The South African, Cameroonian and the Algerian Embassies all in The Netherlands honoured their invitations to support Cameroonian born Journalist and writer Larry Bate Takang during the presentation of his latest book ‘Pilgrimage of no Retreat’ at The Hague, in the Netherlands. The Book launch event which took place recently was the third Book launch organized by Mr. Larry Bate within the European Union since 2006. In 2006 he launched his first novel ‘A Place of Fun and Evil’ published by Calbona publishers in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. One year later in 2007, he organized another book launch in the city of Essen, Germany to present his book to book lovers in Germany. Apart from the three Embassies present at the Book launch, a few other embassies which could not be present sent words of support and congratulations to the author as a recognition of the need to promote African writers.
In all their speeches, the three embassies present made references to the need to promote African writing to help bolster the quantity of African books in libraries and bookshops around the world.
On her part, the Cameroonian Ambassador to the Kingdom of the Netherlands H.E Mrs. Odette Melono who on the day was represented by the Embassy Second Secretary Mr. Jean Patrice Koe Jr. said, during a meeting with the author prior to the Book launch, that the Cameroonian Embassy could not stand by and watch the efforts of a fellow country man go unnoticed. She added that she was ‘very proud’ of the achievements of Journalist Larry Bate Takang and that to her, Mr. Takang was a “model Cameroonian citizen in the Diaspora’.
The South African Embassy was represented by its then acting Ambassador, Mr. Nkhulu Sebothoma, while the Algerian Embassy was represented by the Embassy Secretary and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Said Moussi. Other dignitaries present at the book launch were Mr. Bob Hensen (former Dutch Diplomat); Liberian born Asst. Professor-Mathew Guah of the Erasmus University Rotterdam; Ugandan born Dr. Mollyn G. Mugisha (Medical Doctor), Professional accountant in Business-Mr. Charles Assi Akwar of Arcelor Mittal in Luxembourg and German based Cameroonian Businessman, Chief Njie Paul Ikome (Chief launcher) among others.
It should be noted that Journalist Larry Bate Takang at the moment is one of the most successful Cameroonian born writers in the BENELUX. His novel ‘A Place of Fun and Evil (ISBN:978-90-71343-17-0) published in 2006 features in the Netherlands National Library in the Hague. It has as well been translated and will soon be published in the Dutch language.
His latest book ‘Pilgrimage of no Retreat’ (ISBN: 978-1-60725-981-7), a collection of 50 Fascinating poems published in the USA is now stocked and sold in the largest bookshop in the Netherlands, the Selexzy Donner Bookshop in Rotterdam.
As recognition of his prowess as a talented African Poet, Mr. Bate Takang was requested by African Diplomats to write a special poem for Africa to be dramatized during the commemoration of Africa Day by all African Embassies in the Netherlands on the 25th of May 2009. He presented the poem: “A Reason to Unite” in front of several African Diplomats as a support for Africa unity.
Larry Bate Takang is currently the Executive Director of Africa Press International (API) and the Founder/Editor-in-chief of the African Celebrities Magazine (ACM).
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