Sakerettes Converge on Obama-City for annual convention

By Joyce Ashuntantang, Ph.D. *

                                                 (originally published at http://www.postnewsline.com/2009/07/sakerettes-converge-on-obamacity-for-annual-convention.html)

 

 The ex-students of the all girls secondary school, Saker Baptist College, Limbe Cameroon popularly known as Sakerettes will be holding their annual convention in Washington DC from July 30th -2nd August.  This will be the second time the Sakerettes are matching on the nation’s capital, but the  mood that pervades the convention this year is inspiring and this is in no small measure connected to the person now inhabiting the White house- Barack Hussein Obama. One of the highlights of the convention this year will be a tour of Washington DC’s historic monuments which will of course include the White house. But this  time around this visit to the white house will be “ a moment in time” where history, dreams and hopes converge to fuel a  new vision for our sojourn here in the United States of America. 

Beyond the tour, The Ex-SSA (Ex Saker Students Association), convention gives an opportunity for its members all over the world to converge in one spot to celebrate and pay tribute to their alma-mater. And this is an alma-matter with enough anecdotes to fill hundreds of fiction and non fiction books. As an outstanding Christian boarding school with a vision to groom girls with a high moral and academic acumen, Saker became the beacon of dynamic womanhood in Cameroon. Young boys in their teens cut their emotional teeth day-dreaming of Saker girls. Grooms looking for spouses who could hold their own in  every room of the house beyond the kitchen looked up to the graduates from the college up the hill graced by coconut trees. In fact according to Ms. Sarah Etombi, The National President of Ex-SSA Cameroon, “Any man who is not married to a Sakerette considers himself not married at all”. This is definitely an obvious oxymoron, but this statement captures the aura that surrounds one of Cameroon’s prized colleges. Named after the Baptist Missionary, Alfred Saker, and founded in 1962, the college has produced women in all works of life including Doctors, Teachers, Engineers, lawyers, Pharmacists, Scientists etc etc However what sets these women apart is their interest in community building. Beginning with their Saker community, they reach out to impact the world around them.

   So it is with this pride in their alma-mater and a vision to help young African girls that on July 30th 2000, a group of ex-Saker girls came together in Dallas to form Ex-SSA USA. Since then the association has grown to about 500 girls nationwide.  With Chapters, in Atlanta, Washington DC, Dallas, Houston, Minnesota, New York-New Jersey, Chicago and even a “members at large” chapter, the organization is making an impact on both sides of the Atlantic.

The goal of the organization which is to promote the welfare of young African girls is manifested through:

• Enhancing educational opportunities
• Promoting a healthy sanitary campus experience
• Creating mentorship opportunities
• Advancing the welfare and prestige of Saker Baptist College and its alumnae
• Encouraging and maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship between Saker Baptist College and its alumnae

Some of these goals have materialized in the donation of a 200 million FCFA chapel to Saker Baptist College. This chapel took twenty years to build and Ex-SSA USA contributed generously to this venture. Through its “Water Project” initiative, Ex-SSA USA is determined to provide a continuous supply of clean water on the college campus. The supply of water has been a thorn in the otherwise smooth running of Saker Baptist College, a problem which has been compounded by the fact that the school is edged on a hill.  This is one of the projects that will drive our fundraising initiative during the gala-night on Saturday August 1st at the Marriot Hotel Crystal Gateway, Arlington Virginia. For more information on the gala nite, go to www.exsa-usa.org.

   Indeed the Exssa gala night is one event not to miss. Whether you are in the DC metro area or not, you have to plan to be there. It will be a night of elegance where you wine, dine and mingle with “la crème de la crème”.  You will also have the opportunity to listen to the legendary music of the Sakerettes and other exciting surprises specially prepared by a team of leaders from the Exssa Washington DC  chapter , spearheaded by Ms. Susan Mondoa, the President, Dr. Mary Tabot, immediate past president and Ms. Ozong Agborsangaya Fiteu, the public relations officer. Supporting this team on the ground is the National executive of Exssa USA led by the National president, Ms. Ndedi Ngonga.
   Yes the Sakerettes will be in town, come July 30th- August 2nd.   If you are a Cameroonian, you certainly do not need an additional bait to join the sakerettes, they are part of your collective memory, but if you are a non Cameroonian, this is your opportunity to experience another exquisite reason why Africa continues to dazzle the world…

 

* Dr. Ashuntantang is an alumni of Saker Baptist College and a Professor at Hillyer College, University of Hartford, Connecticut.

Comments

[Kay Tee]

This is my first time here.
I'll be coming back.
Nice blog.

[Menten-Alim Kumbongsi, Ph.D, P.Ag.]

A nice blog to read.

Menten-Alim Kumbongsi

[twitter.com/Joyceash]

Thanks Kay Tee and MA Kumbongsi. Please do come back often and bring friends along.

[RamonGustav]

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