« The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Gabriel Mbairobé and the Young Captain of Agricultural Industries, National President of the Association of Actors of the Banana-Plantain Sector, Samuel Tony Obam Bikoue, have just sealed with the South West, an alliance of peace, unity, and development in the South West. It is with an innovative Agro-pastoral Programme, integrating a direct social and economic impact for the populations of the South West: the Banana-Fiesta Buea 2023. This is the International Banana-Plantain Festival, where no less than 40 investors in « Precision Agriculture » such as Bill CANNON of Fertile Ground are expected, with nearly 100 billion CFA francs of investment. The South-West is fully committed to this Great Opportunity offered by President Paul BIYA ».
The Bulu, where the first edition of the International Banana-Plantain Festival was held, have a saying: « Zà aa vini Mvàé?”, which implies, « Who in this world does not like good »? The Sacred Union of the whole of Cameroon around the Banana-Plantain project, confirms this Bulu proverb. In Mvangan, South, a strong delegation from the South-West proudly took a banana leaf from the South, as in a relay race; and today it is the South-West, an English-speaking region of Cameroon, already running with the baton, to win the stage, and pass the baton to another French-speaking Region. The race for the « Mvàé », the « good » is launched for 10 years, and no Region of Cameroon, even if handicapped by an unwanted circumstance such as the security crisis, tampers with it. On the contrary, it is an exceptional project.
The 300 people from the French-speaking Regions that the young Captain of Agricultural Industries, National President of the Banana-Plantain Stakeholders Association (FBPC) Tony Obam brought to Buea from 11 to 13 January 2023, were to stop in Douala, but Mr Tony braved the odds and carried his enntourage to Buea without fear.
This was repaid with the enthusiastic reception from the South West Regional Assembly, who all agreed and concluded that it is very good to live in Buea, the regional capital of the South West.
Henceforth, all agreed to offer the South-West, the most beautiful International Plantain Festival, somewhat compared to what the Cameroon of Paul Biya offered to Africa, as it hosted the most beautiful AFCON last year, in the history of the competition.
The South-West, in its entirety, has joined the Banana-Fiesta, or Banana-Festival.
It is because the South-West saw in this organization, a language of truth, a language of concreteness. In the delegation, a high-level official from Minader, Director Henri Messi, special envoy of Minister Gabriel Mbairobé, spoke of subsidies in terms of billions: « That the Regional Assembly of the South-West develops mature projects with the organised groups, to benefit from funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development », said MINADER’s spokesperson.
The President of the National Association of Stakeholders in the Banana-Plantain Sector in Cameroon, Tony Obam, added that the Regional Councils and Regional Assemblies are fighting to have a budget of 3 billion; the FBPC in one day, has signed agreements for 68 billion. “We must therefore change the paradigm ». In the immediate future, three agreements have been signed between the FBPC and distributors to sell seeds for vitro-plants, Fertile Ground fertilisers and field products for the markets.
The investors of Fertile Ground, Belweda and Aftel are the ones who are responsible for the « Mvàé » and « Bien ». These investors, who were present in Buea, offer not only financing, but also fertilisers and the purchase of all products. Tony Obam calls it a « win-win partnership ». Bill Cannon, CEO of Fertile Ground, calls it « Precision Agriculture », and Gabriel Mbairobé the Minader calls it « President Paul Biya’s Agricultural Revolution ».
The President of the Chamber of Traditional Chiefs in the Regional Assembly, Chief Doctor Atem Ebako, who turned out to be the mascot of the Banana-Festival, said they had the opportunity to use their soils to make ends meet but they didn’t exploits it. “We are poor. We have been living on Banana-Plantain without knowing that it is a source of enormous wealth and opportunity. Now Tony Obam’s FBPC comes with financiers and opportunities. So we have to change our paradigms.
The Banana-Plantain therefore becomes the good fruit of the garden, which brings unity, peace and progress.”, he noted.
Prime Minister and Head of Government Chief Doctor Joseph Dion Nguté, receiving Fertile Ground CEO Bill Cannon, in the presence of Tony Obam, who certified this by saying the Head of State is counting on this « priority growth sector » to revive the economic life of South Westerners, and the whole of Cameroon.
Mr. Tony Obam’s speech at the Paramount Chief Endeley V, was hence captivated, “We have come in peace and for peace. Banana-Plantain is consumed by all the 25 million Cameroonians, which is why it becomes the best criterion that boosts national unity. In addition, it gives money and fosters individual and collective progress; everything that every Cameroonian dreams of and is entitled to”, he reassured.
The Governor of the South-West Bernard Okalia Bilaï gave the governmental anointment. The whole of the South-West is thus united with the rest of Cameroon thanks to the Banana-Plantain.
S.A. / Marie L.TENE
