It is not a gimmick when Cameroon is described as Africa in miniature because the country has all it takes to lay claim to that status. The geography of the country reflects a huge variety – from near-desert in the Far North region through the sahel and savannah in the midlands, to the equatorial rain forest in the South; the only bilingual country on the continent, a rich cultural diversity, many national languages, rich variety of its cuisine and tourism potential in all the regions of the country.
Yet it seems all that the world knows and remembers Cameroon for, is the heroic performance of the one and only Roger Milla in the 1990 World cup, maybe by far the only event on the international scene which to date has positively registered and put Cameroon on the world map. Even so, how much advantage was taken of Roger Milla’s contribution to asserting Cameroon’s place on the World Map to sell our rich cultural, economic and tourist diversity is anyone’s guess.
The organisation of a beauty pageant for Cameroonian beauty queens in the UK is a laudable effort. It is not just another social event because it has the potential like any beauty pageant to contribute in its own way, to promoting the image of the country on the international scene. Our response to events of this nature is more often than not, very lukewarm thus giving the impression that Cameroonians are either shy as individuals or as a nation, and will not jump at an opportunity to showcase their individual values and potential as well as those of the nation. Of the many young, dynamic and beautiful ladies Cameroon can boast of living in the UK, only eight stood up to be counted for the Miss Cameroon UK 2008. Well-done to the brave!
In PR no event is too small to make an impact. The representation and active participation of the High Commission of Cameroon to the UK at the beauty pageant, at a very high level in the person of the Deputy High Commissioner, H.E. Denis Nyuydzewira, is praise worthy. The High Commission provides the right link to the international community here in the UK and has a challenge to sell the economic, cultural and tourist potential of Cameroon to the rest of the world. Miss Cameroon UK can serve as one of the many vehicles available within the Cameroon community in the UK and the rest of the Diaspora to project the massive potentials of the country.
An event like Miss Cameroon UK highlights our social and cultural values and has the potential to promote the huge tourist and economic opportunities in the country. The number of Cameroonian-owned business ventures that were on board to sponsor the event is proof of this potential. We look forward to seeing some of the contestants become the images of those businesses. That is promoting Cameroon and the Cameroonian.
I was watching the final of Miss World 2008 organised in Johannesburg, South Africa recently and the absence of Cameroon confirmed this feet-dragging attitude when it comes to measuring up against the rest of the world in events of that magnitude. It is not excusable that with all that the country has in terms of potential, advantage is not taken of public relations activities on the international scene.
Of the 112 contestants from around the world, 18 were from different countries on the continent, Cameroon not included. This is an event whose final is broadcast in 187 countries on a total of 373 Television channels with an annual audience of 2.5billion. It is a massive PR event which measures only with world events such as the Olympics and the World Cup and its tourist and economic spill off can be immense.
Yes we are Africa in miniature and so what? It is about time we stop talking the talk and get up, walk the walk and be counted. One of Cameroon’s great musical talents, Charles Epie (Etub’Anyang) now of blessed memory, described Cameroon in one of his popular songs as, ‘a lovely country with all a man can want. There are beautiful women, beautiful sites to see…..’ and he was right.
Yet it seems all that the world knows and remembers Cameroon for, is the heroic performance of the one and only Roger Milla in the 1990 World cup, maybe by far the only event on the international scene which to date has positively registered and put Cameroon on the world map. Even so, how much advantage was taken of Roger Milla’s contribution to asserting Cameroon’s place on the World Map to sell our rich cultural, economic and tourist diversity is anyone’s guess.
The organisation of a beauty pageant for Cameroonian beauty queens in the UK is a laudable effort. It is not just another social event because it has the potential like any beauty pageant to contribute in its own way, to promoting the image of the country on the international scene. Our response to events of this nature is more often than not, very lukewarm thus giving the impression that Cameroonians are either shy as individuals or as a nation, and will not jump at an opportunity to showcase their individual values and potential as well as those of the nation. Of the many young, dynamic and beautiful ladies Cameroon can boast of living in the UK, only eight stood up to be counted for the Miss Cameroon UK 2008. Well-done to the brave!
In PR no event is too small to make an impact. The representation and active participation of the High Commission of Cameroon to the UK at the beauty pageant, at a very high level in the person of the Deputy High Commissioner, H.E. Denis Nyuydzewira, is praise worthy. The High Commission provides the right link to the international community here in the UK and has a challenge to sell the economic, cultural and tourist potential of Cameroon to the rest of the world. Miss Cameroon UK can serve as one of the many vehicles available within the Cameroon community in the UK and the rest of the Diaspora to project the massive potentials of the country.
An event like Miss Cameroon UK highlights our social and cultural values and has the potential to promote the huge tourist and economic opportunities in the country. The number of Cameroonian-owned business ventures that were on board to sponsor the event is proof of this potential. We look forward to seeing some of the contestants become the images of those businesses. That is promoting Cameroon and the Cameroonian.
I was watching the final of Miss World 2008 organised in Johannesburg, South Africa recently and the absence of Cameroon confirmed this feet-dragging attitude when it comes to measuring up against the rest of the world in events of that magnitude. It is not excusable that with all that the country has in terms of potential, advantage is not taken of public relations activities on the international scene.
Of the 112 contestants from around the world, 18 were from different countries on the continent, Cameroon not included. This is an event whose final is broadcast in 187 countries on a total of 373 Television channels with an annual audience of 2.5billion. It is a massive PR event which measures only with world events such as the Olympics and the World Cup and its tourist and economic spill off can be immense.
Yes we are Africa in miniature and so what? It is about time we stop talking the talk and get up, walk the walk and be counted. One of Cameroon’s great musical talents, Charles Epie (Etub’Anyang) now of blessed memory, described Cameroon in one of his popular songs as, ‘a lovely country with all a man can want. There are beautiful women, beautiful sites to see…..’ and he was right.
No comments:
Post a Comment