To Check Conflicts in NW: Traditional Rulers Join Atanga Peace Project

(NewsWatch Cameroon)-The Northwest Region of Cameroon is known to be hard hit by ubiquitous inter-tribal conflicts which result in loss of lives and property and to a greater extent, the destruction of peace and unity. To usher in lasting peace and unity, the Atanga Peace Project (APP) led by a U.S based Cameroonian medical doctor, Bernadette Atanga-Sab, has continued to embark on seminars and radio talk shows in the Northwest region.

General Tataw James (in suit) congratulates Dr. Atanga

After organizing conferences on peace with traditional and religious leaders of the Region, the Atanga Peace Project last February 2014, organized a seminar in Bamenda wherein, people, especially couples told their true life stories which touched on causes of conflicts in their respective families and how the conflicts were finally settled amicably for peace to reign.

Dr. Bernadette Atanga-Sab who opined that those confessions were intended to help others learn, noted that conflicts in the communities can usually be traced to families and so if people learn to remain peaceful in the family, their communities would ipso facto remain peaceful and unity would reign.

Beside the true life stories, Dr. Bernadette Atanga-Sab, a specialist in internal medicine and paediatrics with special interest in Emotional Health and Cultural Diversity, took the opportunity to drill the seminar participants on the causes of diabetes, high blood pressure, haemorrhage and barrenness amongst others. Although she disclosed that Atanga Peace Project volunteers will be dispatched to the field to check certain common diseases and sensitize the population, Dr. Bernadette advised each and everyone to go for medical check up very often.

The traditional rulers at the seminar who doffed their caps for the Atanga Peace Project (APP) were all unanimous that the initiative which started over a decade ago, has helped the communities a great deal. One of the traditional rulers, king Martin Forbuzie Asanji of Chomba, the erstwhile Secretary General of Northwest Fons (Chief) Union (NOWEFU) said he received Cameroon Queens’ Peace Award a couple of years ago thanks to the Atanga Peace Project initiative
“Through the conferences Atanga Peace Project organized with the traditional rulers of the Northwest Region, I am proud to say that Northwest traditional rulers have started eradicating obnoxious traditions and cultures especially those which abuse widows’ or women’s rights among others”.
Stressing that Atanga Peace Project has come to stay, Dr. Bernadette Atanga said she hails from a family of 10 children and they decided to form the Atanga Peace Project in the year 2000 as a special gift to their parents, Mr and Mrs Atanga who celebrated 50 years of peaceful marriage that year. She said because their parents are ardent Christians and love giving or assisting, the Atanga Peace Project is also centred on donating and working for peace, unity and development in communities.

Dr. Benardette has held similar seminars with Christians, students, couples, traditional leaders and top military personnel like General James Tataw in the Northwest and Centre regions of Cameroon. 

This Article was also Published in NewsWatch Newspaper N°007