At National Day celebration in Canada: High Commissioner urges Cameroonians to be law-abiding, maintain dignity.

The event, organised by Cameroon High Commission, took place at the prestigious Preston Event Centre. It was celebrated in pomp and pageantry, with guests from all walks of life. 

Participants at this year’s event came from different parts of the Canada and represented different strands of public and private life in Canada.

It was attended by dozens of diplomats and Canadian government officials. Also present at the celebrations were hundreds of members of the Cameroonian diaspora.

H.E. Ngole Philip Ngwese, speaking at the event in both French and English, gave a brief history of the events that led to the institution of the celebration of the National Day, insisting on Cameroonians taking advantage of the gains thereof. 

He equally lauded the Cameroon-Canada relations, which has been in existence since 1962. The High Commissioner expressed informed optimism on the progress of bilateral cooperation between Canada and Cameroon, especially in terms of economic and commercial ties.

Speaking to the hundreds of Cameroonians who turned out, the High Commissioner called on them to be law-abiding citizens and to take advantage of the opportunities that Canada has to offer. 

He enjoined them to carry themselves “with dignity, to be law-abiding citizens, and to give a good account of yourselves at all times and in all circumstances”. 

H.E. Ngole Philip Ngwese also offered a toast for the consolidation of peace, unity and harmony in Cameroon and to the fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation between Cameroon and Canada.

Talking to the press, the High Commissioner said the National Day gave Cameroonians in Canada the opportunity to come together and celebrate their unity in diversity and also to display their attachment to their fatherland. 

He said to enhance Cameroon-Canada relations, they are “in contact with certain research institutes in Canada to come up with Memoranda of Understanding for Cameroonian research institutes and institutions of higher learning to work in partnership with Canadian institutions”.

Values Canada and Cameroon share extolled

On her part, the representative of Global Affairs, Mrs Cheryl Urban, Assistant Deputy Minister for Africa, and Pan-Geographic Affairs at Global Affairs Canada, who represented the Canadian government, extolled the shared values that Cameroon and Canada share. She especially evoked both countries’ bilingual nature and the advantages that come with it.

Notably present at the event were the Speaker of the House of Commons, the Right Honorable Greg Fergus; the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, H.E. Souriya Otmani; the Dean of the African Group of Heads of Missions, H.E. Prosper Higiro, and the President of the Francophone group of Ambassadors H.E. Appolinaire Aya.

53 years of resilience, unity, living together

A Cameroonian living in Canada, Denis Mesumbe, said National Day is very important to every Cameroonian.

“1972 to 2025 is 53 years. Fifty-three years of resilience, unity, and living together. Despite the little issues in our country, we remain one and indivisible,” he stated. 

“Talking about culture, in Canada, we represent our culture in different diversities…,” Mesumbe added.

On his part, another Cameroonian living in Canada, Michel Yambi, said the National Day is a consolidation of Cameroon’s diversity.

“It is occasion for us to come and reaffirm our unity and showcase our diversity and consolidate a country that is united and its citizens are moving towards one direction,” he said. 

He noted that: “For us resident in Canada, integrating culture is capital because it remains to us the nationalist and patriotic flame”. 

The event featured highlights such as music performances from Cameroonian entertainer, Wise Atangana, a presentation of a brief documentary on Cameroon’s cultural and tourism potentials. 

The celebration was graced by a combination of Cameroonian, Canadian and European legendary cuisine. 

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3453 of Friday May 23, 2025