By George Ngwane (Outgoing National President –SHESA)
It was on November 11th 2006 that this General Assembly elected us into office in Buea. Since then, we have seen AGMs move from branches with membership as small as 8 to branches with membership as large as 40.
From Buea to Bamenda, Limbe to Tubah, Dschang to Douala, AGMS have continued to liven debates on the future of SHESA and our relationship with our alma mater. Today our membership enrolment stands between 170-180.
During our tenure we strengthened our institution by visiting all 13 branches of SHESA including Wum that is present here today and Mamfe that is still grappling with its functional existence. We engaged the Diasporan branches in the US, Germany and the UK through internet and phone calls with the result that they were part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Sacred Heart College last January 2011. We improved on our outreach, branding and visibility by instituting a website, producing the Bugle magazine at every AGM and giving media coverage to SHESA activities whenever need arose. We rendered our bank account more functional thanks to your collaboration in National and AGM dues contribution. We extended our academic support to the college through the One book per SHESAN campaign that we embarked on in Tubah in 2009.
Communication among us was considerably enhanced due to our sometimes aggressive policy of mailing and phoning Branch Presidents personally to meet deadlines. We placed a high premium on capacity-building, collegial leadership and transparency through regular National Executive meetings and periodic enlarged National Exco meetings. We added financial value to the hosting of AGM by providing host branches with the sum of 100.000 FRS and offering 50.000 FRS to bereaved families of SHESANS. Simplistic as it may seem, we succeeded in holding AGMs every year as required thereby fulfilling the dreams of the pioneer 1972 SHESA National Executive and sustaining the momentum of our 2005 National Executive predecessors. Our administrative and financial records have been regular with our National Executive insisting in 2008 that we be audited as the constitution stipulates.
Today we have presented you with constitutional amendments to keep the association in alignment with the changing realities. Our icing on the cake was the organizing of the Golden Jubilee of our college in January 2011 whose balance sheet we have freely and frankly discussed today.
During our term of office, our Executive enjoyed wonderful support from most, if not all of you and for this we say thank you. In the execution of our task, we made some errors in judgment for which we sincerely appologise. But like the proverbial lizard that fell from the roof, permit me to say we are leaving SHESA with a clean bill of health.
As National President and therefore team leader I wish to thank members of the National Executive and Branch Presidents whose commitment was so critical to this healthy portfolio. As team leader I take responsibility for the shortcomings that the National Executive may have either by omission or commission encountered. Today we are passing the baton of leadership to a new Exco and I trust that those we shall elect shall correct our errors and consolidate on our achievements.
Dear SHESANS a young boy went up to his father with a bird clutched in his hands and asked the father to guess whether the bird was dead or alive. In his young mind he knew he will outsmart the father if the father declared that the bird was dead he the young boy will open his hand and set the bird free but if the father said the bird was alive he will squeeze the bird to death in his hand. With that confidence he asked the father again. Daddy is the bird in my hand dead or alive? The old man took a look at him and replied “My son, the answer lies in your hands”. And so today ‘where does SHESA go from here?’- The answer lies in our hands. ‘How does SHESA improve on its membership and dedication?’ – The answer lies in our hands. ‘How does SHESA impact on the welfare of SHESANS?’- The answer lies in our hands. ‘How does SHESA relate with SAHECO? - The answer lies in our hands.
I hope in answering these questions we shall not like the young boy stretch out a clenched fist to each other but on the contrary open our hands and the Sacred heart of Jesus in the words of our SHESA Anthem ‘shall not only bless our dear mother school but would urge SAHECO’s sons to stand in truth with faith bright banner in their hands’.
Thank you very much.
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