Vote of thanks by Rudolf Ngwa Akongoh

Author: Rudolf Ngwa Akongoh
Occasion: The launch of a collection of poems entitled Silhouettes of Dawn
Place: Amphi 150 C, University of Buea
Date: Wednesda February 07, 2018


The Vice-chancellor, represented by the Dean FA, Prof Nol Alembong
The Dean of the Faculty of Arts represented by Prof Fandio
HODs
Lecturers
Dear students
All protocol duly acknowledged and respected

Seated among us here today is a meek young woman. She left her humble abode in the grass fields of Bamenda and came down to this launching with love, admiration, fear and expectation, just like many of my friends and loved ones and family members. She also came with a very firm resolve to stand by me no matter the circumstances. Since 1985, she took the decision to stand by her son permanently in public and in private, priding herself in the venture. She was here in 2007 when I was graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in the Department of English. She was here in 2011 when I was graduating with a Master of Arts in English Language. And when she heard of this book launch, in spite of her pendulous health situation, she immediately packed her bags and set out on a long journey to Buea, the town that has given her son the best higher education she had hoped for.

Today, she came with the same desire to stand by me as she has done in the past 33 years, this is true. Thank you mama. (Pause). If you go to page ten of the collection, Silhouettes of Dawn, you will understand why I dedicated the poems to all mothers. Mothers are a selfless group of people who give everything they’ve got and expect nothing in return. If I were to make a thousand speeches of gratitude to mothers, these speeches would still be a thousand times less deserving of the sacrifices mothers make every day for their children. 

The success which I seem to have stolen today is actually a synergy of assistance given by a cross-section of people who cannot all be mentioned because of want of time. Many of these people met me for the very first time as I was organising this event, some just wanted to assist and not be acknowledged at all, because what they did was for me and it did not matter if people knew about it or not. But I will try to thank them all the same.The hall we are seated in was offered me free of charge by the University of Buea; my deep gratitude goes to the Vice-chancellor of the University of Buea. 

Seated among us here is a wonderful orator, a poet and an excellent research. Prof Nol Alembong. He made a wonderful speech here today, and you can imagine that he was informed of his role just a few hours earlier. I think we should give him a big hand.
Thanks to Nyaah Publishers in Yaounde the publication process went on rather smoothly. The first day I met Dr Nyaah Hans, we became great friends. I knew it was a friendship that will outlast our very lives. I want to thank Mr Sammy Akombi of the Regional Linguistics Centre and the coordinator of the Anglophone Writers Association. I am glad with the advice he gave in very nice pronunciation. I will become an active member of the Anglophone Cameroon Writer’s Association. 

Dr Njume Emmanuel, I think he did a marvellous job. There are people whose skills and abilities we know, but sometimes, they surprise us with much more than we expected. Dr Njume is such a man. Thank you sir. He deserves a special compliment from me.

The HOD for English deserves great credit. When I was still unsure about my manuscript, like many first-time poets and writers always are, she accepted to go through my manuscript, giving me the encouragement that poured fresh water on my withering hopes. When the product was finished, she started garnering support for this launching. Thank you Dr Elizabeth Ayuk-Etang.

There are many university dons here who came to attend this event. They are far bigger than me in publications. As you all know this is the first book I have published. They did not minimise what I had taken over a decade to write. Some of them don’t know my academic stamina. They just came here because it is their nature to encourage education. Many lecturers promised they were going to encourage their students to get copies and they are here to get their copies too. For a young poet, I find this rather encouraging, and I appreciate your efforts.

The work I have done on this collection is not done, I have noted the comments you have made and I hope the next reprint will be superlative. I am proud of what I have done and I will show it to the greatest poets in the world without any fear, I advise you to procure your copies, you will get to learn language in the poems, read the preface, it summarises my philosophy about poetry. I advise all my students to get copies and make your own lecturer a world icon. 

My students love me because I treat them like my friends; there are many of them here seated among us. In our classes learning is seriousness and fun. When I was preparing for this occasion, Mrs Dorcas Ekupe met me on Facebook. She is an amazing lady I had taught a few years back in a public speaking class in this university. She told me she would be glad to do my biography during this event. She has a soft voice, an amazing choice of words coupled with a strict adherence to facts. From what she presented here today, I am certain her search for a job in journalism will be a story of swift success. 

I will take you back to the amazing collection of poems you have in your hands, look at the cover picture. It was drawn by Mr Mustapha David Dzeka, he is seated right there; he is an amazing little boy. I brought him here because I felt it was high time I acknowledged him publicly for the wonderful job he did in private.

I want to thank everyone who took a commitment to make this event gain shape, especially at a time when I was unable to promise you any financial recompense. Some people sent me support for the event even when they were far away. I will forever remain indebted to you for the sacrifices you have made for me. When you accepted to offer your services for this event, I felt that truly, you were incarnates of that meek young woman who left the grass fields of Bamenda and came down to stand by me in place to be, the University of Buea. Thank you so much.
I think Dr Ojongnkpot did an amazing job today as MC and deserves a round of applause. Let us give her a big hand.

There is this temptation to talk so much when I am excited, I must stop here, after all this could have been summarised in one little phrase: Thanks you, but I chose to narrate the tales of a loving mother and the amazing range of people who made this day what it is. Thank you all of you came from far and near, leaving behind your jobs and families and friends for the sake of this event. If God brought you here safely, He will certainly take you back you back safely to your homes.
 
God bless you. God bless you. God bless you
God bless the University of Buea.