Watchdog Tribune Group Organizes ground-breaking press award in Bamenda

 

The Watchdog Tribune Group on Saturday April 7, 2012, organized a keepsake, memorable and ground-breaking Press Awards cum 10^th anniversary celebration never witnessed in recent times.

At the occasion which exceptionally took place at the prestigious State’s owned Ayaba hotel, with official authorization from the host Divisional Officer for Bamenda II Sub-Division to hold the event, the population was marveled by the colourful event which witnessed a lot of innovations.

INNOVATION:

Unlike other press awards in the country, the hostesses were all dressed in colourful white T-Shirts carrying Fon Chafah XI of Bangolan’s effigies as the WATCHDOG TRIBUNE Man of the Year (2011).

Most importantly, all the laureates were decorated with sages bearing Cameroon’s tri-colours- Green-Red-yellow which were artfully sewn. Like one on-looker observed, “The sages are so beautifully made that some Mayors would prefer to wear during important occasions while other laureates may wear them to churches and meeting houses”

Most importantly, a coloured Magazine in glossy papers titled; WATCHDOG TRIBUNE-2011 Magazine National Press Award, Winners. “A MAGAZINE FOR ICONS”, carrying the profiles of the laureates was launched in grand style.

Before the award, the Watchdog Tribune 10^th anniversary celebration cake was a major highlight of the occasion. Only decoration of the cake moved the Mayor of Bangante, Mme Ketcha Courtes, to cough out FCFA 300,000.

The Publisher / Editor of Watchdog Tribune, Akamancho Ezikiel Dotta, explained that he first introduced press awards in Anglophone-Cameroon in 2003 and was celebrating only 6^th edition because he suspended the award in 2008 “as other newspapers wrongly copied them. He said he has re-instituted it in a more powerful way because they want to remain pacesetters in award.

Big names like the former Minister of the then Youth and Sports, Philippe Mbarga Mboa, then Minister of Basic Education, Haman Adama, Chantal Biya Foundation, President Paul Biya, Fon of Bafut, Ntumfor Nico Halle, Fon Chafah of Bangolan, Fon of Baba I, Minister of Transport, Late Nsalai Christopher, African Institute of Computer Science (IAI), Cameroon and now Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya have all received the Watchdog press awards.

The Saturday April 7, 2012 Watchdog 10^th anniversary celebration was covered by both international and national press in the likes of BBC, Canal 2, CRTV, and the Print Media among others.

Cross section of laureates after decoration with sages

Fon Chafah(Man of the Year 2011) and Mme Courtes (Mayor of the Year 2011)