It was a unique 3rd Annual General Assembly, AGM for Nyasoso Wives and Daughters Development Association, NYAWIDDA in Limbe after Buea and Yaounde.
Over five hundred women from the ten branches of the association (Nyasoso, Tombel, Loum, Nkongsamba, Kumba, Buea, Douala, Yaounde, Limbe and the diaspora), gathered in Limbe on December 1 and 2.
Sitting at the cozy shores of the seaside Pressprints esplanade, the women counted their achievements, congratulated themselves, danced, celebrated and outlined a roadmap for 2024. The Limbe National Cnventin took place under the theme, “Building the skills of NYAWIDDA in entrepreneurship, leadership, education, development and economic empowerment.”
In her welcome address, the host president, Ntungwe Joyce Ahone enjoined all to have a beautiful stay in Limbe. She prayed for God’s blessings and a fruitful deliberation in the General Assembly.
The national president of NYAWIDDA, Commissioner Mado Nzelle Alobwede disclosed that the association was birthed in 2019/2020 during the socio-political crisis in the North West and South West Regions of Cameroon.
She said the crisis did not only lead to pain and misery, but also aggravated the already bad conditions of their people back home. Nzelle said confronted with the appalling situation, Nyasoso women fought for better conditions of their suffering population by providing basic necessities and enrolling the girl child to school.
The president enumerated that within three years, NYAWIDDA recorded enormous achievements like; the extension of local electrification in Nyasoso by purchasing street lamps (lampadaires), the replacement of all obsolete ENEO street bulbs with solar lamps, the food drive in Nyasoso in April 2021 where they provided 15 bags of rice, 15 bags of salt and 15 cartons of soap to the entire village and the same items for the three palaces of Nyasoso I, II and III.
The NYAWIDDA president added that they have enrolled 13 needy girls into GHS Nyasoso, supported their football tournament in August 2022 with FCFA 100.000, and purchased 15 torch lights for the vigilante security boys in Nyasoso for night patrols. She added that they have sponsored 10 Nyasoso women in catering services who now produce cakes and other pastries for home and public consumption. Nzelle said they sponsored their female football cup with FCFA 300.000, a successful back to school campaign for the 2023/2024 academic year, amongst others.
She added that they plan to continue sponsoring the girl child in GHS Nyasoso, extend electricity to dark areas of the village, buy a multi-purpose grinding and processing machine for their mothers back home, buy a resistant generator to operate the machine during blackouts and continue the process of empowering their women back home in entrepreneurship.
She lauded the Paramount Chief of Bakossi, Nhon Mwog Ntoko Alexander Ngome and the three chiefs of Nyasoso for their continuous encouragement and support, the Nyasoso Ex-Student Association, NEXSAN for making GHS Nyasoso their alma mater stand the test of time.
Speaking on behalf of the paramount chief, Regent Chief Sone-Ngoe Simon of the Nyasoso 2nd Class Chiefdom congratulated their wives and daughters for joining the train of development to improve their community. “There can be no true and rapid development without the will to develop and without the participation of all towards development.” He revealed.
Regent Chief Sone-Ngoe encouraged the women to be committed to their vision despite their challenges, which will only make them stronger.
The President General of Nyasoso Cultural and Development Association, NYACUDA, H.E. Herbert Ediage Apande who is also Board Chair of SOWEDA lauded the women for their sacrifice towards the development of Nyasoso. He advised the women to be committed just like their huge turnout at the general assembly which makes him extremely happy. He said this shows they have decided to support development.
The Vice Chair, 96 year old Ida Bokeng Mallet recounted her youthful days in Nyasoso and said it was wonderful to meet her children and grand children in the development forum. She prayed God to bless all their development efforts for a better Nyasoso.
At the end of the event, NYAWIDDA’s Senior Adviser, Ngeh Doris Senge called on all Nyasoso wives and daughters to join the association and be part of the development of their community. She said this will enable them to shake off their stress and worries in communion.
Other activities that spiced the day include; a talk on stress management, health tips and good diet. There was also competition in choral singing, traditional dances, ballet and drama amongst the branches. The event was crowned with a fund raising to support the NYAWIDDA’s development projects.
By Olive Ejang
