By James Achanyi-Fontem
Director of Publication
Cameroon Link
Over 5.000 guests from various parts of Cameroon jammed the Lenale Ndem UNESCO Club Museum in Melong, Moungo Division of Cameroon to participate in the official take off of 2010 activities associated to the memorial celebration of Mafuankeng Forminka, Queen Mother of the Lenale Ndem Palace.
The official ceremony was presided over by the Deputy Senior Divisional Officer, Tapca Albert, who lauded the community initiative aimed at promoting the conservation of cultural arts and heritage of the museum. He added that arts and craft at the Lenale Ndem UNESCO Club museum constituted great cultural patrimony of Cameroon that attracts tourists to the region.
He invited members of the executive bureau of the club to elaborate policies that would include the organisation of training on arts conservation for the transfer of the heritage to young persons and for the promotion of exchanges between Cameroon and other countries.
The SDO for Moungo encourage the population to support the community initiative which also unites people, promotes peace and development. The Senior Civil Administrator for Moungo, Mvondo Justin signed the legal frame work authorisation reference no. 112/RDA/C16/BAPP for the Lenale Ndem UNESCO Club on the 22nd October 2009 to undertake its initiative for the promotion of rights, cooperation and the development of the culture of the people of Cameroon.
These activities, according to the constitution and internal regulations of the UNESCO Club, will not only promote national arts and cultural patrimony, but also reinforce friendship and solidarity between the people of Cameroon and other countries through mutual exchanges.
The non governmental organisation will elaborate policies on the role of conservation and preservation of cultural arts and crafts in conformity with legislation and regulations for the protection of patrimony, act as a consultative organ to the government, public and private institutions in the region on questions related to the development of traditional museums.
To achieve these goals, Lenale Ndem UNESCO Club will identify all the necessary human, technical and financial resources available at national, regional and international levels through information sharing on the needs and sources of assistance.
The chairman of Lenale Ndem UNESCO Club, Fonjinju Tatabong Alexander, made it known that his team would work to valorise Melong as the portal for the promotion of cooperation, the development of culture, arts and heritage of the people of Cameroon.
Melong is already very popular for its agricultural activities and the museum will promote tourism through the 2.826 traditional arts and crafts already stocked in the Lenale Ndem with the oldest art having 140 years.
Fonjinju reiterated that by setting up the club as a community initiative, it aimed at mobilising the population to support the mission of UNESCO and that of the government with the frame work of promoting the culture of peace and development.
The Lenale Ndem UNESCO Club will initiate, promote and stimulate diverse activities by using the experiences of the icons of UNESCO Clubs around the world. He explained that Mafuankeng Fprminka Esther, who was honoured on the occasion was born in 1914 and she told most of the stories which were transformed into the arts work found in the museum in Melong today. The executive bureau of the Lenale Ndem UNESCO Club of Melong is constituted of the following personalities:
President: Fonjinju Tatabong Alexander (Melong)
Vice President: Dr. John Nkengasong (USA)
General Secretary: Afutendem Lucas(Dschang)
Financial Secretary: Mbekem Loveline (Melong)
Treasurer: Akaya Claire (Melong)
Communication Officer: James Achanyi-Fontem (Douala)
Technical Adviser: Dr. Asaah Nkohkwo (United Kingdom)
Over 50 traditional leaders from North West, South West, West and Littoral regions led delegations of their Fondoms and Chiefdoms to participate in the traditional exhibition of Cameroon heritage through dances and traditional performances. Some of the dances that went on stage included Esseih, Lenya, Nkang, Kwang bequifua, Alunga chaba, Tchutcha of Bazou, Abin, Kana of Mbouda, and Njang of Nso only to name a few. FERMENCAM supported the organisation of the event by animating the population for two days and serving refreshments to the different dance groups that showed up. The media presence at the event was also very remarkable, especially as cameroon Radio Television, Cameroon Tribune and Canal 2 International Television despatched teams to the UNESCO Club activities launching in Melong.Cameroon Link covered the event extensively and more of the story can be watch through the videos uploaded at http://uk.youtube.com/camlink99/
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