By Our Correspondent
Hundreds of young people from across the Bamenda III municipality in the North West region of Cameroon assembled and carried out a community cleanup at the Nkwen Fon’s Palace this Monday November 22, 2021.
The youth said the activity was aimed at tidying up the neighborhood; venue of the Bamenda III municipality’s maiden Festival of Heritage Arts and Cultures (FEHACU) 2021. The grand opening of the cultural jamboree has been slated for Friday November 26.
Made up of 57 quarters, Nkwen is one of two main villages that make up the Bamenda III municipality with the other being Ndzah with nine quarters.
George Ngu, one of the community youth leaders who mobilized the volunteers said they feel that the festival has already achieved one of its goals even before the official launch with the mobilization and cleaning of the palace.
“I am so happy that this event is coming to our village,” George Ngu who is youth leader from Mbessi rejoiced. “We have come out as youths to work and clean our palace because this is where the event will take place,” he added.
The young people who are happy their village has been given the privilege to host the maiden edition of FEHACU say they want in return to ensure that visitors also enjoy the culture of cleanliness of the Bamenda III municipality.
The traditional ruler of Nkwen, HRM Fon Azehfor III has expressed satisfaction with the turn out of young people from all the quarters of the village and has indicated that the carnival to open the event will be key for all on Friday November 26 , 2021.
“I came out just to thank you for the love you have shown to this Palace and to the culture of Nkwen. I am inviting you to come out massively on Friday in the morning to walk and show the world our culture. Let the men be in their cultural attire just like the women,” the Fon of Nkwen said.
The mayor of the Bamenda III municipality, Fongu Cletus Tanwe said he was also marveled and is thankful to the young people who turned out massively for the cleanup activity.
“I lack words to thank you. Your turnout is evident that you have accepted to take over the cultural values of our municipality. Again, I thank you,” Mayor Fongu said inviting the young people to turn out in a similar way when the festival goes under “because there shall be no dull moment” during the festival to run from November 26-28.
The cultural jamboree will hold under the theme “Reconnecting to our roots, reviving cultural values and enhancing peaceful coexistence for socioeconomic empowerment of Bamenda III”.
It is worth noting that the Bamenda III Council area, which stands out as one of the few communities still living in relative calm in the turbulent English-speaking regions, has witnessed a swell in population and economic development.
The relative peace in the area, organisers say, is part of the ingredients that have paved the way for the organisation of the cultural festival, in a bid to foster the return to permanent peace.
