Sports: Catholic School Njindom Beats Sang Hands Down, Sang to Revenge

Pupils of Catholic School Njindom have gone and beaten those of Sang. On Thursday March 23 2023, the Catholic School Sang field became a centre of attraction as villagers and parents of the nursery and primary school pupils forewent their other activities to answer present on the pitch and watch the kids scramble for victory.

In handball girls, it was a landslide victory for Njindom as they demoralised Sang by 18 goals to 4. To remove the shame during football boys, Sang saw resistance to concede a goal from Njindom as a duty. Unfortunately, no matter how hard they tried, taking the match right to penalties, at the end of the day, a scapegoat still had to carry the burden on his head as luck refused to be on his side, thus ending the match with Njindom still beating Sang again by 4 goals to 3.

Catholic School Njindom Football Team

Catholic School Sang Football Squad

The return match has been programmed for Wednesday March 29 2023 this time around on Catholic School Field Njindom. There are speculations the Sang youngsters will be coming to turn the tables and also best Njindom well on their own field. It's going to be must watch match that can be dubbed The Return of Sang.

Rev. Father Ngu Emmanuel, parish priest of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish Njindom is the brain behind the idea to bring these two primary schools together for a sports frenzy so that memories of the good old days can be rekindled and the children enjoy their youthfulness so that tomorrow they'll have stories to tell about their primary school days when they grow up.

Catholic School Njindom Handball Team

Catholic School Sang Handball Team

Rev. Fr. Ngu ever since being transfered to Shepherd God's flock in Njindom parish has from time to time shifted from the main narrative of God, Bible, Heaven, Hell, Sin to facing other worldly realities. He attends birthday parties, weddings, funerals, wines and dines with the commoners even in bars irrespective of their social statues or way of life. However any time he mounts the altar to preach, souls are always touched.

In the heart of the Anglophone Crisis when barrels were smoking across Mbengwi, schools not functioning, Rev. Fr. Ngu Emmanuel mustard courage, braved the odds and organised a football tournament in Njindom that ended up pulling over 500 spectators together. Last year it was same thing and there are prospects that come August 2023, another edition of the Njindom Father's Cup may still take place again.

Rev. Fr. Ngu Emmanuel, Parish Priest, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Njindom

Not only does he limit himself to Njindom in Mbengwi but also penetrates other subdivisions in Momo. Few months back, images of Fr. Ngu Emmanuel in Njikwa surfaced online. Where others fear to go, he goes. Whom others fear to encounter, he encounters them and talks with them and he's never been hurt. It is feared tears of regret will flow down hundreds of cheeks across several denominations and homes in the Njindom parish and beyond the day Rev. Fr. Ngu Emmanuel shall be transferred from Njindom to another parish. Until then, for how, he's impacting humanity exactly as his calling demands

Tobho Youths, Setting the Pace for Others to Follow in Mbengwi

Tobho Youths, Setting the Pace for Others to Follow in Mbengwi

The Tobho Youths Association now has a new Executive Committee (EXCO). After a recently held elective general assembly meeting, the newly elected  EXCO members were on Sunday March 19 2022 installed into their various posts of responsibility by the quarter council. 

Mr. Tacho David is the quarter head of Tobho in Ku Fondom, Bome zone, Meta clan, Mbengwi. While addressing the youths of his quarter during the ceremony, he encouraged them to be hardworking for their future and for the good of their quarter. He also revealed that the quarter council has always been advising, encouraging and supporting the Tobho youths both physically and financially to help them realise their plan of action and ensure they stand out as the most vibrant youth group in the whole of Mbengwi. "Many other groups will come to copy from Tobho" he boasted. 

Family Photo at End of Installation

Tacho David, Quarter Head, Tobho, Ku Fondom

The Tobho youths and elders work hand in hand for the progress of their quarter. At the time of this report, both were jointly realising a local bridge construction project with planks over River Abbi that will link Tobho quarter in Mile 18 to Jaa quarter in Mile 17 and facilitate the transportation of farm produce from the Abbi plain to homes and markets. 

Teboh Julius has been leading the Tobho youths for two years now and won the confidence of his members who reelected him for another mandate. When Mbengwi Online cornered him at the close of the ceremony, we sought to know his leadership secrets. In response, he said "Youths like social activities and so when I became president, I introduced sports and exchange visits to other youth groups plus food and drinks and because of this he furthered, youths from other quarters gained interest in Tobho youths and decided to join us after seeing the liveliness, seriousness, commitment and progress recorded as days go by" 

In the current context of the ongoing Anglophone Crisis, many youth groups were forced to scatter as members relocated to other towns for safety and education, some picked up arms against the state, many killed and a general atmosphere of chaos, bewilderment reigned. It is only now in 2023 that a few of such youth groups are trying to stand back on their feet and the Tobho youths have been setting the pace in this direction. 

Mr. Tacho David, Quarter Head, Tobho Installing the New EXCO of Tobho Youth's Association

Tebo Julius, President, Tobho Youth's Association

Asked to advice other youth group leaders on how to start and grow their association, Julius said "Firstly, I'll tell them that the number doesn't matter. If you want to start, just start even if there are only three or four of you and introduce activities that will influence others to join. Again, never be discouraged whenever you call for a meeting and members don't come"

With reference to how he went about having the number that today constitutes the membership of his association, over 35 and so far one of the biggest and most active in the entire subdivision, he said "We used to move from door to door meeting the quarter youths right in their homes to sensitise and convince them on the need to come and belong to the Tobho Youths Association and when they do we endeavour to always organise activities that interest them"

The new Executive Committee is made up of 13 members. In terms of branding, the association has red t-shirts and of recent, a new traditional outfit has been introduced and adopted as uniform. Apart from holding weekly meetings to deliberate and play "njangi" plus savings, the Tobho Youths from time to time carry out community work in the quarter, do farming, organise exchange visits with other youth groups. At press time, the association is about to benefit a poultry farming project to be financed by some Meta sons and daughters out of the country.

Tobho Youths on Group Farm

Session

Tobho Quarter Council Guiding the Youths

Mɨchi Əbeŋ: Clash of Mukonge Dance Groups in the Offing

Members of Organising Committee and Participating Dance Group Leaders Pose for a Family Picture after Meeting

The long awaited date for the pioneer clash of Mukonge Dance Groups in Meta has been made known. This was after a planning meeting recently held in the inner court of the Guneku palace last Saturday March 18 2023 between members of the organising committee and leaders of the various groups to partake in the competition. 

Before agreeing on the date, members first resolved on other practical modalities; that each participating group will be limited to a maximum of 20 and minimum of 15 members, that the duration per performance will be at most 7 minutes and that latest 10am on the day of the event, all the competing groups must have answered present on the event ground. 

Mukonge Dance Group of Barakwe

Mukonge Dance Group of Bome

After consulting the brain behind the event, it was finally agreed that Mɨchi Əbeŋ will take place on Saturday (Kwe) 15 April 2023 and will bring together six Mukonge dance groups in Meta to challenge each other for the first position. The groups are: Barakwe, Sang, Mbemi, Kai, Bome and Mbengwi. 

To ensure each group comes for the competition to showcase nothing but the best, they were all given financial assistance to subsidise their transportation, feeding and fortification of their instruments, costume in the build up to the D-day. Saturday 15 April 2023 will thus be a historic day in Meta after the winner would've been proclaimed. 

Mukonge Dance Group of Kai

Mukonge Dance Group of Sang

Mɨchi Əbeŋ is a cultural festival initiated by the Germany-based Dr. Fomuki W. Ticha, Fon of Guneku village. Worried about the brunt being borne by indigenes that have been living back home through out this Anglophone Crisis period coupled with the speedy disappearance of the Meta culture, His Royal Highness Fon Fomuki W. Ticha saw need to step in and do something to remedy the situation. 

Mɨchi Əbeŋ thus seeks revive the disappearing culture of the Meta people through dance, cuisine, language and costume. On the day of the festival, all attendees will only gain access to the ceremonial ground on condition that they're traditionally dressed, the lone language of communication throughout the event will only be Meta, only palm wine and traditional meals like porridge cocoyams (nang tari) will be consumed during refreshment only with fingers from wooden bowls or on plantain leaves. 

Mukonge Dance Group of Mbemi

Members of the Organising Committee

Prior to the upcoming event, a five-man delegation that was formed as organising committee had toured all the groups to lay down the modalities expected of them, some of which entail composing new songs with meaningful messages, dressing like it was in the yesteryears, avoiding the usage mystical powers to weaken the opponents and prioritise passion as main reason why they are in for the challenge not money. 

According to plans, after the festival, the mukonge dance should trend as phone ringtones, hit the airwaves of radio and TV stations plus online platforms, be danced and enjoyed in night clubs, at weddings and other such occasions. It is in this light that measures will be put in place to perfectly capture the performances both in audio and visual form for storage. 

H.R.H Dr. Fomuki W. Ticha, Germany-based Fon of Guneku, Initiator of Mɨchi Əbeŋ Receiving this Reporter in Bonn, Germany, June 2022

The Guneku Royal Family in Germany

Moreover, one unique Mukonge dance group made up dancers, xylophonists, singers and drummers selected from each of the groups that partook in the competition is expected to be formed plus another one comprised only of youths. Such a group will then be said to be the best of the best and will be representing Meta far and wide when it comes to traditional dance. 

According to the Fon of Guneku, Mɨchi Əbeŋ will be a yearly event and since the first edition has been reserved for Mukonge, subsequent editions will be reserved for Kwem or Samba, Mbaghalum, Mendere, Tiwara etc. Mɨchi Əbeŋ is the Meta appellation for culture. It'll soon be to the Metas like Lehla is to the Balis, Ngonso to the Nsos, Ngondo to the Sawas etc. 

"Amba" Indefinite Blocking of Alabukam Road, the Stakes

Fishpond Hill, Ngyen-Mbo 

It's getting to a month now that no public transport or civilian vehicle has plied the Mbengwi Bamenda road through Alabukam but for military vehicles known as armoured cars. It's getting to a month now since the spokesperson of the Ambazonia Defence Council, Capo Daniel circulated a social media announcement suspending civilian movement on the Alabukam road indefinitely "for an imminent  military action against the Cameroon occupational forces" that were recently stationed at Alabukam. It's getting to a month now and no news about the announced exchange is still being awaited.

All this while, three subdivisions; Njikwa, Andek and Mbengwi have been cuff from the regional headquarters, Bamenda. Stores have run out of stock same as pharmacies and health institutions. Those on special treatment from advanced hospitals in Bamenda have remained at the mercy of God. Families are finding it difficult to transport their loved ones from town to the villages for burial. Some corpses that were due burial long ago are still in the mortuary incurring more cost while others are being buried where they shouldn't have been. 

Over 80 drivers that were solely relying on the transportation business along the Bamenda-Mbengwi road have been left stranded for close to a month now. Many have no secondary source of income. Nearly all are family heads and obviously these are over 80 families that have had their sufferings increased. They can't feed, cloth, treat themselves again. They can't play their "njangis" or pay their rents and other bills.

The first month of the road block is soon ending and there are no signs the road will be opened. CPDM councillors and party big wigs of Momo were driven in for the senatorial election that went on hitch free and driven back out safely in armoured cars. Even Minister Atanga Nji confirmed on state media all went on smoothly across the national triangle. It has remained the common man that's been paying the ultimate price. 

This is not the first time the Alabukam road is blocked. Last year when government and Amba jointly blocked Bali-Bamenda road, for three months after some uniform officers were killed in Bali Nyonga, the only option was for the Balians and others to access Bamenda through Ngyen-Mbo in Mbengwi. Later, the Alabukam stretch was blocked,  Bali reopened and like one good turn deserves another, this time around, the people of Mbengwi and beyond started going to and from Bamenda through Bali. 

With the recent indefinite blocking of the Alabukam road, the stakes were high that Bali road and maybe Old road through Mankon palace could be the only way out. Unfortunately, few cars that tried using these other options after the just ended senatorial elections from information we got were warned not to dare again. The only option now is by bike at the cost of 3.000F per passenger from Mbengwi to Bamenda through Bali only. Any business person in any of these three subdivisions having anything like cement, rods, animal feed, crates of drinks, bags of rice, basic food stuffs etc to transport now can only do so by bike. Even if its a patient patient or corpse, transportation can only be done on a bike.

Unfortunately the population of Alabukam depends highly on drivers plying the Bamenda - Mbengwi road for transportation. Many farmers access their farms located along the Alabukam road with their cars.. Should this decision of cut of blocking the road not be quickly reviewed, then Alabukam inhabitants will themselves not also have it easy transporting their goods and themselves to town and back.  Considering that even those who took the decision are themselves greatly affected by it, like shooting one's self in the leg, it's high time the decision is reversed. 

Ordering that the road will remain blocked till government removes the BIRs stationed at Alabukam is counter productive in a fight said to be for the population because such is not a condition government will ever contemplate yielding too. With their heavy military might and equipment and funding, they do what they want, when they want, where they want. When a road is blocked, the population suffers while government soldiers continue to use the supposed blocked road as they wish.

And so for the sake of the commoners caught in between and in betwixt the struggle, Alabukam road should be reopened for people to go about their normal lives. Just living on what's now called "Ground Zero" is already enough punishment. Some people even say they're already in hell based on the agonies they face daily. Till the day it ends with independence or federalism or decentralisation or whatever, let people at least fend for themselves now that every one is almost gasping for the last breadth

Hundreds to be Employed in Momo Division by the North West Regional Assembly

One of the specificities of the effective decentralisation drive is that it gives the two regions part of the responsibility for their development and gives all equal access to local services. The revelation was made by Prof. Anjoh Frii-Manyi Rose, Commissioner for Education, Sports and Cultural Development at the North West Regional Assembly.

She was speaking in Mbengwi of recent during a ceremony to launch activities for the implementation of the Peace and Development Initiative (P.D.I) and capacity building seminar for peace crusaders, actors of Community Decentralised Activities of the North West Regional Assembly to be executed in all five subdivisions of Momo.

Family Photo After Seminar

Professor Anjoh Frii-Manyi Rose, Commissioner for Education, Sports & Culture Dev't at the NWRA, Coordinator of the PDI/CDA Project in Momo

On Thursday March 9 2022, the conference hall of the Divisional Delegation of Labour and Social Security played host to over a hundred attendees that sat through the various speeches and presentations. According to Fouda Etaba Bernoit Nicaise, Senior Divisional Officer of Momo, there are a lot of projects coming to the various subdivisions in his area of command and it'll only be through peace that the beloved population will harvest many fruits from the regional assembly in terms of education, development.

The Rev. Ngongang Paul Anyam, Meta Presbytery Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon after his presentation on Peace Building told Mbengwi Online that "We have to reshape peace meaning that it is not an individual matter and I insist that peace and justice are bed fellows meaning positive peace goes with the fact that justice should be meted out."

Dignitaries and Others Watching Cultural and Sporting Activities

Tribune of the Mbengwi Municipal Stadium

The second day of the launching was marked by a sports and cultural festival on the Mbengwi municipal stadium that saw the first cycle girls of Government High School  Tudig clashing with their peers of the second cycle in football girls while in football boys, Mbengwi United defeated Widikum Strikers at post match penalties. Away from football, gastronomical, arts and craft exhibitions plus traditional dances also caught the attention of the audience. 

Winners and participants in the various disciplines were awarded cash prizes. At the close of the ceremony,  Mbengwi Online met the coordinator of the project in Momo, Prof. Anjoh Frii-Manyi Rose for an assessment of the launching ceremony she first began by appreciating the Fons, religious authorities, politicians, elites and other collaborators that were part of the event and most especially the indigenes of Batibo, Widikum, Njikwa and Ngie who braved all the odds to see the projects that they themselves identified being launched. "All what the North West Regional Assembly needs is the collaboration of the population" she added.

Traditional Dance (Mbaghalum of Zem)

Momo Gastronomy

Then she continued "We have come to tell the population that the North West Regional Assembly belongs to them, that the president of the republic H.E Paul Biya listened to their cry and called the Major National Dialogue in 2019 from which one of the outcomes was the creation of regional councils and regional assemblies with special statues. The population had cried that they want to be part of the development of their divisions, subdivisions and villages. That is why it can only be done through the North West Regional Assembly which has earmarked a number of projects that will be carried out to upgrade the lives of inhabitants. We need peace to be able to developke ourselves especially our roads and some of these projects involve the rehabilitation of these roads so that our mothers in the villages can be able to carry their food crops and go sell. Some of the villages have complained that their water points are bad and so we are going to be working with them to rehabilitate these water points."

This is just the first phase of the project and upon completion in about two or three months from now, if well done, the Assembly will be back with the second phase before the year ends. Consequently, using the High Intensity Labour Approach (HILA) hundreds of persons in the five subdivisions that make up Momo division will be employed following the terms of the Labour Code and paid above the minimum wage through credit unions affiliated to the Cameroon Cooperative Credit Union League (CamCCUL). The Momo Divisional Delegate of Labour and Social Security, Mrs Alota Bridget and the General Manager of the Njindom Cooperative Credit Union Limited (NjiCCUL) confirmed these to attendees. 

Kah Lilian Exhibiting Marked Dresses

Award of Prizes

Other attendees at the two day divisional launching ceremony of the project included Mayor Ndangsa Kennedy Akam of Mbengwi, Ubangoh Helly Akoba of Andek, Andoh Stanislaus Tambu of Widikum, Acha Kennedy Ngu of Batibo and Angwa Emmanuel Akebe of Njikwa including the Member of Parliament for Momo East Constituency Honourable Injoh Foo Ngang Prodencia Foriben and her colleague of Momo West Constituency Honourable Awutah Philip Atubah, the Senatorial Candidate for the ruling Cameroon People's Democratic Movement (C.P.D.M) Enwe Francis, the Divisional Officer of Mbengwi, Sakwe Jarvis Esapa, the Fon of Njinibi, H.R.H Chick Marcus, the Technical Director in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development Asongwed Emmanuel Anyang just to name these few. 

NW Regional Assembly Launches PDI Project in Momo Division

The launching of activities for the implementation of the Peace and Development Initiative (P.D.I) of the North West Regional Assembly and capacity building seminar for peace crusaders, actors of Community Decentralised Activities (CDAs) for Batibo, Njikwa, Andek, Widikum and Mbengwi subdivision has taken place. 

Councillors drawn from the five CPDM-run councils in the division together with North West Regional Assembly Councillors representing Momo alongside the administration and other stakeholders met in the conference hall of the  Delegation of Labour and Social Security, Mbengwi on Thursday March 9 2023.

Family Photo

Prof. Anjoh Fri Manyi Rose, Momo Divisional Cordinator of the NWRA's P.D.I/C.D.A Projects Presenting on the Special Statues

Fouda Etaba Bernoit Nicaise is the Senior Divisional Officer of Momo. As to what the population of his area of command stands to gain, he said there are a lot of projects coming to the various subdivisions and it will only be through peace that the beloved population will harvest many fruits from the regional assembly in terms of education, development.  

According to Professor Anjoh Fri Manyi Rose, Commissioner for Education, Sports and Cultural Development at the North Regional Assembly doubling as coordinator of the P.D.I and C.D.A in Momo, they've come to tell the population that Special Statues is finally in Mbengwi and since the people had expressed the desire to be part of the development of their areas, all they need to do now is to collaborate with the population in the course of the execution of the earmarked projects aimed at upgrading the lives of inhabitants. 

Cross View of Attendees in the Hall

Training Session 

Several presentations characterised the training sessions on topics like  Implementation of the High Intensity Labour Approach, Payment Modalities as those to be recruited will be paid through CAMCCUL  affiliated credit unions and Peace Building that was done by the Meta Presbytery Secretary, Rev. Nguongam Paul who said "It is a truism that peace is priceless reason I insisted that one of the most valuable gifts that Jesus left behind was peace that is a bedfellow with justice."

Some of the earmarked projects involve road maintenance and water supply and will be carried out in phases. So far, 11 projects are soon getting into the execution phase in the division in the days ahead. The North West Regional Assembly was created by the state after the Grand National Dialogue that was held in Yaoundé in 2019 as strategy to contain the Anglophone Crisis. Eleven councillors represent Momo division at the assembly.