Fon of Guneku Invites MESTA

 

MESTA on Leisure Trip to the Douala Grand Mall During the Convention 

The Fon of Guneku, H.R.H Dr. Fomuki Ticha has invited members of the Meta Student's Association (MESTA) to actively partake in next year's Mɨchi Əbeŋ, a cultural festival he initiated in 2023. The verbal invitation was  transmitted to the students by Fongoh P. Ayeh, organising committee head of the festival during the recently held MESTA National Convention, 12th edition that took place in Douala from the 4th to the 7th ofay 2023 under the theme "Braving the odds and overcoming challenges: 2023, a visionary step towards the mission and future of MESTA".

It's been a tradition that every year, MESTA holds an annual convention during the period of university games, bringing together members from various branches nationwide to converge and compete in activities like quiz, traditional dance, arts and craft exhibition, beauty/handsomeness challenge and end by raising funds for an earmarked project. At moment, the association has an ongoing pig fattening project in Mbengwi.

H.R.H Dr. Fomuki Ticha, Fon of Guneku Village

Educative Session

Sometimes in the past, MESTA was gifted two piglets by a pro-development grouping of Meta sons and daughters worldwide known as Bongob Meta International (B.M.I) that's mostly been focusing on agricultural development back home. After months of fattening, the boar is already pregnant and will soon be putting to birth. It is for this project that MESTA raised funds during its recent convention to sustain its execution. 

It is worth noting that the convention usually takes place in the region hosting the varsity games provided there's an existing MESTA branch there. Since the games this year were hosted up North by the University of Ngaoundere where there's no MESTA branch, Douala was thus chosen as host branch and appeal/sponsorship letters were dished out to potential donors to help the students organise a successful convention.

In response to an appeal letter that was sent to H.R.H Dr. Fomuki Ticha of Guneku by the students, the Fon dispatched a delegation to the convention venue after having opted to not only sponsor the traditional dance competition but also double the prizes that were earmarked for the activity. In this light, cash prizes were awarded to the branches that partook in traditional dance competition and culinary exhibition plus arts and craft with the least amount being 5.000F and the highest being 25.000F. Apart from these, a specially woven fibre bag was also gifted to the national president of the association. 

Culinary Arts & Craft Exhibition 

Traditional Dressing 

On Saturday April 15 2023, the maiden edition of Mɨchi Əbeŋ was organised in the palace of Guneku during which hundreds of attendees answered present; clad in traditional regalias, expressed themselves only in the Meta language, ate only traditional meals on plantain leaves or in wooden bowls using only their fingers and drank only palm wine from calabashes and cow horns. The festival ended with a Mukonge dance competition during which six groups drawn from across the Meta clan took part in the exercise. 

From the resounding success recorded, Fon Fomuki became inspired to announce the second edition of the festival, that it'll take place on Saturday 23 March 2024 still in the palace of Guneku. It thus expected that MESTA will be effectively present during this second edition that's been dedicated for Kwem dance competition not just as witnesses but participants for as it is said, one good turn deserves another. The Meta people themself say "this hand washes the other" meaning as the students have been benefitting from the Fon, they too have to obviously think of how the Fon can benefit from them. 

The Meta Students' Association (MESTA) before the advent of the Anglophone Crisis had branches in Mbengwi (the headquarters of the association), Bali, Bambui, Bambili, Dschang, Buea, Douala, Yaoundé (Ngoa-ekele) and Soa. By then, the students used to frequent home during which they'll tour secondary schools for Career Orientation, donate gifts like books, bags, trash cans, jerseys, footballs, cups and buckets to primary schools, organise a MESTA Week of socio-cultural and sporting activities, light Christmas trees in the municipality, visit some palaces and carry out human investment around some public buildings. 

Douala Branch Traditional Dance Group

Refreshment Session 

It was at this time that almost every secondary school student's dream was to graduate and go to the university and join MESTA so as to start coming back home this time around in assorted wear not uniform, good hairdo and talk to school mates they left behind. This is when MESTA was still MESTA and it was like a big achievement in life to join MESTA. Unfortunately, with the outbreak of the Anglophone Crisis in late 2016, MESTA like several other associations became a shadow of itself. 

The Mbengwi, Bali, Bambui and Bambili branches seized to exist. Dschang branch too has been dwindling though last year, Bambili got back on its feet. The students have never again gone back home for any activity. It was same fate the umbrella development association of the Meta people known as MECUDA suffered. It took a change of the leadership of the association from Pa Ayaba David Ado to the current President General, Prof. Njoh Oliver for MECUDA to venture stepping it's feet back on the ground after six years. In December 2022, the Annual General Meeting (A.G.M) of MECUDA was held in the palace of Mbengwi village. 

MECUDA might have set the pace for Village Development Associations (V.D.As) to start  holding back their A.G.Ms home as was the case before the crisis but many are yet to answer this call. However, the Meta Students'Association from reliable information gathered is planning to resume the holding of meetings and execution of most of her activities back home. Anyere Desmond, the current National President of MESTA confirmed to Mbengwi Online that before his mandate expires, his greatest achievement will be when he finally succeeds to organise at least a MESTA Week back in Mbengwi.

Anyere Desmond, MESTA National President 

Family Photo at the MESTA 2023 Convention