By Albert Njebusi*
The National Museum of Cameroon in Yaounde on Sunday December 1 played host to Zhang Qingwei, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC) of China. The NPC is the highest organ of state power of the People’s Republic of China responsible for making and overseeing national laws, as well as supervising key government functions.
For over one hour, the Chinese politician was taken on a guided tour through the rich cultural diversity of Cameroon at the museum.
The Chinese delegation was accompanied by the Minister of Arts and Culture Bidoung Mkpatt and the vice president of the Cameroon’s National Assembly, Hon. Theodore Datouo.
The tour guide of the day, Hughes Heumen Tchana Director of the National Museum, conducted his guests through the thematic exhibitions of the national museum such as the unity space, diversity space, symbol of the State of Cameroon, photo archives as well as two major temporary exhibitions, including “Staat Kamerun 1884-1914”, an ongoing exhibition on the German colonial past in the country.
Officials said the visit was also occasion for the strengthening of cultural ties between China and Cameroon. The Director of the National Museum said the visit was an opportunity to present the national museum to the Chinese delegation.
In his words “the National Museum is the symbol of our unity in cultural diversity. The Cameroon government makes sure that all her guests pass through the National Museum to better understand this Africa in miniature,” the director stated.
He further explained that, culture is at the beginning and the end of all human relations. “The National Museum does not only exhibit Cameroon’s artifacts, we are open to the world. At the moment, we have exhibition from ancient Egypt and a temporal exhibition from Hamburg-Germany. We received several others before from Korea, China and France. The visit of Vice speaker of the People’s Assembly of China may just be another cooperation that is coming up”, Heumen concluded.
Worthy to note that Zhang Qingwei was in Cameroon at the invitation of the government. Prior to his visit to the National Museum, he attended the official handing over of the China-built new National Assembly complex in Yaounde to the government of Cameroon.
During his four-day stay in the country, the Chinese National People’s Congress senior official also held talks with the Prime Minister, Head of Government Dr Joseph Dion Ngute and First Vice President of The Senate, Aboubakary Abdoulaye.
*Albert Njebusi is a journalism student the Advanced School of Mass Communication (ASMAC), in Yaounde.
