World Habitat Day 2023: What Stakes for Mbengwi, Momo?

H.E Célestine Ketcha Courtes, Cameroon's Minister of Housing and Urban Development 

In 1985 the United Nations designated the first Monday of October every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of our habitats, remind the world that we all have the power and responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter.

World Habitat Day was first celebrated in 1986 in Nairobi, Kenya under the theme "Shelter is My Right". Since then till date, commemorative activities have continued to take place annually to mark the day but for the COVID-19 pandemic period that caused a global shutdown thus halting its observance.

Every year, World Habitat Day is celebrated in a host city, where members of UN Habitat and others give speeches and presentations, reflecting on and highlighting the issues faced by people across the world. There is usually a particular focus on urban areas and the homeless. 

Activities marking the commemoration of this year's edition were organised at the international level by the U.N in Zangilan and Baku from the 29th to the 1st of October 2023 under the theme  "Resilient Urban Economies: Cities as Drivers of Growth and Recovery."

Antonio Guterres, U.N Secretary General

According to the Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres, "Building greater resilience and better protecting vulnerable populations requires far greater investments in sustainable infrastructure, early warning systems, and affordable, adequate housing for all." He adds that "At the same time, we must work to improve access to electricity, water, sanitation, transport, and other basic services–while investing in education, skills development, digital innovation, and entrepreneurship."

In Cameroon, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, led by Her Excellency Minister Célestine Ketcha Courtes held a series of activities in Garoua, North Region including speeches, round table discussions, press conference and prize award for the cleanest city in Cameroon, won by the Garoua II council, a whooping amount of 100.000.000 (one hundred million) Francs. 

Speaking on state media at the end of commemorative activities in Garoua, minister Célestine Ketcha said "When the environment is clean, it's a matter of health and people are happy to stay in a clean place." It has been announced that the 2024 edition of the day will be celebrated in Ebolowa, South Region. 

Anyang Gordin Bah, Momo Division Delegate, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development 

In the Momo Divisional Headquarters, Mbengwi, no activities were carried out to mark this year's World Habitat Day. However, the Divisional Delegate of Housing and Urban Development, Anyang Gordin Bah talking to Mbengwi Online on phone said "On such a day, what we usually do is to sensitise the public and also reflect on how to improve on the urbanisation and beautification of our towns"

Though the erection of houses in the municipality hasn't been following any orderly pattern, Mbengwi still remains relatively beautiful with environmental friendly trees planted along its envisaged commercial avenue, solar street lights and modern standard houses mostly in the Government Residential Area (GR.A). The realisation of the lofty plans the delegation had for all the five subdivisions in Momo division have been hampered by the ongoing Anglophone Crisis. 

The U.N scribe has this year called on all to pledge to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable human settlements for all people, everywhere. He says "local action is vital, and global cooperation indispensable."

Mɨchi Əbeŋ Organising Committee Sets the Ball Rolling for the Second Edition

Organising Committee Members During the 1st Edition of the Festival 

Organising Committee Members of Mɨchi Əbeŋ have  set the ball rolling in the build up to the second edition of the festival to take place in March 2024. With barely about half a year to go, discussions have been engaged on how to make the second edition better than the first.

Meeting in the Guneku Palace on Sunday 10 September 2023, the committee members discussed at length beginning with a flash back into the past pioneer edition and projection of the forthcoming one. On the former, they looked through the videos of the various Mukonge dances that were performed during the first edition and made a selection of some distinct dancers, singers, drummers and xylophonists from each of the groups. 

From inception, at the end of the Mukonge Dance Competition that took place in the palace of Guneku on Saturday 15 April 2023, two master dance group were to be formed comprising of selected members from each of the competing groups that stood out distinct in the performance of their roles, one for the elderly and the other for youths only.

Having done the selection, the next phase now will be to bring these members together to begin practicing so that each time a Mukonge Dance Group is needed anywhere in and out of the country for animation, they will be the ones to represent the entire Meta clan since they'll be like an embodiment of the entire clan. Furthermore, discussions during the meeting later drifted to projecting into the next edition who's main focus will be a Kwem Dance Competition. 

It was resolved that the competition will be open to all interested Kwem Dance Groups nationwide upon payment of a registration fee of 5.000F. A deadline for registration will be communicated and only those that complied with the registration modalities will be eligible to compete. According to plans, the 2024 edition of the festival will be staged for 3 days; Thursday for the singing of childbirth songs (Ngwa) otherwise known as "Mbolo", Friday for carvings, weavings and other craftworks, then Saturday for the dance competition. 

The initiator and promoter of Mɨchi Əbeŋ, H.R.H Dr. Fomuki Ticha of Guneku has instructed the organising committee members to leave no stone unturned in making sure the festival this year establishes new records and breaks old ones. Apart from the festival, the main objective is to see Meta people go back to their originality in speaking their mother tongue, cooking and eating their local delicacies, dressing traditionally, singing and dancing their traditional songs not just occasionally but as a daily routine.