MOHWA President urges womenfolk to be cultural boosters.

MOHWA President Mrs.Ogork Kate displaying money she received from a Manyu elite as support to the association

By Christopher Ambe

The  President of MOHWA Buea( the popular Manyu Women’s Association),has implored the womenfolk of Manyu Division of the Southwest Region of Cameroon to be more passionate about their culture and serve as cultural  boosters wherever the find themselves.

Mrs. Ogork Kate , a PhD student of African Literature and Chief of Service of the Teachers’ Resource Centre,Buea made the call ,August 24,2019, on the occasion of a Manyu cultural jamboree, organised by MOHWA ,which took place at Mountain Hotel Buea.

Mrs. Ogork Kate

Organised under the patronage of Southwest Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai( represented), the event, which  had as theme “Handing Down the Manyu Culture to the Younger Generation,” assembled not only Manyu womenfolk but also male elites of the division  who included  “sesekou”,as well as national dignitaries such Senator Mbella Moki and the Managing Director of SOWEDA,Buea Dr. Ogork Ntui Besong.

In her highly applauded welcome address, Mrs. Ogork justified the holding of the jamboree:

“Yes, we have to struggle to hand down our culture and tradition to the next generation so that they too can uphold it and eventuality pass it on to the succeeding generations.”

The dynamic MOHWA president expressed the hope that lessons learnt from the cultural come together would “spur parents and children themselves to become more passionate about issues of [Manyu] culture.”

But she lamented: “Just like many other cultures in Cameroon, we’ve realised that our tradition is gradually fading out. There are many aspects of our culture that even us, adults, do not know or do not remember. 

“Today, rural to urban migration has taken so many people out of the villages, and so we cannot take our children to the village because the village has come to us. 

“Civilization has caused many of us to abandon our prestigious native languages in preference to the Whiteman’s tongues; modern technology has caused our children to prefer wearing their trousers below their butts in imitation of American prisoners instead of dressing in our decent traditional outfits. 

“We have all abandoned our sweet palm wine and delicious ‘tanchot soup’ to poison our system with hamburgers and other unhealthy meals.”

The President further regretted: “Parents have become so busy that moonlit stories or even night-time family get-togethers where mothers used to recount folktales to their children have become very scarce.”

Noting that culture is an aspect of humanity that makes life more gratifying and pleasurable, the soft-spoken Mrs.Ogork boasted that, the culture of Manyu people is very rich, thus a cause for celebration. 

She disclosed that the Buea Cultural Jamboree was prompted by the fact that, Mohwa women “have looked at all factors that impede the continuity of tradition and decided that if we cannot take our children to the village, we shall bring the village to our children”. 

She was thankful to MOHWA patron,Senator Mbella Moki Charles ,who  forwent  his trip to Yaounde just to attend the occasion.

 “Actually, we all know that wherever MOHWA is, just turn around and you’ll see the Senator, “she remarked before acknowledging the presence of other invitees from different regions and divisions, who joined MOHWA in celebrating the rich Manyu culture. 

“In fact, when we talk about living-together, this population of non-Manyu people here present is proof of the fact that we Cameroonians support one another in everything.” 

The president extended special thanks to the General manager of Mountain Hotel, who,she said, “ is a Banso woman by birth and Manyu woman by education” for being  very supportive  to MOHWA ideals.

MOHWA girls perform a cultural  dance  

Mrs. Ogork equally had kind words for Mrs. Grace Ngoh Ewang,Southwest Regional  Delegate for  Arts and Culture, adding that the latter “ sounded more excited about this event than even some of us and  has remained enthusiastic about it to the point that she had to postpone her trip just to be here”. 

She urged MOHWA husbands to keep encouraging their children in matters of tradition and exposing them to all aspects of Manyu culture like Commissioner Takem Collins has always done.

The president  said MOHWA has  women of all walks of life:nurses,Judges  , divisional officers, medical doctors, academics  , educationists, business women  etc , all waxing strong in their various functions .She then challenged  Manyu girls to “use these career women and men as a catalyst for your future professions.”

The president noted that education is the Manyu man’s only weapon in life; reason why “we shall be celebrating academic excellence in this occasion”, by awarding prizes to students who excelled in their end-of-course exams such as GCE O and A levels.