Yaounde,
Cameroon—The Yaounde chapter of the Wimbum Cultural and
Development Association (WICUDA) has raised over FCFA 6million for the
completion of the organization’s cultural complex under construction at the
Oyom-Abang neighborhood, south of the capital city.
The money was collected at a fundraising at the
uncompleted cultural complex last Sunday June 12, 2016.
The Wimbum people who have as common denominator the
limbum language are from Ndu and Nkambe sub divisions of Donga-Mantung Division
in the North West Region.
But according to the chairperson of the WICUDA
Yaounde fundraising, Dr. Fuh Calistus Gentry, Secretary of State in the
Ministry of Mines Industries and Technological Development, just like every north
westerner is called “a Bamenda man,” everybody from Donga Mantung is referred
to as “a Nkambe man.”
The Donga Mantung Division which has five
subdivisions—Ako, Misaje, Ndu Nkambe and Nwa used to be referred to in the
colonial days as the Nkambe Division, thus according to Dr Calistus Gentry, “we
are one people.”
The chairman who launched the fund raising with FCFA
2 million lauded the Wimbum people whom he described as hardworking.
“I want to commend the Wimbum people for their hard
work, I expect the rest of the Division to copy the example of the Wimbum
people,” Dr Calistus Gentry said.
Like the chairperson, Hon Awudu Mbaya, Member of
Parliament for Nkambe central who launched the funds collection with FCFA 1
million said he was glad with the massive turnout of invitees.
“This is the kind of solidarity we should have not
only amongst the Wimbum people but the whole division,” Hon Awudu said as he urged
the chairperson to always invite his colleagues; members of government to “come
and play njangi” each time he is called to chair such an event.
Symbol
of unity and power
The immediate past president of WICUDA Yaounde and
coordinator of the complex project, Nfor Lazarus Bungong explained that the
structure will host ceremonial halls, a lodge for Wimbum traditional rulers, a
museum for the exhibition of Wimbum cultural artifacts, a limbum language
center and an information center.
In an earlier welcome address, the president of
WICUDA Yaounde, Ngwatu Emmanuel was all praises to the initiator of the
project, Ma Shey Patu who he said, “we are only building on a foundation she
laid.”
He said the complex upon completion will be a symbol
of unity and power of Wimbum people in the nation’s capital. “It will be source
of identity and pride for all of us. It will attract tourists, researchers and
all who want to know about our culture.”
On behalf of the association, the president promised
supporters of the project that WICUDA shall be accountable to them. “We will
endeavor to give you a monthly progress report on the complex.”
Quoting Anne Frank, the WICUDA Yaounde president
encouraged all to give towards the project for “no one has ever become poor by
giving. You will not become poor because you gave to the completion of the
WICUDA complex,” Ngwatu Emmanuel said.
Though the association targeted FCFA 17 million,
Ngwatu Emmanuel told this reporter at the end of the event that he was happy
for what was raised at the first phase.
“We tasked our village meetings to each contribute
at least FCFA 50,000 and we have about 30 village meetings in Yaounde. When
they will bring-in their contributions, plus the money that has been coming in,
we will be at about 9 million,” the WICUDA Yaounde president said.
Other chief launchers of the fundraising included
(not limited to), Simon Tamfu, Dr Richard Tantoh, Dr Bawe Mohamadou, Hon Ngala
Esther and Bungong Lazarus.
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