Traditional rulers in the South West Region are disappointed about the neglect of the region’s new cultural fabric, Eyasu, during a recent public event in Buea. The SW Chiefs say they were shocked and bitter when most dance groups that were invited to entertain guests at a recent Presidential documentary film premiere in Buea were clad in Toghu, the grassfield cultural attire, instead of Eyasu.
Former South West Chiefs Conference President, HRH Martin Mafany Njie, said they almost boycotted the event in anger before dance groups were ordered to change their attire into something that resembled the South West.
Chief Mafany expressed these views during the South West Regional Assembly session in Buea on Friday, September 20.
“When we organize a ceremony of that nature, which was also a cultural event, we must sell ourselves as the South West. We have a fabric here in the South West called Eyasu… We were not happy yesterday. We the Chiefs: what we saw there we were not happy. Unfortunately, you people were with the Minister and you didn’t see. If you people came there and you saw the stage, what was being displayed on the stage, I’m sure you would have been embarrassed,” he said, channelling his worries to the South West Regional Council President, Zacheus Bakoma Elango.
He added: “But we managed with our Chiefs we addressed that situation. We called the Regional Delegate of Culture we want to know more: how can we be in the South West, we are hosting a ceremony organised by the South West Regional Council and we are seeing all the musicians they are wearing Toghu from North West? These images will be shown all over the world…”
Chief Mafany said the Chiefs called those who coordinated dance groups at the event and threatened to leave the occasion if the attire was not changed.
The dancers immediately changed their Toghu attire and put on white shirts and Sanjas or Kabba before the event commenced.
“So we are saying that we have a fabric. When next something like that is happening, Mr President, allocate some money, let them buy that material (Eyasu) and distribute it for a show like that so that South West culture should be recognised,” he appealed to Bakoma Elango.
The Eyasu cultural attire was launched by the South West Chiefs Conference (SWECC) in November 2023 as the first cultural fabric that represents the South West region of Cameroon.
Their goal was to give the region a unique representation and uphold its cultural values, as culture faces an extinction threat from modernity and globalisation.
While the fabric was widely accepted in the South West Region, it is yet to become as popular as other cultural fabrics in the country—Ndop, Toghu, and Sanja.
