At workshop in Yaounde: The Okwelians, traditional rulers explore ways to safeguard ecological transition.

This was in a workshop that was held in Yaounde on October 15. It was co-organised by the nonprofit think do tank, The Okwelians, and the Network of Traditional Rulers of Africa, known by its French acronym, ReCTrad.

Speaking at the event, the President of The Okwelians, Jacques Jonathan Nyemb, pointed out that climate challenges compel societies to adapt and mitigate their impact on living beings.

He stated that as a Think Do Tank at the heart of Cameroon’s sustainable transformation debate, the organisation thought it wise to raise awareness among traditional leaders on this pressing issue after mobilising parliamentarians and local elected officials last April.

According to Nyemb, there is an urgent need for a paradigm shift towards a more sustainable society.

“In this direction, we consider that it is vital we mobilise immaterial capital that is the traditional knowledge that we have in Cameroon to be able to face these difficulties and build a new society. Including these key actors in the discussion on ecological transition will allow us to explore and leverage the indigenous knowledge they safeguard to make green innovation a driver of value creation for our communities,” Nyemb underscored.

He added that through the workshop, they discussed with the traditional rulers what they have been able to achieve as far as ecological transition is concerned and convince them to join forces so they continue to work towards a sustainable society.

He also disclosed that they plan to set up an institute for green innovation in Cameroon that will make the country advance in terms of green innovation not only in Africa, but all over the world. 

Enter traditional rulers

The President of ReCTrad, His Majesty Bruno Mvondo, disclosed that through the workshop, they will learn how to implement traditional knowhow and make it useful for ecological transition.

“Through this workshop we will see how we can ensure that grassroots communities are aware of ecological transition so that they become the forerunners of protecting biodiversity in our communities. Together we will see how traditional authorities can effectively contribute to ecological transition in our different communities,” he stated.

On his part, the Fon of Babungo, His Majesty Fon Zofoa III, opined that rallying traditional rulers to discuss on environment issues is important, because they are closer to the local populations and can better protect biodiversity and ecological systems.

He reiterated that they will learn and gather valuable facts that will be transmitted back to their people so they know how to better protect the environment.

Enter sponsor

According to the organisers, the workshop is part of a project dubbed ‘la société civile au cœur de la transition écologique’ which roughly translates as “civil society at the heart of the ecological transition”.

The project seeks to raise awareness, train, and support civil society actors in Cameroon and France in favour of the ecological transition. It is being carried out in partnership with the ‘Conseil pour le Suivi des Recommandation du Nouveau Sommet Afrique France’, roughly translated as Council for the Follow-up of the Recommendations of the New Africa-France Summit, and the French Cooperation.

The Cooperation officer, Environment and Research at the French Embassy, Amel Ahmed-Boudouda, disclosed that the project was financed by the French Embassy with the sum of 600, 000 Euros (approximately 390 million FCFA).

“This project seeks to enhance our work with the civil society and traditional rulers, because we are convinced that we cannot achieve ecological transition without the vital role of traditional authorities,” Ahmed-Boudouda stated.

About workshop

According to the organisers, the workshop had as goal to amplify the role of ancestral knowledge in the sustainable management of natural resources and the preservation of ecosystems. They furthered that indigenous knowledge passed down through generations, is a crucial key to addressing contemporary ecological challenges, as it provides local solutions tailored to the environmental and cultural specifics of each region.

At the end of the meeting, a joint declaration was signed, committing the traditional leaders to put their ancestral knowledge at the service of ecological transition.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3262 of Thursday October 17, 2024