Fw: [MINCAM] Text version: MINCAM President 2013 New Year Speech

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From: Florence Njoyi <njoyiflo@yahoo.com>
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Sent: Tuesday, January 1, 2013 11:07:35 PM
Subject: [MINCAM] Text version: MINCAM President 2013 New Year Speech

2013 NEW YEAR ADDRESS

BY

THE PRESIDENT

OF MINNESOTA CAMEROON COMMUNITY, MINCAM

DR. ROBERT NDIFOR TAMUKONG

DECEMBER 31, 2012

My dear Minnesota Cameroonians, Friends of Cameroonians in Minnesota, ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I speak to you all today, at the beginning of a New Year. As you all gather with your families and friends to welcome the New Year wishes and resolutions, I come to join and wish you God's special blessings in 2013, on behalf of myself and the MINCAM Leadership.

2012 has been quite an exciting year for MINCAM, and we have nothing but gratitude to you for being great community members. Looking back, we have come a long way, and as I reflect through our journey this past year, I cannot but remember every single great challenge we as a community have been through. A few of them tested us, shaking the very essence of why we came together as a community. Some of these were man made but others came as a natural progression of life. I would like at this moment to pause here to render special tribute to all the faithful departed in our community. Their memories will live with us forever and it shall be well with their souls.

In spite of these challenges we were still able to chart our path and surge ahead together. We have always been able to dig deep into our existential selves to find the discipline to stick together; we have always been able to tap from the source of our deep-rooted values to be more united. At every important historic juncture, at every moment of difficulty, we have embraced an uplifting spirit and a sense of hopeful possibilities, reinforced by our resolve to succeed as a people and as a community.

Today we can truly say we are a people bonded together by a purpose that is stronger than any challenges that come our way.

The results of this "can-do" spirit that has found a comfortable home amongst us in our community are very evident. Every index that measures our wellbeing and progress as a community has seen significant improvement this year; in areas such as graduations rates and educational accomplishments, Career growths, births and birthdays, marriages, business development and growth, cultural activities and leisure.

As a community, within the last year or so, we have demonstrated an avowed sense of ourselves and achieved enormous successes in institutionalizing a sustainable life insurance program; formalized both the annual Children's Christmas party and the graduation recognition event. The MINCAM games tournament was an innovation this year. Under the auspices of the SRC – FABAMI, Mankon FC and Veteran FC actively engaged in the competition in a spirit of fair play. Our hearts go out to all the sponsors who made this happen. We hope to make it a formal program moving forward.

Our last General assembly saw attendance rise to unprecedented numbers and the cultural weekend recorded over 27 groups that participated. MINCAM TV in collaboration with the Education Committee brought to your screens some Career Pathway videos that have earned high profile ratings both within and outside of Minnesota. We hope to keep the flame alive. Our visit with Congressman Keith Ellison last October at the Sabathani Community Center in Minneapolis was a resounding success, and we will continue to build those bridges with different people and resources outside our community to include local governments, the state of MN and the federal government.

Just a few weeks back, I was privileged to be able to attend the 2012 Presbyterian Church day celebration, as well as a Thanksgiving celebration by the Grace Restoration Ministries. My eyes were beaming with tears of joy as I stood and watched Cameroonians of every creed dancing and singing in unison. It was not just Presbyterians, but it was Cameroonians – Catholics, Baptists, Muslims, and other religious denominations, speaking in different languages, French, English, Bulu, mungaka, fufulde, hausa, bamileke, pidgin, bassa, douala, manyu, Mankon, Ngemba, etc. That is the peace and unity that we in Minnesota have worked so hard for, and will unequivocally reject any forces that will attempt to destabilize the status quo.

In fact, I have a dream that one day, all Cameroonians in Minnesota will get together once a year for an Ecumenical or interfaith service to affirm our faith, to share our hopes and fears, our joys and sorrows, our opportunities and needs. I'm hereby encouraging us to become aware of the person next to us, and to share in the burdens of other people and pray with and for them.

Fellow Cameroonians, together, we have branded MINCAM. Together we have put MINCAM on the global map.

But this milestone should serve as a reminder to us all that the future is ours to shape if we move forward with confidence and commitment.

However, we have not done nearly as well as we ought to have done in the quality of our discourse with those with whom we disagree, in the elemental respect and regard which we ought to hold for one another. In these and other intangible matters, I pray we all make a very special effort in 2013 to do better.

Dear Cameroonians, 2013 will be a year of great significance for us in Minnesota, because it comes at a time when we have committed ourselves to succeeding in the test which so far we have come short of realizing in the past. I am talking about our pledge to acquire a community center; the CCC, which we all agree will be an edifice of our tangible heritage – some place that symbolizes our presence, our courage and our unity.

Why do we need a CCC? The Cameroonian population in Minnesota has grown by leaps and bounds – estimated today at about 4,000 Cameroonians living in the state of Minnesota; We Continuously depend upon other community venues, whose numbers are nowhere close to our numbers, some of these venues are sometimes very costly and not very accommodating to our needs and style; We need to create a place of our own, a future for our children – a place they can call their own; This is a time to buy as it is a time for good real estate value.

The property that has been identified on Snelling fits the criteria that were carefully crafted to meet the needs and aspirations as a befitting CCC: Centrally located – not too far from inner cities; Non-residential zoning; Accessibility via major freeways; Big enough parking lot size; Price range b/w $500 – $1m; Good state of the structure, including wear and tear of the building; Safe neighborhood; Large Square footage for 2 banquet halls, meeting rooms, office space etc.

But in truth, we cannot confidently say that we have succeeded as much as we would like to have succeeded, and there is no more test of how seriously we can, than the community center project.

This is a fundamental test of our social goals and our community's will: our ability to say to ourselves and the rest of the world that yes we can do this; that Cameroonians in Minnesota are resilient and resolved into making big things happen; that we keep our promise to keep a legacy for ourselves and for future generations of Cameroonians in MN.

The steps we have taken so far have been very encouraging. I cannot be any more grateful for our hard work and for the financial engagements some of us have already made towards this project. Our goal deadline of December 2102 to come up with the down payment for the property that we all endorse at our AGM last August has not been met.

We must not relent. We must knock on doors until our knuckles bleed. Doors will slam in our faces. We must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and knock again. It's the only way to achieve any meaningful goals in life.

Like someone said, we'll miss 100% of the shots we never take, and opportunity dances with those on the dance floor.

In the coming days or so, the Fundraising team will be approaching you with a new road map, asking you to pledge or renew your commitment towards this noble cause. I pray that you give this project your renewed commitment as we begin the New Year.

I would like to remind us that we are all privileged to be living in one of the most dynamic Cameroon Communities in the Diaspora, and we should strive to maintain it as such. I pray us to not take our eyes off the ball. What should be at the top of our collective priorities at this time is the acquisition of our Cameroon Community Center.

I am satisfied that we are more united for uplifting common purposes than ever before. I shall redouble my efforts personally to ensure that we continue to build an ever stronger and purposeful community in Minnesota. I assure you that together we shall triumph. Let's all be reminded that it takes two hands to clap and it takes two bracelets to jingle.

As I speak, my mind is drifting towards an inspirational speech, popularly known today as the Paradoxical Commandments given in 1978 by a Methodist Bishop and Prime Minister of Rhodesia, today known as Zimbabwe.

I think of this community's dedication, our noble passion to succeed as a people as the incarnation of Bishop Abel Muzerawa. Bishop Muzerawa said in his speech:

That: Even though People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. You will Love them anyway.

That: If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. You do good anyway.

That: If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

That: The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

That: Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

That: The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind.

Think big anyway.

That: What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

That: People really need help but may attack if you help them. Help people anyway.

That: Give the world the best you have and you might get kicked in the face. Give the world the best you've got anyway

Grounded in our spirit of patriotism and in our providential gift of a united people, we shall succeed with One Aim, One God, One Destiny!

In that same spirit, let us face the year 2013 with optimism.

Thank you! And may God continue to bless us all!

Long live MINCAM.

__._,_.___

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There is nothing Kool about smoking. Though smoking is not a big problem in our community, our children are in danger of smoking. 20% of college children in the United States smoke. Watch what games your children are playing as tobacco companies are reaching them through video games. Watch out for new products like smokeless tobacco and free tobacco gifts. Are you and your children hanging around people who smoke? Second hand smoke is as dangerous as smoking. 80% of the one billion people who will die from tobacco in this century will be from poor countries like Cameroon. Protect your loved ones from tobacco.