Esther Omam Calls for Dialogue After Bassa Chiefs Ban “Sunday Taro”

A decision reportedly taken by the Supreme Council of Traditional Chiefs of the Bassa’a land to ban the popular cultural practice known as “Sunday Taro” has generated intensive debate online, reopening wider conversations around cultural identity, coexistence, and social cohesion in Cameroon. Esther Omam has weighed in.

The controversy emerged after a circular attributed to the traditional authorities began circulating on social media. The document announced what it described as a formal prohibition of the practice known as “Dimanche Taro” across Bassa ancestral lands.

According to the circular, the measure is intended to “fight acculturation” and restore the value of indigenous Bassa traditions. The document also encourages the promotion of local culinary traditions such as “Dimanche Bongo’o” and “Dimanche Ikok,” presented as part of efforts to preserve the community’s cultural identity.

The announcement has since generated mixed reactions online. While some applauded the move as an attempt to defend cultural heritage in the face of growing homogenisation, others questioned whether banning a food-related social practice risks encouraging exclusion and unnecessary ethnic tension in an already fragile national climate.

Esther Omam Calls for Calm and Dialogue

Among those reacting publicly is peace advocate and Executive Director of Reach Out Cameroon, Esther Omam, who has called for restraint, dialogue, and mutual understanding rather than confrontation.

In a statement released following the circulation of the document, Omam acknowledged the importance of traditional institutions and cultural preservation but warned against approaches that could deepen divisions.

“Culture is the soul of a people,” she said. “Every community has the legitimate right to protect and promote its traditions, values, and identity.”

At the same time, she stressed that Cameroon’s strength lies in its diversity and long history of coexistence among different ethnic and cultural groups.

“Cameroon remains a richly diverse nation where cultural coexistence, tolerance, and social harmony have always been among our greatest strengths,” Omam stated.

Rather than framing the issue as a battle between cultural purity and foreign influence, the peace advocate argued that the moment should serve as an opportunity for reflection and constructive engagement.

“It may therefore be important for all concerned stakeholders, including traditional authorities, cultural actors, community members, and the relevant ministries, to create spaces for constructive dialogue in order to better understand the concerns behind this decision and collectively explore peaceful and inclusive ways forward,” she added.

Between Cultural Preservation and Cultural Exclusion

The debate touches on broader anxieties increasingly visible across many African societies, where rapid urbanisation, migration, intermarriage, and globalisation continue to reshape local identities and cultural practices.

For some defenders of the ban, practices like “Sunday Taro” are viewed as examples of gradual cultural displacement, where communities begin adopting traditions perceived as belonging to other groups while indigenous customs slowly fade into the background.

But others argue that cultural interaction has always been part of Cameroon’s social fabric and that food, music, language, and marriage have historically crossed ethnic boundaries without necessarily threatening identity itself.

Omam appeared to lean toward this more reconciliatory perspective, noting that cultural evolution should not automatically be interpreted as cultural disappearance.

“Many cultural practices evolve over time through interaction, migration, intermarriage, urbanisation, and social exchange,” she explained. “This reality should not necessarily be seen as the disappearance of identity, but rather as an opportunity to reflect on how cultures can be preserved while still promoting national unity and peaceful coexistence.”

A Bigger Question About Cameroon’s Social Cohesion

Her intervention comes at a time when questions surrounding identity, belonging, and communal sensitivity are becoming increasingly delicate in Cameroon’s public space. In recent years, debates around language, culture, ethnicity, and regional belonging have often escalated quickly online, sometimes feeding broader political and social tensions.

Observers note that while traditional institutions retain moral and cultural authority within many communities, their decisions can also carry national implications in a highly interconnected society where local declarations rapidly become national controversies through social media.

Rather than directly condemning the traditional authorities, Omam chose to focus on what she described as the need for wisdom and inclusion.

She called for deeper national conversations around cultural education, indigenous heritage preservation, and how communities can celebrate their uniqueness without alienating others.

“Dialogue remains one of the strongest tools for preventing misunderstanding and strengthening social cohesion,” she said. “Through respectful engagement, common ground can always be found in ways that honor tradition while preserving peace, dignity, and mutual respect.”

As reactions continue to pour in, the controversy is now evolving into something larger than a debate over food traditions. It has become a wider reflection of Cameroon itself: a country constantly negotiating the balance between preserving identity and maintaining unity in its diversity.

Whether the decision ultimately strengthens cultural pride or fuels further division may depend less on the ban itself and more on how the conversation around it is handled in the days ahead.

MMI News