By Joy Bikom
On Saturday, November 30, 2024, the City Mayor, Greg Mewanu, received traditional blessings in a brief ceremony presided over by the traditional ruler of Bakundu, Chief Atinda Martin Mboni.
The event, which took place in Mbu, saw members of the local community gather to honor Mayor Mewanu and invoke the ancestral blessings of Mbu Bakundu.
In his address, Chief Atinda Martin Mboni expressed the deep bond between Mbu Bakundu and the City Mayor, as he stated “We have always considered you as ours because you are from a sister village. The people of Mbu came here today to recognize you and to call on our ancestors to be with you in this perilous time where friends don’t want friends to grow.”
The Chief further stated that the blessings bestowed upon City Mayor Mewanu were traditionally given to Mbu Bakundu sons and daughters, symbolizing his acceptance into the community.
In his response, Greg Mewanu expressed deep gratitude for the honor bestowed upon him. “I want to begin by thanking my mothers from Mbu Bakundu and my fathers. I want to also in a special way thank my chief and papa who handed over to him. I equally wish to thank the youths and I want to thank the community in general that invited me here as their son, to give me the blessings that I’ve received,” he said, visibly moved by the warmth of the occasion.
During the ceremony, Chief Atinda Mboni took the opportunity to highlight the pressing issue of road inaccessibility. He lamented that the villages of Mbu Bakundu and Itoki Bakundu remain enclaved due to the lack of proper roads, a situation that continues to isolate the communities.
Chief Mboni revealed that a fundraising campaign was underway to raise funds for the construction of roads leading to these villages, which have long struggled with inaccessibility.
Responding to the said challenge, the City Mayor Mewanu expressed optimism about the future of the road projects and pledged his support. “As it is said, when you come and receive the blessings, you’ll get very close to the people and you get to know what their problems are,” he shared. “After receiving this tremendous blessing, I thought it wise to add my little strength to the efforts that they have been making, by doing my own modest donation.”
In his usual display of solidarity, the City Mayor contributed 1 million FCFA to the fundraising initiative. He also pledged to support the road projects further by providing graders, in addition to his financial contribution.
Greg Mewanu’s commitment to the development of Mbu Bakundu and Itoki Bakundu, particularly through the improvement of their road infrastructure, was met with wide appreciation by the community.
The traditional blessings, combined with the Mayor’s generosity and promise of further support, have fostered a strong partnership between the City Mayor and the people of Mbu Bakundu, thereby strengthening their shared vision for progress.
