 |
| Baba Danpoullo in a chat with DO for Belo, Manchang Nicholas |
Over 2000 delegates and 74 Ardos
attended the joint meeting of Association of Breeders and Farmers-SODELCO and
Ardo’s Union at Ndawara in Belo Sub Division on Saturday December 19, 2015. This
year’s General Assembly brought in delegates from the ten Regions of Cameroon.
Present at the meeting were the Divisional Officer for Belo Sub Division,
Machang Nicholas, the Divisional Officer for Bum, the mayor of Belo, Tosam
Bernard and the Alhadji Baba Ahmadou Danpoullo cum Special Adviser of the
Ardo’s Union and Founder of SODELCO.
In
a strong resolution, delegates at the Ndawara meeting vowed to combat the
phenomenon of early and forceful marriages, child labour/trafficking and in order
to be part of El Hadj Baba Danpoullo's innovative ideas to change lives
positively for the Fulani, grazers and farmers of Cameroon. History was then
recorded that the biggest lobbying force grouping Fulani grazers and farmers
will henceforth achieve its objectives by empowering youth and women for the
betterment of all. In this light, SODELCO and Ardo’s union debunked claims that
they are marginalized in Cameroon. Speaker after speaker denounced that the
Fulani people are not marginalized. To them, the fact that El Hadj Baba
Danpoullo was recently ranked by Forbe Africa Magazine as the richest man
Francophone African debunks that they are poor and marginalized. They also
rejected claims by another association that the Fulani/Mbororo are indigenous
people.
This according to the Chief Executive
Officer of SODELCO is not tenable at all. Ardo Sule Bobo said that any other
organization that is manipulating opinion on the situation of Mbororo people in
Cameroon doing so irrationally. He also decried the prostitution of the title
of Ardo given that it is nowadays sold to the highest bidder whereas in the
past it was hereditary. He said the Fulani community will continue to support
President Biya in the fight against insecurity. He also expressed gratitude the
head of state for the continues support.
Those who took the pains to travel to
Ndawara to be part of the Joint Annual General Assembly of SODELCO/Ardo’s Union
went home more convinced that the future of Fulani youths especially the girl
child will henceforth be brighter. Taking into consideration that nowadays,
education is perhaps the most important gift a parent, state and governments can
offer to the humanity delegates resolved to put youth empowerment at the
forefront of its actions. According to the National President of SODELCO,
Alhadj Ardo Yougouda Bouba Adamou, education is required in the performance of
the most basic public responsibilities, even in farming, grazing and management
of homes. Therefore, the education of Fulani youths will be the very foundation
on which the association intends to foster sustainable livelihood. This decision
was further corroborated by the SODELCO Youth.
The National President Ardo Yougouda
said that they have been able to achieve a lot this year giving they also
opened training workshops to empower youths. He said women have been given the
opportunity to be part of decision making. With the overture of a gender
balance approach within SODELCO/Ardo’s Union, there are hopes that life will
not be the same with the youths who end up as herdsmen or go out for early
marriages/forceful marriages. The issue of early marriages as well as some
obnoxious cultural practices that reduce women to be for the kitchen was also
discussed.
Addressing the over 2000 man-crowd at
Ndawara, the Divisional Officer for Belo Machang Nicolas said congratulated
SODELCO/Ardo’s union trappings. He however promised that he will channel the
burning issues raised by the Ardo’s/ SODELCO to the appropriate quarters.
Education, he emphasized is the principal instrument in awakening the child to
cultural values, in preparing him/her for later professional training, and in
helping him/her to adjust normally to his/her environment. In these days,
according to Machang Nicholas, it is doubtful that any child may reasonably be
expected to succeed in life if he/she is denied the opportunity of an
education. He called on all the Fulani people to send their children to school
because in situation, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right
which must be made available to all on equal terms. Mr. Machang Nicholas used
the occasion to express gratitude to El Hadj Baba Danpoullo and the national
chairman of SODELCO Alhadj Ardo Yougouda Bouba for their innovative idea in
fostering national integration. He cautioned delegates that the success of any
association lies in two key elements. These elements of success according to
the Divisional Officer are: competence, honesty and transparency. On the
rampant farmer/grazer conflict, congratulated SODELCO for introducing improved pasture,
adopting ranching methods and as such SODELCO should remain a powerful tool to
promote development given that this year Belo Sub Division did not record any
farmer/grazer conflict.
He cautioned the youths and called on
them to report any suspected individual to the forces of law and order given
the security issues.
On his part the mayor of Belo Council,
Tosam Bernard expressed joy and elation at the innovative steps taken by the
association. According to Tosam Bernard, the Belo council believes in private
corporate partnership that will go a long way to change the lives of communities
in the municipality. He congratulated Baba Danpoullo for his ingenuity and
contribution in nation building, and creation of jobs.
Abdoulaziz on his part who was General
Coordinator of the Annual event said that “the Fulani contributes the greatest
share of the revenue given that they always pay jangali taxes. He however added
that he was the first to denounce the fact that the Mbororo/Fulani are in a
minority. “They are more than 2.5 million Fulani/Mbororo in Cameroon” he added.
He sounded optimistic and added youths have been brought in order to ensure
continuity. He said with SODELCO/Arod’s Union the future of the Fulani/Mbororo
is brighter given that they work with everyone. “Due to the explosion of the
population, we will embark on developing improved pastures as well as make sure
that the girl child is given the opportunity like any other to go to school”.
He said as parents, there is no better future if the youths are left behind in
their efforts to build a better future.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
No comments:
Post a Comment