Cameroonian peace advocate Andiensa Clotilda Waah was formally recognised by traditional royalty for her two decades of grassroots work. His Majesty Fon Clement Ndzi I, the Paramount Fon of Kom in the Northwest region, conferred upon her the prestigious title “Na Mboini” (Mother of Peace) on 17 December 2025. The honour is a direct and powerful acknowledgment from the highest traditional authority of her relentless commitment to peacebuilding and the protection of women and girls in Boyo Division and beyond.
The conferment, held in Bamenda, was described as a deliberate acknowledgement from the Kom palace that her community-driven initiatives have been seen and valued. Speaking for the palace, Kom notable Ngam Nsom explained that the Fon, who considers peace the foremost need for development, bestowed the title both in recognition of her humanitarian efforts and as a royal encouragement to continue this “noble assignment to society”. As part of the sacred ritual, she was decorated in traditional regalia and granted the rare privilege of wearing the doma cloth, a material reserved exclusively for those authorised by the palace.
For Andiensa Clotilda, who serves as CEO of the Centre for Advocacy in Gender Equality and Action for Development (CAGEAD) and National Coordinator of the South West North West Women’s Task Force, the recognition was profoundly moving. “I have been working in Boyo Division for close to 20 years, and to be recognised by the Paramount Fon of Kom for the work I do tells me that someone somewhere is seeing and appreciating these efforts,” she said. “It gives me strength to do even more.” Her work has spanned adolescent girls’ empowerment, sexual and reproductive health education, and deep-rooted peacebuilding at the community level, beginning with interventions in schools and youth groups.
Her two-decade mission has been multifaceted, operating in over 20 schools to provide crucial knowledge on health rights and menstrual hygiene while establishing weekly clubs for adolescent girls. Beyond the schools, she has organised fireside dialogues to improve parent-child relationships and founded community peace clubs across Boyo’s subdivisions. Notably, her inclusive approach to ending gender-based violence has involved training over 50 men as partners to support women and stand against violence in their communities—a testament to her holistic vision for social change.
The new Na Mboini was clear that the title transcends mere honour, representing instead a solemn responsibility. “Na Mboini is an assignment,” Andiensa Clotilda emphasised. “Peace is something we must deliberately make. Wherever I go and with whomever I work, peace must come first, because our communities can only survive and develop if we live together in harmony.” She dedicated the recognition to the staff of CAGEAD and all the women and girls she has worked with, framing the ceremony as a catalyst for renewed commitment to peace and social cohesion across communities.
