IHRAM’s Torch Bearer for Cameroon, Geraldine Sinyuy, Interviews Menkemndi Mabel Mayong, Dedicated Cameroon Radio Television’s (CRTV) Female Journalist
Geraldine Sinyuy: Hello Mabel, thank you for accepting to be in conversation with me. Please tell us about yourself.
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: Menkemndi Mabel Mayong is a dedicated Cameroonian journalist in her early thirties. With a strong background in journalism and mass communication from the University of Buea, Cameroon, she has navigated the challenges of reporting in a complex socio-political environment. She obtained a BSc in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea, Cameroon, and worked in private media for nearly two years before joining Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV) in 2016. Menkemndi started at CRTV South West amid the unfolding socio-political crisis and was transferred to CRTV Northwest in 2018, where she continues to work as a journalist despite ongoing security challenges in Bamenda. Menkemndi Mabel Mayong is passionate about reporting on social issues, human rights, especially women's rights, and has produced several programs and investigative reports on these topics. She anchors a program on writers on CRTV North West, showcasing her interest in promoting arts and literature. Any report, documentary, or magazine that will promote development, human rights, equality, as well as arts, finds her involvement.
Aside from her work and entrepreneurship, Menkemndi Mabel Mayong is a wife and a dedicated mother of four, valuing family alongside her professional and entrepreneurial pursuits. She looks forward to a bright future in journalism and mass communication, particularly in a setting that supports a free press, promoting development, human rights, equality, and arts. In the Journalism profession, she is well known as MABEL MENKEMNDI SAAHKEM. SAAHKEM is her husband's name.
Geraldine Sinyuy: How does it feel like to be a full-time journalist, mother and the entrepreneur that you are?
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: I'm able to navigate the demanding and multifaceted challenges of being a journalist, mother, wife, and entrepreneur in Cameroon's Northwest region, amidst a complex socio-political crisis. My days are filled with juggling business calls, news meetings, coverage assignments, and anchoring programs. Despite the demands of these intersecting roles, I attribute my ability to remain productive, healthy, and happy to discipline, proper planning, experience, and determination.
Geraldine Sinyuy: How can you appreciate journalism from a feminine perspective as a Cameroonian cum African female journalist? Are there any challenges you think you encounter in your career because of your gender?
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: Over the years, many things have evolved tremendously. Female journalists, just like their male colleagues, have equal opportunities these days. Unlike in the past when some particular reports and missions were reserved for men, women who have the skills are also covering such risky and high-profile stories. These days, it's rather women who personally refuse to go for coverage or on mission to some hostile localities where they're going to be unable to take their bath normally for several days, change their pads conveniently, or deal with other logistical issues. In the CRTV North West newsroom, I have not faced any bias because I am a female journalist, unlike some reports we got in the past.
Geraldine Sinyuy: Journalism is quite a demanding and at the same a challenging career, what motivated you to become a journalist?
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: I’m just passionate about journalism. I think I was born a journalist. I like informing and educating people, and I also like inquiring updates on what's happening around me. Because I'm a passionate journalist, it doesn't stress me practicing journalism. I just happily find my way around journalism. Not even the odd hours of work and the workload perturb me. I just catch fun while practicing.
Geraldine Sinyuy: Human rights are a crucial aspect of today's world. What's take about human rights? Do you find yourself advocating for human rights in a sense?
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: Human rights are the essence of our living together in peace. Respecting the rights of every human being despite their gender, ethic background, age, or religious beliefs is very important because God has created human beings as equals. As such, I report a lot on human rights issues. The situation of widows, orphans, and minority groups as well as persons with disabilities or those sick particularly catch my attention. I have recently produced a magazine on widows' rites: that is, rituals widows are obliged to go through and the stories on the human rights violations these widows in the North West region bear are appalling. I won't stop raising an alarm on human rights violations and seeking redress through my work as a journalist.
Geraldine Sinyuy: I happened to be a guest speaker in your program on CRTV Northwest, the writers Club. How did you come about this program?Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: I had an exciting moment interviewing you- Dr. Geraldine Sinyuy on WRITERS CLUB. When I was transferred to CRTV North West, I was immediately assigned to present the programme, since the initial presenter, Hilda Bih, was no longer working at CRTV North West. The then Station Manager thought that I would make a great presenter of the programme WRITERS CLUB on CRTV North West, so she assigned me to it. Since then, I have enjoyed presenting that programme with prolific writer, Tangyie Suh Nfor who is now mostly in the USA, but still sends us "Food for Thought", all thanks to technology.
Geraldine Sinyuy: It appears that you have a special spot for writers. Do you write yourself?
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: As a journalist, I write every day. Interviewing writers is a great opportunity for me to improve my reading and writing skills and diction, especially when the guest writer uses a lot of stylistic devices and other techniques to captivate readers. It's usually very engaging and educative on the programme.
Geraldine Sinyuy: How long have you been hosting this particular program?
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: I have been hosting the programme WRITERS CLUB for over seven years years.
Geraldine Sinyuy: What do you think is the future of Cameroon literature in this digital age?
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: It takes passion, dedication, research, and consistency to be a good writer. In this digital age, Cameroonian writers who bring value through original content,have a great opportunity to do even better. They have the opportunity to be flexible, to build more content, reach more readers, and make a lot of money on the different digital platforms. The limitations of the past can now just languish in history as they grasp the evolution in technology and the opportunities that lie here to expand. So, the future is bright. But for writers who want to copy and paste,it might not be that promising for them.
Geraldine Sinyuy: What else do you do outside journalism?
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: My life is built around multitasking. Apart from journalism, I am an entrepreneur, a wife, and a mother. I also love volunteering in community development. I am a certified relationship and marriage counsellor and I do mostly online counselling, but for now, my services are free.
Geraldine Sinyuy: Who are your favourite African writers?
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong: Africa has a rich literally landscape, but my favorite writers are from Nigeria and Cameroon. For Nigerian Writers, books by Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Wole Soyinka are my favourites. In Cameroon I enjoy reading from Peter Suh-Nfor, Charles Dugar, Ernestine Komla Tata Lukong and Geraldine Sinyuy.
Menkemndi Mabel Mayong, popularly known in the journalism field as MABEL MENKEMNDI SAAHKEM, is a dedicated Cameroonian journalist in her early thirties. With a BSc in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea, Cameroon, she has worked in private media and since 2016 at Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV). Despite security challenges in Bamenda, she continues to work as a journalist at CRTV Northwest. Menkemndi is passionate about reporting on social issues, human rights (especially women's rights), and promoting arts and literature. She anchors a program on writers on CRTV North West. As a wife and mother of four, she balances family with her professional and entrepreneurial pursuits. Menkemndi looks forward to a future in journalism supporting a free press, development, human rights, equality, and arts.
