Photo: EUNAVFOR

Suspected Somali pirates

Cameroonian authorities and population showcased the country's legendary hospitality to the Heads of State and leaders of other delegations who arrived in the country yesterday June 23 ahead of today's opener of the Heads of State of the Economic Community

of Central African States, ECCAS, Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and the Gulf of Guinea Commission summit on maritime safety and security. Both the country's administrative authorities and the population, with their dance groups, turned up en masse at the Nsimalen International Airport to welcome the visiting delegations.

As early as 6 am, dance groups from Mefou and Afamba Division of the Centre Region and environs, as well as supporters of the various sections of the Cameroon People's Democratic Movement in the Division had already taken up vantage positions at the entrance of the airport to sing, dance and cheer the Heads of State and their accompanying delegations.

From 8 am when the Vice President of Gambia, Aja Isatou Njie-Saidy arrived, passing through the arrivals of the Military Chief of Cabinet of Burundi, Major General Evariste Ndayishimiye, representing the country's Head of State to the Commissioner of Economic Affairs of the African Union, Anthony Maruting, representing the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, the singing and dancing were incessant. The drumbeats intensified, singing heightened and dancing gained momentum at over midday when Niger's Head of State, Mahamadou Issoufou, arrived and was welcomed by Prime Minister, Philemon Yang.

The excitement continued unabated but deepened again at about 12:45 pm when the President of Sao Tome et Principe, Manuel Pinto Da Costa, arrived and was given a hilarious welcome by the Head of Government and a battery of Cabinet Ministers who had turned up at the airport. As the groups sang to the top of their voices and danced their best to entertain and make the august guests feel home away from home, banners like one on the way out of the airport read, "Welcome to Cameroon, Land of Hospitality," filled the air.