To express gratitude

Bafut fon visits new US Ambassador
His Majesty the Fon of Bafut, Abumbi II on October 3, 2014 visited the U.S. Embassy in Yaoundé where he was received with great appreciation by Public Affairs Officer Roberto Quiroz II, Cultural Attaché Merlyn Schultz, Cultural Affairs Specialist Gladys Viban, and Cultural Affairs Assistant Olivia Mukam.
    While there the Fon of Bafut expressed his gratitude and appreciation towards the United States for the $61,400 grant to conserve the early 20th-Century Achum House in the Bafut Palace.
     “Your support came at the perfect time.  We are grateful for this partnership and would like to dedicate a section of our Bafut museum to highlight U.S. support of our efforts.  When future generations visit, they will not only learn about the history of the Bafut culture, but also of those who helped to preserve it.” 

    Mr. Quiroz thanked the Fon of Bafut for the honor of his visit, presented him with a pictorial book titled “New York City,” and added “As Ambassador Michael S. Hoza has said, the United States is proud to sponsor cultural preservation programs identified by the Ministry of Culture and Cameroonian communities as priorities.  We are honored to be partners in their vision and efforts, and your esteemed visit today and support from the community underscores the significance of this partnership.”
    Ms. Schultz and Ms. Viban also noted that “an essential element of our cultural programs, such as the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), is supporting efforts by Cameroonians to preserve their own cultural heritage sites and traditions because culture is identity, and when people value their heritage and traditions they are honoring and preserving their own identity for future generations. 
    The recent celebration by the Bafut community in Washington, D.C. of their heritage, that welcomed Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Robert Jackson and former U.S. Embassy Yaoundé Cultural Attaché Dr. Jonathan Koehler, exemplifies the spirit of our partnership.”