Lewoh Cultural Festival Showcases Agro-pastoral Prowess

It was a weeklong festival in March this year during which different aspects of the Lewoh culture of Lebialem Division in the South West were displayed.

The cultural festival was organised by the Lewoh Cultural and Development Meeting (LECUDEM), a bi-annual event which showcases what Lewoh community has inherited and what it intends to hand over to the new generation.  

“This year’s festival is very special because it is marked by two very important themes notably, the development and intensification of Lewoh’s agro-pastoral productions and fundraising to build a magnificent hall that will house a library, a museum and secretarial offices. We want to show how Lewoh community is intensifying its agro-pastoral productions through this mini-agric-show and also raise money to build this cultural centre,” said Akemnda Eric Achakeng, President of LECUDEM.

Traditional rulers and notables from most of the villages of Lebialem Division and Lewoh indigenes nationwide as well as from the Diaspora attended the festival, chaired by a representative of the Senior Divisional Officer.

“It is such a pleasure to see that we have rebranded the Lewoh culture of yesteryears to such a big festival and introducing interesting items such as the mini-agro-pastoral show. This is all thanks to the commitment of every son and daughter of Lewoh, and I am so proud we have come this far,” the Fon of Lewoh, Fotabong Lekelefac I, said.

According to a native of Lewoh, Fobin Ernest Diffang, the festival is very important because it helps to bring development projects and also help young people from Lewoh to know more about their culture.

Another native, Asaba Georgina, told The Green Vision that “our culture is what makes us unique. When we come here, not only do we reunite with distant relatives, but we also get to enjoy our cultures which [modern] civilization is trying to steal today such as our traditional dances and the dances of masquerades.”

Ndemdua Nobert said he attaches a lot of importance to the festival because, “It gives me pride when we are able to sell our culture to neighbouring village.” He, however, complained that the cultural week has started deviating from its real purpose of highlighting culture and instead displays unnecessary items.

Ndemdua said many cultural activities were left out and few masquerades came out as compared to the past.

Others wished LECUDEM to re-introduce football matches that used to make the event lively.

LECUDEM was created as a socio-cultural and development organization in 1983. The organization has provided pipe-borne water harnessed from the north of the village right down to the south. It has provided both public and private educational institutions and created farm-to-market roads leading from Essa-nweh up to Attu-alleh and other roads in the village. Classrooms have been built with government and PTA assistance.

 LECUDEM has established a library with about 6000 books, which attracts students from the University of Dschang. Currently LECUDEM is developing a touristic centre to exploit the Lebialem and the Shwat Falls.

Culturally, the institution has evolved by dropping some negative aspects of the Lewoh culture such as the high bride prices, with gender discrimination minimized. Women have been given the chance to play very important roles in the development of the village; the Vice National President of LECUDEM is a woman.