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Patience Lahrman has been awarded with the Presidential Citizens Medal, the second-highest honour that can be given to a civilian in America for her passionate efforts at fixing the immigration system.


As an immigrant from Cameroon, she is now helping other immigrants through her Project SHINE (Students Helping in the Naturilization of Elders) which supports older immigrant by linking them with college students. The language barrier affecting the elderly ones creates barriers to their relationship with their younger children and access to medical care.

Project SHINE is operating from Temple University where they are connecting students with the older immigrants, as Lahrman explains in a video on the White House website, "immigrant integration is the rising tide that lifts all boats."

"There is this whole stigma, of the elderly population, that they can't learn as well, they won't remember things as well, which i found to be untrue," narrated a student in a video that shows students helping elderly immigrrants in the Chinatown neighbourhood of Philadelphia.

They also help the immigrants to get citizenship by naturalization. "I think that getting cittizenship is pretty much gettting your own voice," explained another student, "It is a sense of identity"

According to Lehrman, the integration of immigrants into the American society does not have any adverse effect on the American-born populace but it helps in making up for the manpower shortage created by the ageing population in America.

"Immigrants like myself are willing to do everything possible to particippate fully in shaping the future of this country by engaging with American-born citizens and other immigrants in defining what America means for all its citizens."

The 2013 Citizens Medal was conferred on 18 oustanding personalities out of about 6,000 nominations and Lehrman was chosen among the recipients for her involvement in immigrations, a contentious issue that has been avoided by many.
]]> Diaspora xml-rss2.php?itemid=946 Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:15:00 -0500 xml-rss2.php?itemid=944

Following the recent celebrations to commemorate this year's Youth Day on February 11, Professor Emeritus of history Verkijika Fanso has said that it is historically wrong to mark the date as Youths Day instead of Plebiscite Day.

On February 11 1961, Southern Cameroons was joined to the Republic of Cameroon. He said that not giving this day its due recognition is a disrespect for the Plebiscite which has resulted in the continuous marginalization of Anglophones in Cameroon as they "have beeen taken into a raw deal."

According to the renowed historian, it was after the Plebiscite in 1961 that then President Amadou Ahidjo started to change his mind on establishing a Federal System of government, which was a criteria for the unification agreement. In 1984, President Paul Biya disregarded the outcome of the 1972 refrerendum that supported the United Republic of Cameroon, suppressing the voices of Southern Cameroons and opting for the Republic of Cameroon.

Professor Fanso wondered why the government is making strong efforts to wipe out an important part off the country's history. "When you begin to distort history for whatever reason, you are encouraging people to protest. We have seen the example of SCNC, because they are saying that what the system is doing is totally unfair to Anglophones," he remarked.

Although, the voting process in the Plebiscite involved two options; reunification with Cameroon or Nigeria. There have also been talks of a third option which asked for an independent Southern Cameroons, but he said this option was championed by P. M. Kale of the Kamerun United Party (KUP) instead of the Southern Cameroons House of Assembly which is supposed to bring up the options.

He called for a re-orientation of the populace on what February 11 really represents - celebrating the union.

"It does not reduce anything by telling people that February 11 was Plebiscite Day. It does not change anything by telling Cameroonians that the two states were equal at unification," the historian said.
]]> General xml-rss2.php?itemid=944 Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:47:00 -0500 xml-rss2.php?itemid=942

A wonder-strike from Sunday Mba gave Nigeria their third African Nations Cup trophy as they beat Burkina Faso by a lone goal in Johannesburg.


From kick-off, Nigeria played with more intent as they continually piled pressure on Burkina Faso's defence. Efe Ambrose sent his header just over the bar in the first clear chance of the game before Brown Ideye capitalized on a poor mistake from goalkeeper Douda Diakite, but the Nigerian striker's weak shot went over the bar. With Burkina Faso being pegged to their half for most of the opening 45 minutes, a nice build-up play from Nigeria saw Victor Moses' shot being blocked and the advancing Sunday Mba then controlled the ball nicely to volley it into the left corner of the net.

Burkina Faso, led by star players Jonathan Pitroipa and Aristide Bance, made some decent attacks but failed to find the cutting edge.

Two minutes into the second-half, Nigeria almost doubled their advantage as a fine pass from Victor Moses found Ideye inside the box,, but he could only strike the ball across the open goal mouth. Moses then wasted a golden opportunity as he led a counter-attack only to hesitate in taking the shot, and he was dispossessed by defender Madi Panandetiguiri.

Burkina Faso tried to get something from the game as the Nigerian defence had to stand strong in repelling a barrage of corner kicks and it took a fantastic dive from Vincent Enyeama to parry out a thundrous strike from Sanou.

Substitute Moumouni Dagana sent his free kick over the bar from a very good position in the final minutes of the game as the Super Eagles came out victorious.

Burkina Faso playing in their first ever final put up a very spirited performance against Nigeria, who have played in the final for seven times and the victory made Coach Stephen Keshi the second man, after Mahmoud Al Gohari of Egypt, to win the tournament as a player and as a coach.]]> Sports xml-rss2.php?itemid=942 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 12:27:00 -0500 xml-rss2.php?itemid=940
On the eve of the 2013 Youth Day, President Paul Biya took the national stage to task the youth in Cameroon to uphold moral standards, and to earn honest living through useful endeavours. The Head of State also called on religious leaders to fulfill their duty of preaching peace and moral rectitude as he also promised to create more jobs for the unemployed.

My dear young compatriots,

On the occasion of the National Youth Day, I always make an appraisal of what Government has done for you in the areas of education, youth affairs and civic training, and inform you of our plans for the near future.

The theme chosen for this year's celebration: "Youth: Civic Responsibility and Participation in the Development Process" forms the basis of the message of hope I have for you, especially those of you who are in doubt, are disillusioned and have perhaps lost faith in their future.

I will first of all address the youth who are “under mentorship", namely those attending schools, colleges, high schools, universities or higher education institutes. For them, the State and their parents are making huge sacrifices. The budgets of the ministries concerned are among the country’s highest. Thanks to such budgetary allocations, which represent more than 15% of the overall State budget, schools have been built, teachers recruited and free primary education provided. The youth in this group should be aware of the efforts being made for them by the national community, and the resulting obligation to succeed.

Of course, obtaining a certificate is not always a guarantee of access to a job. In this regard however, the State is doing everything possible by absorbing many young graduates into the public service and the security services.

I also want to directly address the youth who are not attending school, those who have dropped out of the school system too soon and graduates who have not yet found a job and who are losing all hope of ever finding one. In the best case scenario, they are engaged in some informal sector activity, often below their capacities. Others are not so lucky and wallow in idleness or vagrancy, and sometimes drift into delinquency. Those who have a job, be they handcart pushers, loaders, jobbers, motorcycle taxi riders, etc., may bear a grudge against society. I can also understand if they are tempted to be rebellious. But that would not be the right course to follow, for experience shows that this worsens problems without providing any solution.

I will now turn to teachers - many of who are youths by the way - to whom we have entrusted our children to be imparted knowledge which is vital for their integration into society and to be prepared for responsible citizenship. Those who are engaged in what, not so long ago, was regarded as a calling rather than a profession are - I am aware - sometimes discouraged. Salary levels, living conditions, particularly in the rural areas, or the debasement of the teaching profession, largely account for this situation.

It is clear that such problems are not peculiar to Cameroon and it is true that modern society has upset the value system we were used to. However, there is no use hiding behind a supposed "crisis of civilization" to find explanations or excuses. We must take responsibility for our weaknesses to be able to find solutions.

To the first group, namely youth attending school and graduates, I would say that the outlook over the next few years should be more positive. The recovery of our economy, driven by the implementation of our major projects and our agrarian revolution will inevitably generate new job opportunities. For instance, 200,000 formal sector jobs will be created in the year 2013.This should encourage our youth to study hard and be best placed to face the stiff competition that lies ahead.

Concerning those in the second group who, due to circumstances, are marginalized, I want them to know that I appreciate their courage in accepting the often difficult tasks to support their families. Rather than looking down on them, we should acknowledge their unquestionably useful social role. Take, for instance, the case of motorcycle taxi riders.

I know that this profession is not always highly regarded due to some “black sheep” who have joined its ranks. However, most of the youths involved are simply looking for a means of livelihood. Are we not happy that we can reach difficult locations quickly and cheaply? To avoid unbecoming conduct, there is clearly a need to organize the profession and consider providing training courses covering both the Highway Code, especially the wearing of helmets, and two-wheeler riding techniques.

Right off, I believe the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education, in conjunction with the Ministry of Employment and Vocational Training, is best suited to organize such training courses, either through existing structures involved in youth socio-economic empowerment or by establishing other bodies. To begin with, I enjoin these ministries to submit to me proposals in this regard.

What I have just said also applies to the other activities of the informal sector. Definitely, the experience of associations and non-governmental organizations in the domain of informal business mentoring and support should be seriously explored and developed.

To teachers, I want once more to say that I have much esteem for them and I understand them. They play a pivotal role in the training of our youth. That is why it is imperative for them to get back that “sacred fire”. This could be achieved in two ways. Firstly, as I said last year on the same occasion, by starting a broad-based reflection on the future of our educational system, one objective of which should be to rehabilitate the teaching profession. Secondly, by pursuing an open-minded dialogue on teachers’ grievances, including their salaries. The education and training sector, you are aware, is one of my priorities. Things will improve gradually in a genuine partnership between teachers and their supervisory authorities.

It would be paradoxical that in Cameroon, teachers are not given their rightful place whereas the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences is planning to establish a Centre of Excellence in our country to build the capacity of our scientific community. This mark of trust by a prestigious knowledge institution should not only consolidate our own trust in ourselves, but also spur our youth to choose studies in the scientific and technical fields in which they are naturally gifted.

Lastly, I would like to address an issue that is dear to me and to which I have often drawn your attention. Moral standards are falling among our youth. It suffices to read the newspaper titbits to realize this. Well, may be the behaviour of some youths is to some extent only a reflection of our society. But that is not a good excuse. In fact, even if we succeed in improving the living standards of our population, ensuring the proper functioning of our democratic institutions, and maintaining peace and stability in our country, the peaceful and prosperous society we want to build will be undermined from within if such achievements are not backed by improved public morality.

That is why I urge you, the youth, to adopt morally upright and responsible behaviours. I equally call on your parents to assume their responsibility and to guide you on this path. It cannot be overemphasized that good citizenship is the foundation of every society. Our churches, our temples and our mosques should once more become true schools of good citizenship, rigour and morality.

Before concluding, I would like us to spare a thought for Kouokam Géraldine, a pupil of the Mbanga Evangelical School, who died a few days ago during the launching of the Youth Week.

Dear young compatriots,

You are the future of our Nation. All our hopes are pinned on you. Be worthy of the ambitions we place in you.

Happy Youth Day to you all!

Long Live the Cameroonian youth!

Long Live Cameroon! ]]> Breaking News xml-rss2.php?itemid=940 Mon, 11 Feb 2013 07:29:00 -0500 xml-rss2.php?itemid=939
For more than 30 years, artifacts from the Nso and Oku palaces had been in foreign lands, but they have now been returned.

Their return was made possible by the efforts of William Hollande, an American that resides in Atlanta, Georgia. Mr. Hollande has traced his ancestry to Oku in Cameroon via an online research. He was conferred with the traditional title of 'Shufai Bailack' at a ceremony held in the compound of Fai Mamoh in Kumbo town.

An elephant tusk, a war symbol and chains used in the slave trade were among the antiquities presented to the Fon of Nso and his cabinet members at the Nso palace.

While presenting the artifacts, William Hollande Bailack who was accompanied by his cousin, Emmanuel Motika, thanked his community for honouring him with the title and promised to intensify his efforts in research that would lead to the discovery of more artifacts and their return to the Nso palace.

The Fon of Nso, Sehm Mbinglo I, expressed his profound appreciation to the Shufai Bailack in bringing back the artifacts which have been missing for several decades. He praised his spirit of patriotism that made him to buy back the artifacts for his people instead of reselling them to make profits.]]> Culture xml-rss2.php?itemid=939 Thu, 7 Feb 2013 07:25:00 -0500 xml-rss2.php?itemid=938
Child smoking in Cameroon has become a very troubling issue. According to data released by the Cameroon Coalition Against Tobacco, 4 out of every 10 pupil in Cameroonian schools have already had their first contact with tobacco and they have warned that the situation is bound to get worse if nothing is done.


The anti-tobacco organization has reported that of the of the 20 million people in cameroon, 17.5% are smokers and 15% of them are below 15 years of age. The organization is now calling for stiffer anti-tobacco laws to be promptly enacted in the country.

In May 2006, Cameroon joined other countries of the world to sign the World Health Organization Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), where they agreed to reduce tobacco intake and exposure to secondary smoke. Also, in November 2012, Cameroon adopted the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

All this efforts have been yielding very little results in the country as unscrupulous dealers have made cameroon a centre of smuggled cigarettes and to compound this problem, fake and sub-standard products flood the market, putting many lives at risk.

Africa and the rest of the developing world account for 80% of the 6 million worldwide deaths caused by tobacco. Flore Ndembiyembe, president of the Cameroon Coalition Against Tobacco, has explained that major tobacco manufacturers flee from the West, because of strong anti-tobacco laws, to find solace in developing countries where these laws are weaker or non-existent.

Theses tobacco companies are targeting the youths, who make up most of the country's population. Over 37% of the population are exposed to tobacco smoke in public and within the family as 28.8% of men and 8.1% of women smoke tobacco.

Thirty parliamentarians had promised anti-tobacco campaigners last December that they will lobby their colleagues in the 180-seat House to adopt an anti-tobacco draft law, but so far, nothing realistic have been done to that effect. Some ministerial orders have been issued regarding non-smoking areas like government buildings and schools, advertising, packaging and sales are to be monitored.

Anti-tobacco campaigners have insisted that this measures merely scratch the surface. According to Ndembiyembe, "only simple, clear, rigorous laws, which are possible to respect, will guarantee the public's power to benefit from pure air without tobacco smoke."]]> Health xml-rss2.php?itemid=938 Wed, 6 Feb 2013 07:23:00 -0500 xml-rss2.php?itemid=937
In a bid to curb the declining quality of cocoa beans in Cameroon, the government is taking a firm and multi-dimensional approach at addressing the issues of poor processing methods as the authorities are clamping down on dealers who are drying cocoa beans on tarred roadsides.


Officials of the cocoa quality and trade supervisory bodies are raiding, confiscating and destroying products along the 400 km road from Yaounde to Tonga in what has been termed "Operation Punch"

"Either we are producing top quality cocoa or we are not. We can no longer take chances," said Omer Gatien Maledy the Executive Secretary of Cameroon's Interprofessional Cocoa and Coffee Council (CICC).

Recently, 3,000 tons of cocoa were rejected at the European border as it failed quality tests at the point of entry. Unpleasant odours and high levels of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH) picked from tar, asphalt, exhaust fumes and pesticide residues, was discovered by inspection officers.

Cameroonian cocoa now sells at lower prices than those from Ghana and Ivory Coast due to quality issues. "Gossip has been spreading like bushfire worldwide that Cameroonian cocoa is dried on tarmacked roads and is thus unsafe, the outcome is that our cocoa is now suspicious everywhere," explained Omer Maledy.

Cameroon, the world's fifth largest cocoa producer, employs thousands and together with coffee, makes up 40% of the country's exports in the primary sector. Sanitizing the sector is therefore of great importance to the government. Efforts are being increased to stop the drying of cocoa beans on tarred roads and tackle the influence of middlemen in cocoa exportation. "They don't respect any quality requirements," said Angoula Jean, Coordinator of the Rehabilitation of Internal Marketing of Cocoa and Coffee at the Ministry of Trade. "They disrespect beans' fermentation duration of at least five days to ensure that appropriate drying reduces moisture to at least 8% so that beans don't carry odours of pesticide residues. They dry cocoa beans on termac roads and mix good and bad quality beans," she said.

Cocoa dealers have admitted that is wrong to dry seeds on termacs but alternatives are limited or too costly. "Of course we know that it's unhealthy to dry cocoa beans besides tarred roads, but we lack space elsewhere to create ideal sun-drying conditions, like cemented surfaces and elevated grids," complained Emmanuel Mofor, a dealer in the South West Region. Another dealer in Ekoumdouma, Ekani Michel said, "the cheapest 18 metre long white canvass sheets we have been advised to buy for drying costs at lease FCFA 500,000 (about $1,000) and is beyound the reach of many, ovens are equally very expensive to build."

The government is taking steps at tackling these problems by carrying out a research to ascertain the level of damage caused by low quality exports. Farm fieldtrips and seminars are organised to educate dealers on the best practices.

Also, 44 ovens have been repaired and handed over to farmers in Bafia, over one thousand 18 square-metre canvass sheets have been freely dis]]> Business xml-rss2.php?itemid=937 Tue, 5 Feb 2013 07:17:00 -0500 xml-rss2.php?itemid=936
Incessant power outages have been blamed for the death of four children from one family in Douala as residents have taken to the streets in protest against the failing electricity supply.


The siblings who died in the fire are; Njike Laurel Nya, 10, Flore Nya Mbakop, 9, Kandisse Nya Nyamsi, 7, and Auriol Nya, 2.

The tragic incident is said to have been caused by a candle used in lighting their home, while others have said the firewas triggered by a power short-circuit.

Protesters marched through the streets of Douala, Cameroon's economic capital, as they gathered at the office of the National Electricity Corporation (sonel), the sole supplier of electricity in the country. The frequent blackouts witnessed in several towns across the country have been blamed on sonel, and the people are also angry at the huge bills they pay for epileptic supplies.

the government-ownes sonel was privitsed in 2001 and the investment by AES corporation from America was touted as the needed inccentive to improve power generation, but this has not been the case.

With over 90% of Cameroon's electricity being generated from hydro-electric dams, AES-sonel announced in early February that supply would be rationed due to falling water levels in the dry season.

Projects like the ongoing $494 million Lom Pangar dam and the Kribi gas-fired thermal station have been initiated by the government to tap into the huge power potentials of Cameroon, which experts say is among the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa. But the huge suppply gap, which is expected to rise by 3 gigawatts in the next decade, has made lighting up Cameroonian homes and industries a big challenge.

The Kribi thermal plant which was scheduled to begin supply in December has been impeded by inadequate gas supply. So the plant is now expected to become operational in March. According to the Manager of AES-sonel in the Littoral Region, Lucas Fotso, the frequent interruptions in power supply will become a thing of the past if this power plant becomes fully functional.]]> Breaking News xml-rss2.php?itemid=936 Mon, 4 Feb 2013 07:15:00 -0500 xml-rss2.php?itemid=935
The proliferation of private television channels in Cameroon has led to the establishment of audio-visual stations that are operating in the country without the needed operation documents. The National Commission Council (NCC) have said that all illegal stations should acquire proper documentations or face the wrath of law.

This warning was contained in a communique released by the NCC President, Mgr. Joseph Befe Ateba where operators were reminded that television enterprises were guided by regulations which had to be strictly followed before they begin broadcast.

Therefore, Canal TV, Trompette TV, Kanodi TV, Gloire a' Dieu TV, Christ TV, and El Shadai have been ordered to stop broadcasting programmes to the public, especially in Yaounde and Douala. Also, promoters and cable tv distributors who provide technical assistance for these illegal stations, have been warned to desist forthwith.

According to the operators of the television stations, they have been hampered by funds needed to carry out the documentation while others have claimed not be aware of regulations.

An employee of El Shadai said they do not even know about the laws regulatinng audio-visual enterprises in Cameroon. He is even surprised that El Shadai has been categorized as a television channel when all they do is to distribute DVDs of recorded biblical messages to cable operators for broadcast. But they have decided to cease operations and seek for the lawful way of continuing with broadcasts.

Owner of Kanodi TV, Rev. Dr. Dieunedort Kamdem said they had started processing the documents but were held back by problems which have now been resolved. He agrees that the warning from NCC is a wake up call for them to step up the documentation process.

Henri-Patrice Tacoutchout of Gospel TV admitted that they knew about the laws guiding the establishment of private television but they do not have the FCFA 100 million that is required, he hopes that the government can allow them to pay the sum in installments.
]]> Breaking News xml-rss2.php?itemid=935 Mon, 4 Feb 2013 07:11:00 -0500 xml-rss2.php?itemid=934
The comic book released by the Cameroonian international, who now plys his trade with Rusian side, Anzhi Makhachkala, follows through his road to success and world-wide fame in very interesting and colourful pages.


At 31 years of age, the football star is fast approaching the end of a very successful career which started when he joined Real Madrid at the tender age of 17 before breaking into the limelight at Malaga from where he moved to Barcelona; he played with the Catalans for five years and made a switch to the Italian Seria A, playing for Inter Milan. His multi-million dollar transfer to Rusian Club, Anzhi Makhachkala has placed him among football's highest earners.

With an impressive total of 111 caps for the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, Samuel Eto'o now seeks to reach the younger generation; offering them hope, advice and entertainment with the new comic book.

"I wanted to share my experience with young people, Samuel Eto'o wasn't always the billionaire that many people present him as," he says in a video promoting the comic book.

"Behind all that there was a lot of hard work. And that is what i want to highlight," Eto'o said.

Though the video and comic book have only been released in French, they are filled with very nice illustrations that portray the life of the Cameroonian striker.]]> General xml-rss2.php?itemid=934 Fri, 1 Feb 2013 07:07:00 -0500