African traditional leaders join in dev. debate

During three-day conclave in Bafoussam, they have considered issues related to the development of Africa.

27 traditional leaders from Benin, Nigeria, the DRC, CAR and Cameroon were in the western region of Cameroon think of the development of Africa.

It was during a seminar held recently by the association Esperanza-Cade, in collaboration with the national alliance of traditional authorities of the Congo and the international centre for research and documentation on the traditions and African languages (Cerdotola).

The exchanges focused on the theme "intercultural dialogue in the service of peace and the emergence of Africa: what synergies to promote between the traditional leaders?"

The goal according to organizers was to contribute to the strengthening of awareness in cross-cultural and Pan-African development at the traditional leaders in general, especially in the sub-region Africa Central.

Secondly, it was intended to contribute to the implementation between, the traditional leaders, particularly in this sub-region, the links and the transnational mechanisms promoting development projects for a better living together by the populations in villages and in cities.

Finally, this seminar was intended as a platform to contribute to the strengthening of a cultural base for the development of Africa through the strengthening of a dialogue involving traditional leaders and young people on the one hand, the traditional leaders and political leaders, on the other hand.

The meeting resulted in a declaration: the declaration of Bafoussam.

A document in which, in five points, traditional leaders present mark their belief that, in quest of the emergence, "Africa has everything to gain for the reconsideration of its traditional chiefdoms, base of a civilization that has things to bring, in the appointment of give and receiving in the context of globalization."

But for these leaders, it is necessary beforehand, not only to deal with the current devaluation attempts of our traditional chiefdoms, especially through the creation and arbitrary classification of traditional governance structures; but also necessary that a status of the traditional and customary authority is enshrined in the constitution of States, to reduce the current dilution of their power as well in pejorative names, inherited from colonization in the practices of daily governance at the level of the Republican State.