Kawah Armstrong, the Divisional Officer (DO) of Tiko Subdivision in the Fako Division, South West Region of Cameroon, has called upon traditional rulers to embrace and promote values of peace during the third edition of the Tiko Council Sports and Cultural Jamboree (TISCUJAM) last weekend.
Armstrong urged traditional rulers to advocate for tradition, love, prosperity, and hope, emphasising the need to reject divisive forces. “As traditional rulers, do not accept any forces of division. I want to strongly stand here to condemn all the malpractices by some of our traditional rulers when it comes to looking for possibilities to create violence amongst our community over issues of land,” Armstrong said.
The three-day cultural festival, which commenced on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, attracted traditional rulers from various regions, including the South West, Centre, West, and other parts of the country, along with traditional dancers.
Armstrong emphasised the role of traditional rulers in community development, urging them to be visible instruments of progress. “I am equally joining us here to say traditional rulers, uphold culture, and through culture, uphold peace, unity, love, and a developed nation that we will love and aspire to what you believe,” Armstrong added.
Regarding the cultural jamboree, the DO highlighted the importance of culture, stating, “A people without a culture is a people without an identity. As I say, my people, my culture, my identity.”
The celebration, the third of its kind, brought together over 1,000 people from different cultural backgrounds and localities within Tiko. It concluded with a donation of didactic items to some less privileged children in the Tiko Municipality.
