Brenda Yufeh
6 November 2009
Bakweri indigenes in Yaounde have been told to maintain peace, uplift the culture of the Bakweri people and be the ambassadors of the Fako people.
The statement was made over the weekend by the Former Director of Cabinet at the Prime Minister's Office, Paul Njie Meoto, as he chaired activities marking the 30th anniversary of the Yaounde Bakweri Indigenous Cultural Association dubbed BICA. During activities that took place at the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (CPDM) party house located at the Nkolndongo neighbourhood, members of the association displayed a good mastery of the various traditional dances in the Bakweri culture.
The singing of the National Anthem in the Bakweri language and an opening prayer seeking God's presence in the occasion ushered the chairman of the event, Paul Njie Moeto who expressed worries over the disappearance of the Bakweri language. He said people feel ashamed to speak in the Bakweri language as they consider it primitive. While encouraging the Bakweri people in Yaounde to always create time and travel back home to contribute in developmental projects in the village, Paul Njie Meoto also urged BICA members to help in shaping young people from the village and to teach them the language. As a prominent CPDM militant, Paul Njie Meoto called on the Bakweri people to make it a point of duty to support the regime in place.
During the anniversary event which was marked by a symbolic cutting of the anniversary cake, BICA members used the opportunity to portray the culture of a Bakweri man through traditional sounds such as "Ngaya Male", "Hall", "Asiko", "Cha-Cha" and "Mondame". This was an exciting moment for guests as it was with extreme joy that they saw how BICA men and women throw their body in the traditional way. BICA branch president, Mrs Emballe Monono said the anniversary was organised in a bid to rejoice and thank God that the association has been in existence for over 30 years. She noted that the money collected during the cutting of the anniversary cake will be used to assist hospitals and remote areas in various Bakweri villages.
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