How Ntumfor showcased organizational knowhow at NACDA golden Jubilee

The successful Ground-breaking, colourful and hitch-free Ndong Awing Cultural and Development Association (NACDA) Golden Jubilee of Saturday November 17 2012, was largely attributed to the chairman of the organizing committee cum the occasion’s Master of Ceremony (MC), Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle’s organizational know-how.

The ceremonial ground at the Awing Fon’s Palace Plaza was an attraction in its right. It was decorated by 10 flags of foreign countries that have stood by Awing village to boost its development which were flying by the Cameroon’s tri-colours and the beautifully dressed hostesses and protocol officers.

In his jubilee speech after the ecumenical service, Professor Mbangwana said NACDA was created in 1962 and it is today having structures nation-wide and in the Diaspora. He said the association unites all Awing elite towards the fostering of socio-cultural and economic development of Awing through self-reliance initiatives.

According to Mbangwana, the achievements 50 years after is thanks to the elite and assistance from Cameroon Government, organizations and foreign countries like the Uk, US, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark including organizations like the world Bank, African Development Bank (ADB), French Development Agency, Dutch Embassy, CERAC, GP-DERUDEP and Cameroon Government. He opined that Awing has a lot in common with her neighbours as Geography has made them neighbours and history has made them brothers "and so what God has put together, let no one put asunder". He said Awing Lake is a tourism site par excellence and so the development of the Lake will certainly transform the entire Santa subdivision to a veritable tourism site.

In a bid to immortalize the Jubilee, NACDA launched the Jubilee monument and "Smiling Awing" magazine

Appreciating past and present NACDA President Generals, the present President General, Ntsonkefo’o Peter Akote, hailed Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle who was president between 1998 and 2004 for a job well done. He stressed that under Ntumfor, a multi-purpose Awing Fon’s Palace was constructed and he named it a mirror and pearl of the elite. "As the palace re-construction progressed on, he unshelved the electricity project and told the population that a good palace cannot be left in darkness. He therefore resolved to connect electricity from Matazem-Santa to the Awing Fon’s Palace",

NACDA President General said today, many aspiring leaders look up to Ntumfor Barrister Nico Halle as a role model.

The President said within 50 years, NACDA has constructed and maintained roads, built the Fon’s palace, classrooms, and bridges, provided electricity, health care, a community hall and water to the population. Besides, he opined that NACDA is a veritable apparatus of the annual festival, a rendezvous that pulls all and sundry around a common reflection.

Taking the rostrum, the British High commissioner held Awing elite for always taking the first step to develop their village before sourcing for foreign assistance. "This explains why we have always stood by this village to give assistance when need arises" the high commissioner said.

Dorothy Njeuma, an Elecam Board Member, who was in the company of her daughter, a pilot, appreciated the dynamism of the Awing people. She saw them as a peaceful, united and development oriented people worth emulating.

Eking out the sum of 2million to NACDA on behalf of the Minister of Arts and Culture, the Technical Adviser at that Ministry, Minister Ama Tutu Muna led CERAC women to Jakiri Bui Division that same 17 November 2012 to offer some gifts, reason why she was unavoidably absent at the occasion.

Earlier appreciating the high level Nigerian officials present at the occasion like the High Commissioner in Yaounde, the Consul General for Littoral and West regions and the Consul General for South West and North West Regions, Ntumfor said it was indication that the Green Tree Accord President Paul Biya of Cameroon and the then Nigerian President, Olusengun Obasanjo signed before the then UN Secretary General, Koffi Annan was working smoothly. He noted that Ndong Awing pays very high premium in peace, unity, development and hospitality.

Also present at the occasion were the Swiss Ambassador to Cameroon Urs Berner, Cameroon Ambassador to Congo, Chungong Ayafor and Nigerian Vice President in Bamenda Igwe Okafor including over 25 Fons.