French Ambassador respects bilingualism in Bamenda

It is just about a week when the Delegate General for National Security Mbarga Nguele visited Bamenda. During his stay like his fellow colleagues in Government who visit this part of the country, no English word was heard from him at least not during his addresses.

On the commercial avenue and where ever he spoke, he spoke French. It is however a common scenario to see ministers in Bamenda saying that they cannot speak English.

This Monday September 28, 2015 at the start of a two days visit to the Northwest, French Ambassador to Cameroon Christine Robichon who naturally should have spoken French by virtue of her origin and function challenged what has practically become a norm.

While visiting the National chairman of the Social Democratic Front SDF John Fru Ndi in his Ntarikon, Robichon took the entire place by surprise when she spoke and repeatedly exchanged with people in the English language.

From Ntarikon she stopped in Ntoh Mankon (Mankon Fon's Palace) where she warmly shakes the hands of the Paramount ruler of the Mankon people with English salutations. Her relaxed nature at the Fon's palace and fluent use of the English language marveled all. It will not be a long exchange before Christine will go into the palace and reemerge as a topical Mafor of the grass fields cloth in typical traditional outfit. Looking quite traditional, she hangs on the shoulder her handbag that complements her as a grafie women.

At the Cameroon Baptist Convention CBC Headquarters in Nkwen where the choir decided to reduce Cameroon to a second position by first singing the complete French National anthem and then the refrain of Cameroon's anthem, Madam Ambassador ones again mesmerised CBC officials, the local administration and guests with her unequaled use of the Queen's language.

While at the CBC Headquarters, the Ambassador laid the foundation stone for the construction of an ultramodern six storey building maternity with funds from the French Development Agency better know as ADF. The maternity which comes as a result of a partnership between the CBC Health Board and ADF according to Prof Tih Puis, Director of CBC Health Services is "aimed at upgrading health care facilities of the Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services through the construction and completion of nine healthcare infrastructures, the procurement of medical equipment and upgrading of our financial management system."

"Inline with our vision of providing quality healthcare to all, we hope that when all these projects would have been realised, the CBC Health Services will be able to provide quality healthcare to 100,000 more Cameroonians annually." Prof Tih Pius said.

In response still in fine English, Christine Robichon noted that the French government's support to the Cameroon Baptist Convention falls in line with her government's willingness to support Cameroon's health care facilities. While pointing out increasing mortality rate, she expressed hope that mother and child whose lives are always on the line during delivery will be safe with the completion of the maternity project. She encouraged the CBC Health Board for standing out as a trusted health care service from the civil society in Cameroon.

Prior to laying the foundation stone of the maternity, she pointed out that the French government has been supporting health care in Cameroon with over FCFA 60 billion through the C2D program of the ADF.

Even at the French Cultural center better known as Alliance Francaise where the main language is French, ambassador Robichon still went on to address guests to an exhibition on climate change including Northwest Governor Adolph Lele L'Afrique in English. To her it is important for everyone to consider strongly environmental protection as a way of saving both human and natural life.

"Please we should know that Cameroon is a Bilingual country and so when next you are putting up posters for exhibitions like this you must make sure we have some in English." Robichon told Alliance Francaise staff after noticing that all the posters in the hall hosting the exhibition were in French.

Northwest Governor Adolph Lele in the presence of the ambassador decorated Stanley Ndifor, Mengaleu Judith and Mumbari Godlove all workers of Alliance Francaise Bamenda for dedicated services to the institution.

Northwest Fons for Climate change and other environmental protection related organisations like the Greens were part of the exhibition.

The French ambassador concluded her two-day visit Tuesday with visits to some places amongst them the Mbingo Baptist Hospital of the CBC Health Board.