation of these festivals at the regional level with the celebration of our cultures,” Fon Yakum Kevin said.

The project, the Fon added, was initiated with the aim of bringing all the traditional rulers, indigenes of the North West Region, visitors and lovers of culture for the mega show. 

Veritable avenue to display culture 

During the festival, he disclosed, two villages selected from each of the seven Divisions of the Region will present their cultural heritage. 

“It is true we cannot present all the cultures that exist in the various villages in this short time, but we are going to do a selection,” Fon Yakum Kevin explained. 

The festival, Fon Yakum Kevin said, will include a workshop, which he said, will contain the presentation of the strides made after the Major National Dialogue address the conflict situation in the Anglophone Regions. 

He said it will also feature presentation on the role of traditional rulers in the advent of civilisation, talks on peace and justice, the role of the Public Independent Conciliator, PIC, among others. 

“Traditional rulers now do not just play their role in tradition but are also called upon to be actors in local development,” Fon Yakum Kevin said.

He said they also envisage displaying all the produce of North West Region, the exhibition of the Region's arts and crafts, livestock and fishery products. 

The festival, he announced, will equally be a platform for the Ministry of Trade to launch a promotional sale of basic commodities. 

Fon Yakum Kevin used the opportunity to declare the Region’s readiness to host the projection of the documentary film on the Head of State, President Paul Biya. 

Enter culture minister

After listening to his guest, the Minister of Arts and Culture, Bidoung Mpkwatt, thanked the Fons for the initiative to work for the promotion of the arts and culture of the Region.

He equally expressed the wish for the festival to be used as an avenue to market the rich cultural values of the North West Region as well as the ambition to register it on the List of Intangible Cultural of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO. 

Bidoung Mkpatt equally pledged his support for the initiative and instructed the Secretary General of the ministry, Blaise Nkene, to coordinate work for the smooth organisation and holding of the upcoming festival.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3214 of Friday August 30, 2024