Interviewed by Mirabel Azangeh Tandafor
Michelle Thérèse Olinga is a restless Rev Sister. This 54-year-old Rev Sister evokes strong opinions from those who know her, especially after serving the Yaounde Archdiocese as Sister for 34 years and journalist for 16 years. She is indeed a woman of many parts. As regards the 21st edition of the International Day of the Woman, this ASMAC graduate believes that women must be serious in everything they do, without which they would never progress. She talked about her vocation and other things. Excerpts:
Sister, please introduce yourself for readers of L'Effort camerounais.
I was born at Nkolbang, a locality in Zoétélé on September 1952 by a gentle and pious Roman Catholic mother called Clementine Ntolo and of the late comprehensive Grégoire Bikoula Olinga. I started school at the Ecole Sainte Thérèse of Akok and got my First School Leaving Certificate, (CEPE) at Omvan in 1966. I am the first of a family of 12 children.
For how long have you been a reverend Sister?
34 years today. I professed in 1972. I was twenty at the time.
How did you receive your call?
My wish to become a Rev Sister coincided with that of my parents. After so many years of marriage without a child, they decided that whenever that child comes, he/she would be consecrated to the Lord. I was that first child. I started feeling that I would become a Rev Sister way back in primary school.
I decided to begin taking active part in small religious groups. At 15, I expressed my wish to pursue the religious course. They therefore sent me to the convent. I was consecrated five years later. My motto is 'Serve with joy' and I am of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary.
How did your family receive this?
The only regret my parents, in particular, had was that I announced my call to them when I had not evolved much in my education. I was only in form two. I think it is normal for a parent to feel bad when his/her child does not progress intellectually, contrary to his wish.
Have you ever regretted your decision to go into the Consecrated life?
Never! I like what I am. I now have a way of life to follow everyday. St Thérèse of the Child Jesus is my role model. Because of her, I changed my name at consecration from Marie-Michelle to Michelle-Thérèse. I entered the convent at a very tender age; passed through a number of difficulties but never gave up. I would not give up now.
As each day passes, I develop more love for my choice. There are difficulties, no doubt, but God willing, I have always had the grace to continue. That is why I now count up to 34 years of servitude to the Lord. It is not given to everyone.
What else do you do?
At the community level, I render services to my congregation. I always play he role of the impresario at religious ceremonies. I have been a member of the bureau of the Fight against Corruption at the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and the Family for three years. I am equally a member of the National Communication Council. I take care of communication in the Archdiocese. As a journalist, I accompany the Archbishop for all his pastoral visits. I am also Director of Programs at Radio Jeunesse. I also do religious programs at CRTV.
How did you become a journalist, considering your vocation?
I enrolled into the Advanced School of Mass Communication, ASMAC in 1987, on the recommendation of the Archbishop of the time, Mgr Jean Zoa. I graduated as a journalist in 1990 and in December the same year, he appointed me the Director of Means of Social Communication for the Archdiocese of Yaounde.
What do you think of the International Day of the Woman?
It is very important that a whole day should be dedicated to women. We are not supposed to take just March 8, serious. We have to impose ourselves in everything we do. If you have a responsibility, execute it dutifully. As a housewife, you must work extremely hard to, alongside your husband, ensure a bright future for your children.
As a civil servant, you must do same to deserve your salary. A religious person, like me, must be loyal to her vocation. Being a woman does not mean you should spend all the time protesting inequality. Rather, we have to show the men folk that no task can be above us.
Would you say there has been progress?
That is true. It enchants me to see women doing some of those jobs that used to be reserved for men. What counts for me is competence. It is through competence that you impose yourself. It is competence that makes me the woman I am today. It is my ways of doing things that make people take me serious. If you are not serious, you would be rubbed in the mud.
That is what I am asking all women to do. They should forget about getting equality with men and be more serious about their duties.
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