Cameroon’s First Anglo-Saxon University Celebrates Excellence at 30
May 29, 2023
The University of Buea Alumni community raised over FCFA 53 million to build a printing press for the institution
By Synthia Lateu
The University of Buea started as a University Centre in 1985 and became a full-fledged University in 1992
BUEA, May 29, 2023 – The first Anglo-Saxon university in Cameroon, the University of Buea, counts its successes and achievements as it celebrated 30 years of existence. In a three-day celebration from May 25 to 27, 2023, pioneer staff and students alongside the entire university community were brought together at the University's campus located at the foot of Mount Fako in the South West Region of Cameroon.
The pioneer vice chancellor of the University of Buea, Prof Dorothy Limunga Njeuma said she was fortunate to be back in UB after 30 years. She said: "I am extremely proud of what UB has achieved in 30 years. For 30 years, UB has been sung everywhere. UB is seen everywhere and our products are excellent," she expressed.
The fête was further characterized by exhibitions of programs offered at the University, and the unveiling of products produced in all faculties of the institution including, a prototype of a car, UB mineral water, and works of arts alongside others. Activities were marked under the theme, “Impacting the future through innovative solutions”
From right to left, Prof Ngomo Horace Manga, UB Vice Chancellor and Edward Oben Ako, representative of the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education
To the Vice Chancellor of the University of Buea, Prof Ngomo Horace Manga, the institution must adapt to new knowledge and reach out to new learners through new technological tools.
“What is needed to achieve the mission first of all is training our teachers to insert modern technologies whatever they do and on the other side, to acquaint and familiarise our learners to the use of modern technologies so we can expand knowledge, we can improve communication with them, we can improve their capacity to learn,” He noted.
Prof Ngomo Horace Manga furthered that, the university has contributed to building the capacity of the youths to develop the country and would have done more if the town's atmosphere had permitted.
"The university, within the context of its outreach activities, has extended its know-how to our environment. Be it in agriculture, in tech, or medicine. Were it, not for the violent perturbation that everybody is aware of, we would have had the development of fish ponds in our neighbourhood through the outreach activities of the Department of Fisheries.”
“The Department of Agriculture has been contributing enormously to the spread of certain skills developed in the university and concerning the health sector. We were already engaged in screening for certain illnesses, and diseases were it not for the perturbation that we are aware of, in the area of energy, the faculty of engineering and technology had certain projects with the council," Prof Ngomo Horace Manga added.
Edward Oben Ako, representative of the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education said the move to take a pause and evaluate the distance covered and prepare for the next 20 years when the university will be 50 was important. He said that UB has recorded more successes than failures and called on the institution to evaluate itself in terms of delivering good quality education.
The University of Buea began with four faculties and today, it has 11 establishments, eight faculties, two colleges, and one school.
The University's Alumni have promised to accompany the institution into more achievements while unveiling their intention to improve the institution's accommodation capacity and improve its library. The association further raised over 53 million to build a printing press for the University.
The University of Buea started as a university centre in 1985 and became a full-fledged university in 1992, following a government decree that reorganized state universities in the country.
Regarded as one of the best universities in the country, UB began with four faculties including the faculties of Arts, Education, Science, and Social and Management Sciences. Today, it has 11 establishments, eight faculties, two colleges, and one school.
According to recent statistics, the pioneer Anglo-Saxon University has 27,837 students, 672 academic staff and 700 non-academic staff. It accommodates Cameroonians from across the country. It is also solicited by neighbouring countries such as Nigeria, Chad, and Equatorial Guinea amongst many others.
