The La Falaise Diamond Hotel in Bonanjo-Douala hosted the 9th edition of the GoMAD conference on Saturday, February 24, under the theme “See the need, take the lead.”
GoMAD, short for Go Make A Difference, is an annual event in Douala designed to move participants from passive observation and complaints to proactive problem-solving. The aim is to create an environment where experts not only ignite but also sustain a transformative shift in participants, urging them to actively address societal challenges, as explained by Godlove Njinsong, the founder of GoMAD.
“Each GoMAD Event offers a distinctive and valuable learning journey. GoMAD 9 was no exception, providing participants with invaluable lessons in event management and organization. These insights will serve as stepping stones for enhancing and refining future editions of the event,” Njinsong emphasized.
Throughout the sessions, speakers touched on various aspects of individuals’ lives, including navigating change confidently during transitions, recognizing and seizing opportunities, understanding one’s role in nation-building, the value of volunteering for skill-building, prioritizing mental well-being, and setting personal goals for 2024 and strategies to achieve them.
MMI reached out to Godlove Njinsong to understand the inspiration behind GoMAD.
“After delving into engineering and gaining experience in the field, I reached a crucial realization—a job alone couldn’t bring me true fulfillment in life. Investing in my personal growth became a priority, igniting a desire to share this journey with others. The more I nurtured my development, the more I sensed a calling to guide and empower individuals on their paths to self-discovery and actualization. This innate impulse steered me towards establishing GoMAD on October 13, 2018—an organization born from my quest for purpose and fulfilment,” he shared.
Sandra Tsapi, a participant, expressed her expectations and the positive surprises she encountered during GoMAD 9. “My major expectation from GoMAD 9 was to get insights on how to become a better person. At the end of the day, I realized that I got beyond what I expected. I learned from the mistakes of Dr. Fotabe that, for every partnership you envisage to embrace in business, make it formal. Get a lawyer. What we do today will either open or close doors of opportunities for the coming generation. GoMAD 9 was explosive! The atmosphere, the dance breaks, the spoken word by Mme Sandra Nyangha, the crucial topics that were handled… Everything was fantastic. If any improvement should be made, I would suggest they make it a 2-days event, and give more time to speakers than they gave during the last edition.”
Njinsong acknowledged the impact of GoMAD and its transformative potential. “The event itself is not the ultimate aim; it’s about enabling participants to undergo a transformation that extends beyond the event’s duration. Every event has its shortcomings and impact not leaving out GoMAD. Currently, precise measurement is challenging. However, we gauge our impact through the overwhelming positive feedback received from participants. Our aspiration lies in ensuring that this event serves as a catalyst for the profound change we envision.”
Organizers expressed their hope for the continued impact of the event in the lives of participants as the years go by.
