In a profession heavily dominated by men, Nwezack Fideline Ngemah, a female bike rider based in Buea, is breaking the norm and challenging stereotypes surrounding women in the job.
Aside from putting food on her table through the job, she is steadily making a name for herself on the roads of Buea, where commercial bike riders are increasingly playing a crucial role in the city’s transportation network.
Bike riding is a profession long associated with men across Cameroon, largely due to its physical strain and demanding nature.
But while many have accepted the norm, Fideline has chosen to ride. Today, her motorcycle is one of the means helping her put food on the table and earn her daily bread.
What makes her story particularly interesting is the trust she has earned from one of the prominent religious leaders in the city, Bishop Michael Bibi of the Buea Diocese.
Fideline has had the privilege of carrying the Bishop during some of his pastoral outings in the Diocese in recent times.
She was particularly noted on Thursday, September 24, as she transported Bishop Bibi around the city when members of the Buea commercial bike riders’ union gathered for their annual thanksgiving mass at the Divine Mercy Co-Cathedral Parish in Molyko.
Fideline saw it as a rare privilege that the Bishop chose to rely on her services instead of those of her male colleagues. To her, it spoke volumes about the confidence he has placed in her.
For Fideline, commercial motorbike riding is not simply about getting passengers from one point to another. It is a profession she has embraced with seriousness, discipline, and determination.
She is proving that when professionalism meets dedication, even a profession traditionally associated with men can become a respectable means of livelihood for a woman.
Many salute Nwezack Fideline Ngemah for breaking barriers, working hard, and representing her native village of Rom beyond the borders of Nwa Subdivision in the North West Region.
