The National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism has urged the people of Limbe and the Southwest Region as a whole to shun hate speech and embrace peace, especially at such a crucial time.
This has always been the message of the NCPBM, but it decided to reiterate it at the Limbe Royal Cultural Festival that took place on March 21 and 22. The essence of taking messages of peace to the event in Limbe was to physically meet the population.
The need to promote peace and shun hate speech is crucial for the NCPBM at this time, considering that Cameroon is a few months away from conducting the presidential election.
The election, according to Emmanuel Limene Molonge, Head of Division, Promotion of Multiculturalism and Living Together, often comes with hate language and division.
“Because of the political stakes we have in the country, there are tones of hate speech, tribalism and xenophobia.” He said.
For him, an event like the Limbe Royal Cultural Festival is an opportunity for them to meet the people and engage them on the need for peace and living together.
The Limbe Royal Cultural Festival, which, as he said, brings Cameroonians from diverse backgrounds.
So, the National Commission for the Promotion of Bilingualism and Multiculturalism (NCPBM) is taking part with an emphasis on harmonious living together.
“We are just here to see that Cameroonians, people in Limbe; the people in the southwest should continue to live in peace; they should continue to live together,” he added.
On day two of the event at Jungle Village inside the Botanical Gardens, the stand of the Commission had gadgets such as the law on the promotion of official languages in Cameroon, the Commission's quarterly magazine, "The Compatriot", the NCPBM-in-Brief, posters on the fight against hate speech and banners, which all carry the key missions and field activities of the institution.
Officials at the event stressed the need for the public and the mass media to redouble efforts at promoting not only bilingualism but also multiculturalism and living together in the city of Limbe in particular and the South West Region as a whole.
So, the commission is urging the public to continue to cultivate social cohesion and peaceful cohabitation before, during and after elections in Cameroon.
To them, Cameroonians should continue to uphold the culture of tolerance, solidarity, mutual understanding, and fraternal love, without which the unity and stability of the country may be threatened.
One key message was that elections will come and go, but the Cameroonians will remain. However, the commission is equally asking the public to report issues that discriminate against people based on language, where they come from and who they are.
The NCPBM delegation to the festival was led by the Head of the Division for Multiculturalism and Living Together. He was accompanied to the event in Limbe by the Head of the South West Regional Branch of the Commission, Anne Enanga Mosima, and the Head of the Communication Unit, Bernard Eko.