By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The President General of the Nso Cultural and Development Association (NSODA), Shey AdamuTardze , has called on Nso women both at home and abroad to champion forgiveness, dialogue, and Nso unity. Shey Adamu Tardze made the statement on October 10 in Bafoussam during the maiden edition of the Nso All Women Conference.
The conference, organized by the Women’s Forum of the Nso Cultural and Development Association (NSODA), was held under the theme “New Dawn: ‘Ke’ Ye Fiyii’, Women Leading Change: Unity, Development, Impact.”
The event brought together key government officials, traditional leaders, and community elites to chart a path toward peace. The conference was chaired by Yaa Dr. Asheri Kilo, Secretary of State to the Ministry of Basic Education, alongside West Region Governor Augustine Awa Fonka.
Traditional dignitaries in attendance included the Paramount Fon of Nso, HRM Sehm Mbinglo I, and the Fon of Oku, among others. “Following the framework of the recently established Bui Fons Union peace pact, I call upon the NSODA Women’s Forum to use your unique, traditional mediation roles to heal any remaining fractures within our sub-fondoms,” he said.
He added, “Use your maternal voice to champion forgiveness and dialogue. Let this conference be the graveyard of division and the birthplace of a completely unified Nso response to adversity.”
He further stated, “Unity must bear fruit, and that fruit is development. We cannot truly celebrate female agency while our young girls remain highly vulnerable to the economic and psychological shocks of displacement.”
He indicated that NSODA is putting its full institutional weight behind women’s premier development initiative: the Nso Girl-Child Empowerment Center. According to the President General, this facility will not be built of bricks and mortar alone; it will be a sanctuary for vocational training, trauma healing, and socio-economic recovery for displaced youth.
Shey Adamu Tardze stated that the storms of life threaten the foundation of the Nso community, and women can only be looked upon because “She is the custodian of the hearth, the pillar of communal peace, and the silent river that feeds our collective survival.”
Speaking on the theme of the conference, Adamu Tardze said, “Keh’ ye fiyi” is a clarion call, and it means old tools cannot be used to fight new battles. “It means we must rise, re-strategize, innovate, and step into a new dawn of action. It demands that we move beyond mere rhetoric and create visible, undeniable change in our communities.”
He added, “Keh’ ye fiyi demands that our presence must be felt, not just heard. Impact means that when a Nso woman enters a marketplace, trade expands. When she speaks, conflict steps down. When she organizes, the health and wellness of the village improve.”
He pointed out that “My beloved Nso women, as your President General, I give you my sacred word: NSODA will always protect, support, and amplify your voice. We will walk with you step by step as you build the Empowerment Center, as you reconcile our communities, and as you change lives.”
Shey Adamu Tardze urged the girls to be strong and not to let their spirits be broken, because their future is bright and the community stands ready to shield and empower them. To the partners, he expressed appreciation for their support, stating that their contributions will go a long way toward building a legacy that will not be forgotten.
