BY ESTHER QUI
The fourth edition of Limbe Festival of Arts and Culture has ended with a positive impact and impression on lovers of Cameroonian arts and culture. Inhabitants in and out of Limbe were thrilled with the final flare of entertainment reserved for them on Saturday April 15, 2017, at Down Beach. Tug of War, Marathon, Canoe Race, Traditional Wrestling and hyper animation, are what the sea of spectators savoured.
Representing the Minister of Arts and Culture, the Governor of the South West Region, Bernard Okalia Bilai remarked that: “The fourth edition of Limbe FESTAC has enabled Limbe to put its natural beauties and attractions at the service of culture diversity and national integration. It has been a spectacular experience altogether.”
Vision bearer of Limbe Festac
Governor Okalia Bilai said that Limbe has, yet again, proven that it is the laboratory of Cameroonian arts and culture, Africa in miniature, thanks to Limbe FESTAC: “The Limbe Festival of Arts and Culture now has the status of an international festival. This is all thanks to the amiable display of diverse cultures during the carnival on the opening day. The carnival was evidence that Limbe FESTAC has blossomed extraordinarily.”
Bernard Okalia Bilai expressed great satisfaction by giving thumbs up to the organizers and the population for ensuring that the eight days of the festival, were consumed hitch free.
In the same vein, the Government delegate to the Limbe City Council/ vision bearer of Limbe FESTAC, Andrew Motanga Monjimba, confirmed that the success of Limbe FESTAC 2017 is evidence that Limbe is a winner. “In all, Limbe FESTAC 2017 is another beautiful story. We promised you a bigger, better and brighter Limbe FESTAC 2017: and we are certain we gave you much more.”
Andrew Motanga equally promised that they, the organising team, will continue to improve on Limbe FESTAC’s standards based on positive contributions and genuine criticisms: “We are unshakable in our resolve to make Limbe FESTAC not only a strong symbol, but a leading and reference festival in Cameroon and beyond.”
He went on adding that: “Limbe’s forward march is on and irreversible. We are a municipality not only of huge potentials but of enviable assets. We believe that if all we have are harnessed, Limbe will become a desirable tourist haven and an economic hub.”
A platform for business for some, talent and handicraft exhibition and a milieu for relaxation for others, Limbe FESTAC 2017 has ended on a good note. Eight days of innocent, subtle and wild Cameroonian as well as some African cultures, arts and traditions, the population of Limbe and tourists had it all, including high life and fun evenings at the FESTAC village.
Canoe Race
This is an age long cultural event of the Bakweri people, especially in the coastal areas of Limbe. Known in the Bakweri language as ‘Messambo’, this is a time when the spirit of competition is at its peak! The event was spiced up with traditional dances and chants by the competing villages; Mondoli, Wovia, Botaland, Batoke and Bimbia. Boats which make use of paddles, not engines, were used so as not to bleach the beautiful culture.
Team Mondoli village emerged first, Wovia village second and Batoke village came third, bagging home FCFA 700.000, 500,000 and 300,000 respectively. The two other villages, Botaland and Bimbia, went home with consolatory prizes of FCFA 200,000 each.
The Chief of Mondoli village, HRH Chief Rev. Dr. Ekoka Molindo, said their victory is as a result of hard work and training: “The only secret of our success is hard work; we have been practising for over two months for this competition. And that, I can say is the reason for our success.”
Traditional Wrestling
The Bakweri Traditional Wrestling encompasses all the qualities the Bakweri people inherited from their ancestors: physical endurance, agility, fierce fighting techniques, and a great sense of competition.
‘Wesuwa’, as it is called in the Bakweri language, traditional wrestling is a match between two villages whereby the contestants wear skimpy sarongs. To emerge winner, one has to throw his opponent on his back or by take him down and then either rolling him on his back or forcing him flat on his stomach.
During this year’s traditional wrestling, Mokunda village came first, with her team winning almost all its fights. They received a cash prize of FCFA 350,000, WHILE Lower Busumbu was second and Batoke third, both going home with FCFA 250,000 and 50,000 respectively.
The Traditional wrestling of Limbe FESTAC 2017, took place on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, along the Down Beach area.
Marathon
Athletes drawn from all the regions of Cameroon, registered and participated in the Idenau-Limbe Njalla Quan International Marathon. The over 150 athletes in the male and female category, ran it out from Idenau to the arrival point at Down Beach, Limbe.
Pros and veteran like, Queen of Mountain, Sara Liengu, Mbatcha Eric, Yvonne Ngwaya and a host of others, all made it for the seasonal competition.
In the male category, Foimi Justin was first, Lyonga Essombe, son of Sara Liengu, second, while Joseph Belomo Ndamba came in at the third place. Accompanying a bouquet and trophy, a cash prize of FCFA 1.5 million, 1 million and 500.000 was handed to the first, second and third positions.
Mbatcha Eric, who has won the race a couple of times but came 6th this year, blamed his poor performance on the lack of rest and effective training: “I have taken part in five mountain race competitions in France this year and have not rested since then. I had muscle pain during the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope, and that is the same difficulty I faced today.”
For the female category, Lizette Ngalim Narila was number one (FCFA 1.5million); Flore Missima Mutango number two (FCFA 1 million) and Yvonne Ngwaya number three (FCFA 500,000).
Other activities which took place during the closing ceremony were a ‘tug of war’, which pitted Zone A (Mokunda and Lower Busumbu) and Zone B (Batoke and Wovia). Zone A pulled down Zone B to get the cash prize of FCFA 250,000 while Zone B received FCFA 150,000. There was equally the handing of the prizes for the Miss FESTAC contest which held on April 1, 2017. Miss FESTAC 2017, Clara Ngomba Evenye received FCFA 500,000 while her 1st and 2nd runners up got FCFA 350,000 and 200,000 respectively.
The ceremony was crowned with a palatable buffet at the SONARA club in Mokundange. Take the rendezvous for the fifth edition, which coincides with the 160th anniversary of the Town of Friendship, Limbe.