WELCOME back everyone!
Don't know about you, but it feels like the month of September just zipped right by.
It was a tough month for many I know, but also a great month for others and we can only hope and pray that this new month of OCTOBER will be a memorable one for YOU, dear reader, in the most positive of ways.
Well, it's Monday, October 2nd 2023 - the first Monday of the month, so here comes EDITION #3 of your monthly MUSINGS NEWSLETTER, with the usual 4 parts of it:
COMMUNITY SUPPORT: The "I AM CAMEROON" Movement.
SPOTLIGHT OF THE MONTH: BEATRICE MENSAH TAYUI, CEO Cybele Energy.
CULTURE CORNER: MBANDO - A tradition of the FAKO people of Cameroon.
EGBE'S TAKE: The Power of ENCOURAGEMENT.
ENJOY!
The focus of our Community segment this month is on "I AM CAMEROON" ("JE SUIS LE CAMEROUN"), an apolitical, community-rooted Movement whose aim is to educate, inspire and engage Cameroonians residing both inside Cameroon and across the diaspora, to accept responsibility for the future and the development of Cameroon.
The I Am Cameroon movement is based on the premise and belief that Cameroonians can build the bright future they want for their country, by taking (personal) responsibility and ownership for the country, beginning with a shift in thinking, and a change in mindset. A change which would get them working together to enable the conditions that allow entrepreneurship and enterprise to flourish, the economy to grow, and social progress to take hold.
As the I AM CAMEROON website states, the movement is guided by three key strategies:
The Education and Empowerment of Citizens (Educating individuals to have the mindset of empowered citizens),
The Creation Economic Opportunities (Creating opportunities to build a thriving economy), and
Advocacy for Social Transformation, (leveraging the movement to advocate for social progress and influence change).
The challenges notwithstanding, the success of the the Movement's initiatives and projects such as "The GreenHouse Initiative" and the "237 CleanUp" Campaign, indicate that "I AM CAMEROON" is well on its way to making a meaningful, much sought-after and crucially needed difference whose impact is felt across the nation of Cameroon.
I recently sat down to a very refreshing, eye-opening, informative and thought-provoking CHAT with I AM CAMEROON's President, ARREY OBENSON, which was broadcast on VOSAWORLD RADIO's "MUSIC & MUSINGS" Show on Saturday, September 30th 2023.
Here is a Video recording of that show, for your listening & viewing pleasure:
TO GET INVOLVED, DONATE, and get information on how to PARTICIPATE in the Movement's future activities - beginning with the SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7th 2023 "237 CLEANUP" Campaign debrief VIRTUAL MEETING, Click on the logo below:
YOU ARE CORDIALLY INVITED!!
DATE: Saturday, October 7 2023
TIME: 04:00 PM (CMR) / 11:00 AM (EST)
WHERE: ZOOM (See information on flyer below)
This is what the Cybele Energy website has to say about its CEO:
"Mrs. Beatrice Mensah Tayui is a seasoned Chief Executive Officer leading and operating cutting-edge businesses on the international landscape with a focus on oil and gas in Sub Saharan Africa whose business acumen has placed her in a position to serve on several corporate and foundation boards.
She is an Economist and an investment strategist, with a high corporate acumen and a keen eye for niche opportunities in the oil and gas sector. Her strengths include international and domestic business acquisitions and joint ventures, business turn around, and analysis of business trends, as a tool for investments. She specializes in corporate restructuring. She demonstrates excellent leadership, interpersonal and problem-solving skills. Her assertive and distinctive aptitude in business is credited to her self-imposed commitment to excellence.
Prior to establishing her own global businesses, she has held executive leadership positions at several Fortune 500 companies (Pfizer, Hoffman La Roche, Johnson, and Johnson).
Beatrice Tayui has dedicated her career to being a force for change and excellence in corporate governance, with a keen eye on support for women’s initiatives globally.
Her business acumen and distinctive leadership skills have won her several awards from organizations globally. As a phenomenally successful businesswoman, she has founded and operated several businesses.
She is the founder and CEO of Cybele Energy Global and Cybele Energy Ghana Ltd. Cybele Energy is an Oil and gas company focused on Exploration and Production of Oil Blocks within West Africa. The organization’s primary focus is the acquisition of marginal fields as well as early stage exploration opportunities. Cybele has succeeded in developing global partners in pursuit of established land positions and cutting-edge technology in the energy and oil and gas industry.
Cybele and its partners have structured a development strategy to not only explore and develop opportunities in Africa but also to provide drilling and other services."
Well, this excerpt does do a pretty fine job of detailing CEO Beatrice Tayui's professional life. However, she is so much more to so many, OUTSIDE of her career.
This CAMEROONIAN-GHANAIAN-AMERICAN Lady who is fondly called BEA or BT is, amongst so many other things, also:
A WIFE - She's been married to her husband, Dr. Ebenezer M. Tayui, ( a seasoned anesthesiologist), for 35 years.
A MOTHER - She has 3 amazing children (a son and 2 daughters)
A PHILANTHROPIST - She has championed and donated to more causes than anyone could possibly keep track of.
A MOTIVATIONAL/KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Her most recent keynote address was delivered just a month ago in ATLANTA, GEORGIA, at the 31st Convention of CEANA - the Council of Ewe Associations of North America, INC).
The keynote address was definitely inspiring, intermittently drawing thunderous applause - with good reason. Watch, and you will see just why:
KUDOS, Sister!
Keep flying the "BLACK EXCELLENCE" flag way high, and holding your own in all the still largely male-dominated boardrooms and platforms you are such a valid and deserving member of.
And now, here comes a very necessary UPDATE to this segment, due to the occurrence of a major accomplishment by Mrs. BEATRICE MENSAH TAYUI which materialized AFTER at the end of the month of October, after this NEWSLETTER had been published!
UPDATE
If all you know about GUYANA is that it is this tiny, relatively obscure developing country which happens to be the only English-speaking country in South America, then you have a lot more to learn about it, and a good place to look might be the September 27th 2023 edition of the HARVARD INTERNATIONAL REVIEW (HIR).
There's an article in that publication titled: A Path to Prosperity for Oil-Rich GUYANA
Here's an excerpt from the article:
Guyana is sitting on a jackpot of liquid gold.
In 2015, the oil giant Exxon Mobil discovered 11 billion barrels of oil off the coast of the small Latin American country. The discovery promises to change Guyana forever, catapulting the country and its people to new heights of power and wealth. Oil already generates US$1 billion in revenues annually for the government and will produce an estimated US$7.5 billion by 2040. By these forecasts, Guyana—the impoverished, rainforest-covered country of just 800,000 people—will become the fourth largest offshore oil producer in the world.
Even if you went: "WOW!" because you had no clue about any of this, you are very likely still wondering what any of this has to do with anything!
Turns out that it has A LOT to do with YOU, if you're:
BLACK,
AFRICAN,
FEMALE,
GHANAIAN or CAMEROONIAN, - to mention just these few categories she happens to fall in),
And that's because Mrs. BEATRICE OROCK MENSAH TAYUI, CEO of CYBELE ENERGY, Ltd
just made HISTORY by leading her team to WIN A VERY HIGHLY CONTESTED BID FOR GUYANA OIL BLOCK S7 !!!!!
Please see below:
- A Screenshot of the GHANA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE GUYANA's jubilant post on its official Facebook Page;
- A Video snippet of a Radio Interview Mrs. Mensah-Tayui granted to an Accra, Ghana-based Radio Station and
- Yet another Flyer announcing the happy news.
CONGRATULATIONS, yet again, BT!
You have gone way past just holding your own in a predominantly MALE-run arena to actually THRIVING!
BRAVO!!!
There are likely to be many things that currently occupy the minds of the people of FAKO ("HVAKO"), (a roughly 2,093 km2 division of the Southwest Region of Cameroon), their traditional rulers and administrative leaders included but I am willing to bet that there are few things that would take precedence over the 2023 MBANDO CULTURAL FESTIVAL which is just a couple of months away, given that it has been slated for December 10th - 16th 2023.
I would have attempted, (more like "hazarded"), a definition of what a MBANDO really is, at my own risk and peril but fortunately for you and for me, I do not need to, because in the Video below, NALIOMO - His Royal Majesty Chief Dr. Robert Esuka Endeley V of BUEA, an inarguable authority on such matters, explains it all very succinctly, from WHO is - or ought to be involved, to what the PURPOSE and the HISTORY behind it are, from the BUEA ROYAL PALACE itself. Take a keen listen/view, and enjoy the Cultural sights and sounds in the process.
As for FAKO Sons and Daughters - FAKO well-wishers too, there are 3 major things that they are expected to do, to make sure this Cultural Event does turn out to be the success it is should be:
FUNDRAISE
VOLUNTEER and
PURCHASE the MBANDO FABRIC.
So, here, for your convenience and interest, is the information needed to take care of all 3 things:
FUNDRAISING: In CAMEROON & in the DIASPORA
THE FAKO MBANDO FABRIC
THE POWER OF ENCOURAGEMENT
Life, in this fallen, imperfect world of ours comes with its fair share of challenges, setbacks, trials and tribulations. That's a fact.
Successful, Healthy, Wealthy or not, Young or Old, you are bound to still have to contend with some woe of some kind, even if you are blessed to not have it in JOB-like proportions.
When those challenges come, especially if they are recurrent, the temptation to just throw one's hands up in the air and give up, is real. In fact, it is very tempting, given the discouragement that invariably sets in.
Depending on how severe or grave the situation actually is - or how we perceive it to be, there are bleak, drastic and even fatal "options" and choices that we might go for, resorting to drugs or suicide being the most devastating of them all.
Thankfully, there are healthier, happier and more successful options available to us as well when we are "tempest-tossed upon life's billows", from simply having a good old cry, to seeking the help of a counselor, shrink or clergyman, and of course, "taking it to The Lord in Prayer".
All of that said, one thing that does lift our spirits, makes us hopeful and returns our (overcoming and conquering) spirit back to us is ENCOURAGEMENT. It works wonders and costs the GIVER absolutely nothing, whereas it is worth more than gold to the RECEIVER.
In a School or Classroom situation, things could turn around and start looking up for a STUDENT who is doing poorly - academically or socially, if they receive words - and actions of ENCOURAGEMENT from their peers, teachers and instructors.
In a Hospital, Nursing Home or even in Hospice, speaking words of ENCOURAGEMENT to the ailing patient does make a difference. Sometimes, it. could actually make THE difference between life and death.
At our Jobs and in our Careers, there is no telling what the (positive) impact of a colleague, mentor, supervisor or boss's commendation or acknowledgment could do to get optimum output from us. It just makes one not hesitate to go "above and beyond", when one knows that what one does is noticed and appreciated.
In our Homes, (which is where everything really starts and ends), as we interact with our spouses and/or children, our Kind, Soothing and Hope-filled words of ENCOURAGEMENT do not just help our family members "get by"; they are the fuel they sometimes need to thrive, excel and become better - if not the best at what they're called to do.
Question then is, WHY are we not more forthcoming with this ENCOURAGEMENT?
In fact, why do we tend - so much more easily, to do the very opposite: Be CRITICAL - of others and even ourselves?
Is it due to the "natural" tendency we have, as human beings, to dwell more on the negative than the positive?
- We lose 1 game and suddenly the 6 previous wins don't seem to matter.
- We are unwell for 5 days and that instantly makes us forget the other 360 days of the year when we were healthy.
- Our car malfunctions, and in that moment, all the times when it did work well become a faint memory.
Whatever the case, like with every other thing of WORTH or VIRTUE there is out there, we owe it to ourselves, to others and to God, to make a conscious effort to be ENCOURAGERS - not dissuaders and nay-sayers, understanding that choosing to be one over the other does have an impact - a lasting impact, on the people we interact with be it in person, remotely or virtually.
A Smile, a Hug, a Thumbs-up, a Nod, a Note ... WORDS of ENCOURAGEMENT:
May we give them genuinely, without hesitation, and without "keeping score".
May we also be blessed to receive them with grace and gratitude.
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11
UNTIL NEXT TIME, STAY CONNECTED!!!
Regards,
Always on point!