TAMPA LIVES UP TO EXPECTATION
Between June 30, 2018 and June 30, 2019, uncertainty and outright skepticism gravitated to confidence, certainty, and conviction. In New York City in 2018, the word was that the 2019 LECUDEM-USA Family Reunion would hold in Tampa, FL. The question on many minds was how many members does Tampa have to host a Family Reunion?
But on Sunday June 30, 2019 many heads were nodding in approval: Tampa might not have many members, but it had more to offer than met the challenge. In fact, by the time the final libation was poured and the last delegation left the Tampa airport, expressions of satisfaction were coming in from attendees who had returned early to their respective cities across these United States. Attendees from Delaware, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, and Yaounde (Cameroun) had travelled to Tampa for what promised to be an early summer break – with attractions lined up to include sightseeing to Busch Gardens, a Boat-ride down one of Florida’s busy waterways on the Atlantic Ocean, and an acquaintance tour of this coastal city.
Friday June 28 saw the arrival by land and by air of several delegates. By sundown on that evening, the Hilton Vista Garden Hotel was already feeling a sense of something new and attractive as early arrivals (in their colorful Cameroonian attires) checked in and walked around to take a feel of their new home away from home.
As the summer sun kissed the western horizon, dinner was getting ready at the chief host’s residence, Ms. Prudentia Nchofang. With enough bitter cola to go round and keep conversation and familiarization exchanges alive, delegates communed with each other: asking after this or that person, hugging and virtually shedding tears at seeing brothers and sisters they had not seen physically for years. Then a sumptuous dinner, complete with assorted Floridian vegetables, “achu” soup, koki corn, grilled, baked, and broiled chicken and you name it, enough food to feed a hundred hungry mouths; chilled assorted beers and wines and soft drinks and water. Conversation spiced the evening as delegates munched on this or that choice dish. As the chatter went on, a lady from one far corner of the seating under a large white tent kindled memories of old: “Nyohta-kwe-eih,” she began. The response was immediate and spontaneous as if it had all been rehearsed. No such thing was on the books: but a good round of “Lekhiat” followed with individuals spontaneously taking turns. Before long, the night was wearing away and attendees, some fatigued by their travels earlier in the day, leaving to rest their tired bones.
THE “REUNION” IN FAMILY REUNION
Bright summer sun welcomed delegates to day two of this LECUDEM-USA Family Reunion. As President Becha Martins welcomed delegates to deliberations, and invited one of the elders attending, Mama Emilia Atehjiah, to offer a word of prayers, rain clouds began to gather; and before attendees knew it, the Floridian sky let go of a windy spell followed by showers of blessing. But that mix of sunshine, wind, and rain neither dampened spirits nor daunted delegates whose faces radiated confidence rather than disappointment. On those faces one could read hope and assurance, come what may, the Tampa Family Reunion was reality unfolding as planned. The spirit of give-and-take, the frankness with which questions were raised and answers provided was a quick reminder that a Family reunion is not so much about the numbers attending but rather about making time to leave one’s comfort zone, meet with brothers and sisters, and share memories, and reflect on how to make things better for one’s place of birth or home away from home.
Among other things deliberations centered on an update on a mission to Cameroon by PBI to cater after especially for those Internally Displaced Persons (especially along the Bekoko-Santchou-Dschang Corridor) – victims of an unholy war declared on the people of the North West and South West Regions of a country that once was a haven of peace in Africa’s turbulent sea. PBI had solicited and received support from LECUDEM-USA as the mission to Cameroon was targeting the Internally Displaced from Lebialem Division currently living in the Littoral and West Regions in particular.
At the center of the deliberations: and ensuring that meaning was put into the phrase “Family Reunion” – essentially, how does LECUDEM-USA raise its children in north America without letting them compromise their culture? Discussions were robust, questions many, but determination readily available as attendees agreed that promoting and enhancing Lebialem culture in the in their new homes is an essential way of ensuring that the traditions and mores of Nweh-Mundani are upheld. Wrapping it all up, LECUDEM-USA would appoint a Youth Czar…someone knowledgeable enough about those cultural traits and committed to rally the youth and inculcate in them Nweh-Mundani cultural ethos. That recommendation would be tabled at the 2020 LECUDEM-USA Biennial Conference for the General Assembly to enact.
Justice Fonkwe, visiting on family business spoke about a Cultural Organization he is piloting back home to help facilitate the teaching of Nweh and getting other relevant work done to uphold the culture. Details of the organization and how it is impacting the teaching of the Nweh dialect back home will continue to be received by LECUDEM-USA which looks forward to working with that home-based organization.
One of the last items on the morning agenda was a financial report by the Coordinator of the Efong-Lower Lewoh Road Maintenance Network, Nkemndungakoh (Dr. Alex Nkeng). In the report, he explained how funds received for the project (CFA 1,000,000 francs) received from LECUDEM-USA in 2015) was used. In respect of a spirit of transparency and accountability, Nkem dutifully explained how the funds went a long way to help render the road the pliable piece of infrastructure that survived the rains and use before the current crisis came to mess things up. Deliberations over, lunch eaten, and attendees retired to have a change of clothes, a long-awaited item on the day’s agenda was a cruise.
As the day wore away, the enthusiasm that had greeted the Family Reunion attendees on Friday welcomed them to 603 Channelside Drive in Downtown Tampa for a two-hour boat ride on the YachtStarShip. All decked in white tops and black pants or skirts, the cruise took off with a multi-course dinner of assorted dishes. One of the most appreciated of the items on the menu was the salad of assorted Florida vegetables. As the attendees relished their meal, the Yacht StarShip eased its way gradually away from the boarding ramp and into the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. This chronicler thought of a “message in a bottle” rather too late as there was no returning to shore to prepare such a message.
Saturday evening was a continuation of Friday night: fun, riddles and jokes, recollections of the good old days, and early retirement after a long, hard day.
Sunday July 1 was the final day. And with Fuajiawung and President Martins Becha watching, the final dregs of the Family Reunion wine were poured in honor of and for the Ancestors of Lewoh and Lebialem who had certainly watched with smiles as their sons and daughters met, discussed, had fun, and wrapped up LECUDEM-USA Family Reunion 2019.
LECUDEM-USA now looks anxiously and expectantly towards the Mother Chapter, Washington, D.C., which hosts the organization’s Biennial Conference on the last weekend of June 2020.
Asonglefac Nkemleke
