Meet Women Who Have Been Doing Extraordinary Things

By Fai Cassian Ndi 
The world today March 8, 2013 is looking back and forward at women’s economic, political, artistic and social achievements around the world. In Cameroon, they are millions of women who have moved above the male artificial barriers to becoming Ministers, Directors, Senior Divisional Officers, lawyers, journalists, pastors etc. In fact this rare specie of woman apart from the fact they are caring mothers have become role models to other young girls. However, since charity begins at home, I would like to use this opportunity to pay respect, appreciation and love to the woman who brought me to this world, my mum, Regina Muchop as she is known by her young girl’s name. Nothing is worth celebrating than a lifetime achievement especially to those who are struggling in their spheres like Nfor Comfort Beri, Kimbi Vivian Muku and my only sister Mrcy Nchum, who always look up to my mum as their model. The story of other women like Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa, Queen Elizabeth, Allen Johnson and many others continue to act as a stimulant to the woman.Thumbs up woman. Exceptionally, one woman whose philanthropist gestures have touched the heart of Cameroonians is Madame Chantal Biya. She is a model example of a mother who look closely at people by doing just what the communities need. She gradually took the Cameroonian woman out of the doldrums to day light, reasons why she is love, admired and cherished by all and sundry.
 Yet sources say 85% of the women in Cameroon have been subjected to violence.

Nothing is more fascinating than celebrating the Life of these transformed women, amongst who are some of them who have rose above their own adversity, self doubt and they have on a mission to empower all women, especially those that suffer from childhood abuse and/or molestation. Today morning, a friend of mine on facebook pasted these facts on her wall.

It is inspiring that woman:

• Are 52% of the world’s population
• Are responsible for 66% of the world’s output
• Earn 10% of the world’s income
• Own 1% of the world’s property
On this International Women's day may we rededicate ourselves once more to improving the quality of life for women especially by working hard to get women elected into positions where they can influence policies.

Here below are some women who according to my own critical judgment analysis have been extraordinary things in a very common way to the point that their actions have attracted public attention and admiration. They are:

Hon. Esther Ngala Ntala: Self Motivated Sparkling Politician

Hon. Esther Ngala

To be a female political giant in is just like driving along the Bamenda Ring Road where you need to withstand all the odds against you. And trying to change the mentality of a society that was purely male dominated is also an up hill task that only dynamic women can overcome.

Yet, Hon. Esther Ngala Ntala, SDF Member of Parliament for Ndu in Donga Mantung Division of the Northwest region is one of those exemplary female politicians who have dismantled these barriers. Before becoming a career politician, her hard work, determination and involvement in community work and sound education shaped and influenced her life to where she is today.

This good natured, self-motivated and sparkling political icon has had a distinguished career as a teacher before a jump-start in politics where she is going into records in great names. Conscientiously speaking she has been rated as the agrarian political messiah who continues to stimulate the woman that “what a man can do in politics, a woman can likely do it twice”. This is great motivation because she is and continues to make a difference in the lives of the rural woman. From Taku to Ntundip through Ndu, Ntumbaw, right down to Luh, Ngarum, Talla, Mbipgo, she moves from women of little and no education to learned ones. Her success story as a politician is the beginning of a new page for women. Skilled with political strategies, Hon. Esther Ngala Ntala remains a force to reckon with in Mbumland. Despite her prestigious position as MP, Hon. Esther Ngala still believes in the African root concept because she remains a mother and a home maker. As an educationist, she has a soft spot for the education of the girl child. Before going to Parliament, she was the President of the (Wimbum) Mbum Women in Bamenda with a membership of over 7.000. She helped set up a micro credit for woen in Ndu where more than 500 women have changed their lives. 

Besides, she was also a member of the Steering Committee of the Grassfeild Participatory and Decentralized Rural Development Project-GP DERUDEP. All these positions were not handed to her on a platter of gold but were as a result of hard work and merit. At the National Assembly, she is the Chairperson of the Social Committee. Yet, Hon. Esther Ngala moves along with innovation, meet her on her political trips and you would have met a politician of great magnitude. Furthermore, she is also one of those MPs that have continued to caution farmers and grazers on the phenomenon of climate change.

Yaah Patience Tamfu: The Woman Emancipator

Patience Tamfu

If there is any area in Cameroon where the Beijing platform can be assessed, it is in her participation in political and economic sphere which was former a no go one for the woman. This woman has shown that women in leadership could mean a lot to Cameroon. Ever since this daughter of the great statesman, late Hon. SN Tamfu became the sparkling flicker, the ever first woman to strengthen the CPDM party in the United State of America. She has become a symbol that women in leadership position could mean a lot to Cameroon. Hitherto considered a no go zone for women, Yaah Patience Tamfu has not only dismantled the male barriers constructed round politics but has more importantly serve as a woman emancipator. And that she is the WCPDM President in the USA is a fact and that evidences are rife that she campaigned tirelessly for President Biya to win in Diasporas during the last Presidential elections.

Since her election into the national Bureau of the CPDM, Patience Tamfu had helped a great deal in transforming President Biya’s policy of greater ambitions to greater achievements in the Diasporas. Even though she lives in the USA, she remains approachable. She talks and acts with dogged friendliness reasons why she is loved and appreciated by all the young men, elders and young women in Mbumland.

Yet, it is these qualities which incalculably complement her multifarious roles in Mbum land, Donga Mantung Division, North West and Cameroon as a whole.

That she now could occupy the seat of a senator is not fortuitous. This is so because she is a bulk of talent, intelligent and a woman who lives in every other person’s problem. Hard work and efficiency have continued to be the qualities that define her. Whenever you meet her for the first time, you are taken by her mastery of issues.  Take it as arrogance and you are right for this is positive arrogance that enables that job for which she does is done correctly. It is this positive arrogance she reads widely and interacts with all the set of people in society.

Notwithstanding, she has the drive and dedication that defies any facile explanations. Born into the family of late Hon. SN Tamfu, she was brought up in close knit family in the fear of the God. In later life she could not escape to be a workaholic or become a politician par excellence reasons she is looked up to as the woman who should become a senator.

Madame Mary Awudu: Symbol of Hard Work

Madame Mary Awudu

Madame Mary Awudu is a woman whose talent and ingenuity have been likened to those of Hilary Clinton. The “Manju” of Mbum land is a woman whose life successes continue to spur young girls in Mbum land. She is a successful politician, a climate change campaigner and a successful business woman. Her rise to fame in the field of politics can easily be justified by the statement that life is a journey. In fact, John Bungam’s pilgrim progress is a classical expression of this truth that clearly portrays her as a political genius. Ma Mary as she is often referred to by youths, elders and other women to start with, she is a multi talented woman and describing her as an intellect is to use one of the weakest dictions to illustrate a genius. She is well-groomed and has the meticulous brain weave that is unbreakable.  Anyone who comes across her for the first time is attracted by her cultured manners which have made her a career politician and quite often she is referred to as the Campaign Manager. Meet her in one of her political trips in the field and you will confirm that she is woman with conscience and character. Or meet her talking to women on the phenomenon of climate change and you will be thrilled by her aptness in the domain.

She is always exceptional everywhere she goes. She started her political progress in the Social Democratic Front-SDF party where she is training and education secretary. Pregnant with political maturity and strategies, her desire to express her political ideas freely and pragmatically makes her an extraordinary women loaded with expedients.

Ma Mary entered into records when she empowered the buyam sellam women in Nkambe and later set up a micro-scheme for them. Every year, she would move from one village to another distributing improved seeds to farmers.

If we go by the wise saying that behind every strong man is a powerful woman, Ma Mary is just the fittest in that saying because she plays her role well in society. She is known and appreciated by people. It is that mastery in grassroot politics and doing little things that matter in a common way that has raised her to be cherished by all and sundry in Mbum land.. To understand that she has the God given magnet that attracts people and that she is a career politician, meet her in the field and you would agree with me that she is a celebrity.

While she has been transforming lives through the little things she does, and doing the same like Mother Teresa, Ma Mary is also an advocate against female genital mutilation. She has always been apt to stand up against people in society that keep others in abject poverty for the sake of a few who have wealth and power. To her, the door of success only opens those who value hard work. Of late she moved to the tree tops to condemned ritual killing in Cameroon. Visit her home early in the morning and you will not meet less than 50 people who have come to say “hi”. This retired civil servant is a mother of all. A woman whose achievements should be celebrated as millions celebrate the work of the woman today, March 8, 2013.

Prof. Uphie Melo Chinje: The Role Model

Prof. Uphie Melo Chinje

Prof. Uphie Melo Chinje is a frontline researcher, like other result oriented researchers, she is transforming theory into practice. Moving research results from the laboratory into the field of production has been one of her major achievements. In the past, accusations have been more compounded by the fact that research results never go beyond the laboratory. Reasons being that majority of the research results never tie with local realities because most of the researchers prefer to think globally and act globally. Welcome Prof. Uphie Melo Chinje who is a mark departure from the madding crowd because she thinks globally and act locally. As a woman she has shown proof of being a systematically thought out of the box. As a researcher and a woman for that matter, she has always been worried why there are practical problems to be solved in society and researchers spend time in abstract things. She is one of those rare researchers who believe in the value of work. Far from being an academic exercise, she is of the school of thought of Beacon who saw research and the acquisition of knowledge as planned work. Knowing that everything in the world is purchased by labour, Prof. Uphie Melo Chinje put herself to education and learning that would make her useful in the field of work. And being a God fearing person, her inspiration has often come from Genesis 1:28 which states that: “replenish and subdue it”.  It is therefore a noble sentiment that she has not only replenished the earth but has been subduing it.

As General Manager of the Local Material Production Authority-MIPROMALO, she has been redefining the use of the earth especially it soil. Through her meritorious research work, she demonstrated that local materials are more resistant and she succeeded in putting local construction materials at the front stage in Cameron. That is how she is transforming President Biya’s greater ambition program.

While others in her position will certainly wear arrogance and snobbishness, she remains down to earth and accommodative. Back in her Constituency, Prof. Uphie Melo initiated and established the Creative Women Center, which is a model in empowering the rural woman. Yet Prof. Melo still goes beyond that to make work the divine with humanity as she believes God makes Himself in all the things. Her successes in politics, development work, research and empowerment has earned her countless awards and merits. She is therefore one of those celebrities that Cameroonians continue to admire during the Month of the woman and look up to as a role model. Meet her in the field discussing politics and you understand she is perfect.

Mafor Achidi Achu Judith Yaah Sunde: Pictogram of Fame

Mafor Achidi Achu Judith

Mafor Yaah Achidi Achu Judith Yaah Sunde is a woman of additional qualities. This is a woman who unlike others is busy round the clock. As a seasoned administrator, she believes like Immanuel Kant that “the more we are busy, the more we feel we are alive and contributing for the welfare of others”. Her educational background coupled with her devotion to be perfect has made her to transform the principle of education for work into the principle of education through work. Reasons why she puts youths ahead in all her actions and also believes that by empowering the rural women and youths she would be an avenue par excellence to change lives through work. As a Christian, she believes like Martin Luther King that “working is praying”. One prelate once said that every human natured person is made up of the human and the divine and that when the divine overrides, the human one becomes closer to God. Yet, Mafor Achidi Achu Judith goes beyond that by making work the divine with the human as a pairs.

Last year, she donated a football trophy worth a million FCFA for youths in Donga Mantung Division to celebrate the 50 Anniversary of Cameroon’s independence in grand style with over 20.000 man crowds in attendance during the finals reasons why couple with all what had done for the welfare of rural women, Donga Mantung Fons honoured and coroneted her Senior Ma-Yaah of Donga Mantung division. The second edition of the tournament took place at Ndu last year with over 24 football teams taking part. In a bit to promote the football nursery of Donga Mantung Division, Mafor Yaah Achidi Achu has proven that what a man can do, a woman can do it better. Her largesse to rural women of Nkambe Central has been out numbered ranging from farm inputs to maize seeds and others.

Her devotion for work and down to earth nature ignited fons of the North West who coroneted her with the title of “Mafor”

Accompanying rural women through support has been her line of action in fostering women empowerment. What makes her dissimilar from others is that she does uncommon things in a very common manner. 

In the Littoral and South West regions where she served as Regional Director of CAMTEL, she left an indelible mark of greatness that speaks positively and confirms the aptitude of women in leadership positions. In the Southwest Region she succeeded in putting in place the optic fiber. In the North West, she is also noted to have transformed the entire service into a bee hive of activities. Putting CAMTEL to the forefront by putting in place new installations at Jakiri, Wum, Nkambe and Oku as well as the terminal optical fibre at the University of Bamenda before her workaholic nature moved her to the head office in Yaounde where she is Director of Urban Development at CAMTEL. Notwithstanding, Mafor Achidi Achu Judith Yaah Sunde is also a great supporter of the CPDM. In the political arena her presence in Donga Mantung Division is often described as a booster to youths and the woman folk. If you have never met a cheese full of prominence, get closer to Sr Ma Yaah Mafor Achidi Achu Judith to rediscover her role as a woman emancipator.

Kah Walla: The Woman with Presidential Ambitions

Kah Walla

The most comfortable act on earth they say is to fulfill ones dream. Mss Kah Walla, the Coordinator of Cameroon O’Bosso and founder of Strategy cum is not a woman to pigeon hole with. Even though some people are of the opinion that far away hills always look very green, female Presidential candidate for 2011 Presidential Elections when looked closer she is as green as green pepper. To begin with, Kah Walla is a very brilliant woman. The chair lady of CCP is not someone to pigeon-hole with.

With Strategy, a not for profit organization she was able to move mountains reasons why the World Bank selected her among the most brilliant enterprising African women. In fact, Kah Walla has an International reputation that makes a great difference with her peers. The truth about Kah Walla is that she is first of all very courageous and result-oriented. While in the Social Democratic Front where she occupied the privileged position of head of the Strategic Committee she was as excellent and accurate as a mathematic teacher. Being a woman did not hinder her from performing the most demanding and strategic role for the SDF party. Yet, Kah Walla decided to quit the SDF to be record holder as the ever first Cameroonian woman to declare her ambitions to rule Cameroon. Waoo, a woman with Presidential ambitions is not just any Jack, Dick or Harry but someone who knows she has the potentials. However, Kah has become a force to reckon with in Cameroon and one of the few politicians that creates panic when she addresses burning issues.

Kah Walla is a good orator and a perfect public speaker from the agglomeration of her education. As a graduate from Howard, she is not just a product of fineness but also she is smart and proactive.  She has the God-given knack that she is clicked by the charm that easily convinces people. When she launched her Presidential race to the Unity Palace, the Kahwallamania syndrome took Cameroonians like the hike in the prices of coffee and cocoa took farmers unaware last February.

As a trainer, Kah Walla holds record for setting up a structure that is recognized worldwide. In Cameroon, she has empowered hundreds of youths. From Europe to America, she has left a mark of greatness as a leader. Get her from sleep and challenge her to a debate and you would realize that she is all Cameroon need to effect change. To any body who wants to enjoy Kah Walla do not go to challenge her, go to discuss with her and you will not regret for having met such a super intelligent woman. She is of the school of thought that holds the conviction that Africa is rich but the problem is with it leadership. The range of her level headedness has attracted the world not just because she is a woman for that matter rather because she appears to come from a rare breed of woman

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