By Sah Terence Animbom
Thousands of Akum indigenes from across the national territory and the diaspora converged at the St. Pius Catholic Church Akum on Friday, December 29, 2023 for a memorial mass in memory of the late Pa James Bowen Atangcho who passed away fifty years ago.
His two children Pricilia and Augustine who passed on over 35 years ago and three months ago respectively were also remembered in the celebrations.
Celebrating the memorial of his late father Pa James Bowen Atangcho and siblings Pricilia Zubufor Atangcho and Augustine Tazibong Atancho From Friday, December 22, to 29, 2023, Dr. Celestine Atangcho and family set the Akum community in ecstasy through community service.
The memorial mass was also an opportunity for the Atangchos to pledge their support for the construction of the parish priest’s house, a project that has stalled for close to ten years now. Dr. Atangcho and family raised FCFA 350,000 for the priest’s house and have promised to triple the amount to over FCFA 1 million. The mass was followed by a moment of feasting and celebrations attended by close to 2,000 sons and daughters of Akum, among them a mix of dignitaries across all walks of life, residing either in Akum, out of the region or in the Diaspora.
Prior to the big celebration on Friday December 29, there were weeklong activities that engaged all age groups in the Akum community.
Activities began on Friday December 22, 2023 with the kickoff of a soccer tournament in memory of Late Pa James Bowen and Augustine Tazibong Atangcho. The tournament involved the female category, the youth and veteran category with over FCFA 645,000 worth of cash prizes and close to FCFA 355,000 worth of trophies and medals. Winners in each category went home with FCFA 100,000, second place, FCFA 50,000, third place FCFA 25,000 and best player, best goal scorer and best goal keeper per category each went home with FCFA 15,000 as well as individual trophies each.
To encourage education and academic excellence, Dr. Atangcho and family organized an intellectual competition in honor of his late father, bringing together close to 100 primary six pupils from primary schools in Akum to take part in the contest. Two winners won five-year scholarships to CPC Bali or equivalent boarding schools of their choices. Four runners up will each get FCFA 50,000 tuition support in the next academic year while all other participants will each get FCFA 10,000 for participation.
In honour of their late sister, Pricilia Zubufor Atangcho, the Miss Akum Modelling contest saw 11 young models contest for the crown of Miss Akum. According to Dr. Atangcho, the competition is aimed at building confident and purpose driven young girls that can be true ambassadors of their culture. The winner went home with FCFA 150,000 while the 1st runner up went home with FCFA 75,000 and the 2nd runner up FCFA 50,000. The contestants in the fourth and fifth positions each had FCFA 20,000 while all the others had participation prizes of FCFA 15,000. Dr. Atangcho also supported one of the models who is a fashion designer and who designed all the swimsuits used by the models on the runway in her fashion designing business.
In addition to the competitions, Dr Atangcho and family donated food and non-food items to the Madeleine Home Care Training Center and Orphanage in Akum as well as some medical supplies to the Akum integrated health center.
Appreciating Dr. Atancho and Family, Dr Chebo who is an indigene of Akum and part of the management committee of the Akum Intergrated Health Center told The SUN… “We received 128 cartons in which were medical consumables as simple as syringes to as complex as laryngoscopes. After opening all the cartons we realized that some of the equipment were too sophisticated for our center and we had to share with other health facilities according to their abilities just to make sure that every item be put to use.” He said.
“The beneficiary health facilities included the Akum Integrated Health Center (the primary beneficiary), Holy Family Medical Centre, the Santa District Hospital and the Bamenda Regional Hospital (Received the most specialized items).
The beneficiaries were very grateful and prayed the good Lord to continue to bless the Atangchos.” He ended.