GREAT SAM NWANJA'S FAREWELL THANKSGIVING CEREMONY

   

Great Nwanja and wife, Mirabel

 In the report of the National EXEC Meeting of Nov. 2015 in Buea, a number of government appointments involving NEXSANs were published among which Great Nwanja Samuel Tambe featured as Cultural Counsellor (Attaché) to the Cameroon High Commission in South Africa. It is now time for him to move to Nelson Mandela’s country, his new station. So he decided to offer a Thanksgiving Service to God before he left. This Thanksgiving service took place on Saturday 09 April 2016 in Ekondo-Titi, the Sub-Divisional Headquarters of his Bekora village in Ndian Division in the South West Region of Cameroon.

     NEXSA responded to Nwanja’s invitation by sending a powerful 8-man delegation made up of the acting National President, the SG, and the PR No. II, the President of Kumba, Nwalipenja Agnes, Musongo Emmanuel, Simen Matthew, Fombele Victor and Ngute Sarah. The NEXSAN delegation would have been bigger than this but for last minute work demands that affected some members.

     The programme started at 11:00am instead of 9:00am. It comprised two parts: the Ecumenical Service and the Civic Reception. The service was led by Rev. Kulu Peter Mbua of the Emmanuel Baptist Church Limbe who was assisted by other Conventional and Pentecostal clerics. The sermon was drawn from Eccl.12:13-14. Prayers covered the general guests, the Cameroon-South African relationship to be a blessing and an open door to many and the chief celebrant, Nwanja that God’s ability should aid him in any inabilities he might encounter in his life and profession. The civic reception phase featured addresses from major political actors of the area notably the mayor of Ekondo-Titi and the CPDM Section President; His Excellency Dion Ngute the Minister Delegate of Foreign Affairs in charge of the Common Wealth was absent due to other state duties. The speeches added more meat to what we knew about Nwanja from the NEXSAN perspective - which our brother is, more than meets the eye. Firstly, his academic profile: The senior of first born twins, Samuel Nwanja had a 21 year non-stop schooling that began in Government Primary School Bekora through Government Secondary School Nyasoso (7^th Batch), CCAST Bambili, University of Yaounde (Linguistics and French) and Ecole Normale Bambili. The CPDM Section President made sure to underscore that the egg for Nwanja’s prowess was laid in GSS Nyasoso (applause from the crowd). His career profile too spans a non-stop 23 years period that started as a secondary school teacher in Government Secondary School Tatum in the North West Region for two (2) years and Lycée  Classique de Bafia in the Center Region for three (3) years before being appointed as the first Private Secretary for the Minister Delegate of Foreign Affairs in charge of the Common Wealth where he served continuously for eighteen (18) years before his recent appointment as Cultural Counsellor in the Cameroon High Commission in South Africa.  It is not only his pedagogy and longevity in the Foreign Affairs Ministry that won him this covetous appointment. There is depth and scope to his in-house professional training: He holds severally, diplomas in Administration, Diplomacy, Public Administration and Chinese language. Being a polyglot in English, French, Mandarin, Pidgin English and Abor-Oroko makes him a citizen of global nations, a vital ingredient in International Relations, Politics, Diplomacy and World Trade. Without the shadow of a doubt, this kind of loaded profile is what has ushered Great Nwanja to be the first ever Cultural Counsellor to the Cameroon High Commission in South Africa, a new position that makes him to astride like a colossus, two and no longer one ministry: the Ministries of Higher Education and Foreign Affairs, with the onerous task to uphold and showcase those great educational, cultural, sporting and showbiz elements of a wonderful Cameroon people yet to indelibly stamp its mark on the world scene.  

     In respective responses, Great Nwanja thankfully acknowledged icons who contributed to his school and work profile with emphasis on His Excellency Dion Ngute, his former direct boss and Chief Ngende Frederick the pioneer principal of his Alma mater, not without drawing attention to NEXSA with two resounding “Great NEXSANS” slogan which the NEXSAN delegation resoundingly chorused “Great!” accordingly with reverberating effect, and all eyes turned to behold the proudly uniformly dressed NEXSANs in the conspicuous front row of the esplanade of the Ekondo Grand Stand.  

     The ceremony rounded off at 4:30pm with colourful traditional dances from various coastal tribes before all and sundry went for reception at the various announced venues. Great Nwanja gave NEXSA a deserved pride of place here again, to wine and dine with top dignitaries at the PAMOL Staff Club. From the buffet he led NEXSANs to his modern modest house in his village a few kilometers away. There, we, in a relaxed and informal manner, rubbed shoulders and further drank in typical NEXSAN camaraderie for 25 minutes. We left with an offer of a bottle of choice wine each by the chief celebrant.

     It is just the first quarter of 2016 and NEXSA has seen two great events of the same nature (Thanksgiving) from classmates (Great Elung Paul Che and Nwanja Samuel Tambe) of the same batch; what an opportunity to salute the 7^th batch in general as well.

Reported by:

Secretary General – NEXSA

Ehabe Jerry N-M