The North West Media Forum

What I witnessed was more than a conference—it was a masterclass in unity. For the first time, I saw journalists—often isolated by competition, scarcity, and pressure—stand shoulder to shoulder, not as rivals, but as architects of a common future. This was the North West Media Forum, held at the Admiralty Apartments in upstation Bamenda, and the air wasn’t just filled with discussion, but with purpose.

Organized by the Cameroon Association of English-Speaking Journalists (@CAMASEJ) and spearheaded by its North West Chapter under President Sah Terence Animbom, the forum became a historic gathering. Here were the veterans, the rising stars, the pioneers, and the fresh voices—all acknowledging the same storms, yet choosing to build a shelter together.

For forty-eight intense hours, the room hummed with a single, powerful question: How do we solve our common struggles and lift our profession—and our lives—from survival to thrive?

The takeaways were not just notes; they were revelations:

1. Dignity is our currency. We must respect and value each other first—fair pay, fair treatment—before we can demand respect from the outside world.

2. Independence is non-negotiable. Our survival cannot hinge on charity. We must build our own funds, our own safety nets, to protect our integrity.

3. Excellence is a discipline. We must set towering standards, equip everyone to reach them, and reward those who do—so that the ceiling becomes the new floor.

The culmination was the inaugural CAMASEJ Awards, a dazzling celebration where merit was finally crowned. But for me, the beauty was personal. I stood in a room with legends whose bylines shaped my youth, and I had the honor of sharing my poetry with them, live—a full-circle moment I’ll never forget.

What I saw was a blueprint. If a profession often defined by its pressures can unite with such clarity and hope, then every field needs a forum like this. This wasn't just a meeting. It was a movement.

#bamendabreathes 

#PoetryForChange 

#ngraffipikin 

#ABAKWA 

#Bamenda 

#camasej 

#NorthWestMediaForum