A great deal of Yaoundé city dweller spent the last minutes of 2014 and the first hours of 2015 in gatherings either at home or in public places.
Hugs, emotional expressions of joy and happy New Year wishes marked first minute of 2015 at the 20th May avenue in Yaoundé where hundreds of people had gathered for the annual end of year festival dubbed Yaoundé en fete – Yafe.
Some families took snapshots in front of the beautifully decorated poles and roadside gardens to immortalize the kickoff of the New Year.
It was also occasion for some horsemen to make brisk business as people posed on their horses to take snapshots.
In the midst of the celebration, forces of law and order patrolled throughout to ensure a hitch free feasting although some love birds exchanged blows on the streets soon after mid night.
Outside the hustle and bustle of the crowded city centre several children enjoined the New Year swinging at the esplanade of the Yaoundé Ominsport stadium where a leisure spot was set up.
Few meters away, Christians were chanting praises to mark the feast of saint Sylvester at an all night crusade organized by a Pentecostal church.
On the main road leading to the stadium, traffic were heavy and slow as a teaming crowd was gathering in the stadium for a candle light crusade organized by Reverend Father Herve Marie of the Catholic Church.
The cross over crusade which was highlighted by predication; praise and worship was organised to help Christians improve their personal relationship with God and move into the New Year with love and God’s guidance.
As the men of God dished out the sermon, little children who could not bear the cold and the long hours of standing caught some sleep in the open grace lawn of the pitch.
Elsewhere on the streets of Yaounde, snack bars had been transformed to dance spots with some overjoyed persons dancing on the streets. Other people, especially the wealthy settled in cabarets where they savoured quality liquor and good music play-back performed by professionals and guest artists.
Traditional dance groups were also part of the New Year celebration; a group in Mimboman displayed its dance steps by the roadside to the admiration of passersby.
It was also a festive ambiance in private homes as families took stock of the just ended year and make resolutions for the New Year.
The atmosphere in different hospitals in Yaoundé was astoundingly calm with very few cases of minor accidents from motorbikes, as oppose to the fatalities of other year.
Meanwhile no cases of robbery or armed attacks on private homes or individuals were reported in police and gendarmerie stations.
The Commissioner of the Yaounde Central police station indicated that security measures were tightened as additional patrol teams were deployed to pre-empt any eventualities.
He also saluted the responsibility of city dwellers who no longer consume excessively either because of the high cost of living or to preserve their precious health; ready to face the challenges of the New Year.
