Shifu Ngalla, the cock that ever crows, a symbol of harmonization, the quintessence of gender balancing.

You would wonder what it feels like when he gets up in the wee hours of the day to prepare himself to confront a bevy of girls, who like in a Fon’s palace constitute a work harem.

There is Tabe who is the Queen of the team. Olivia, the trotter whose appearance is usually sporadic. Like she was described this morning, she is the hunter of certificates and diplomas, yet keeping up with the joneses at Morning Safari.

There is Welisane, the new comer who is coping very well and who has caught the fire of conviviality as prone to Morning Safari. Her name when interpreted into the English language is patience. Her attitude in the programme should therefore be one of learning with much perseverance and patience.

One would think when Shifu is surrounded by this bevy of dedicated women, the sun rises on him. There is a spirit of joy, of laughter and of friendship. I know how cold Santa can be and I can imagine Tabe trembling with the Harmattan dry and cold winds. Don’t worry Tabe, the warmth is emanating from Yaounde.

Nevertheless, just bundle up and feel as though you are in Yaounde with your jolly folks. I do not mean to say the Santa people are not jolly or cannot provide you with warmth. They are people with a wonderful pedigree, I mean the whole sub division. You have those ambitious and dynamic people of Awing.

I know Ernest Akounnfor will be smiling from ear to ear, and Nico Halle will send me an sms soon, just to say Uncle P, ashia oohhh! My friend Solomon Azombi is surely spending his last few days there before going back to his ambassadorial position in Canada.

The Pinyin people too are a tremendous people. They make for the bread basket of the area with their special breed of potatoes, cabbages, and carrots. That sounds yomee. Of course, Santa itself is their citadel, and this bustling town is growing with a blistering indulgence.

Probably Shifu would have loved to be in Santa too this day like Tabe. But you see Shifu, I don’t think you should have second thoughts because where you are is comfortable enough.

After all, some day you may be called upon to go to Ndu, to bask in the very strong cold winds of that area and coordinate Morning Safari. Well, there is Ndu tea there! Ah! I almost forget about Santa coffee which I believe Tabe is savouring. You know at one point in history, Santa was famous for its coffee estate. Unfortunately this estate business has sort of died, yet Santa is no less of a coffee producing area.

At one point, Shifu, you should, whenever you get out of bed, always create a spirit of happiness and joy. Someone said laughter is the best medicine. Cultivate the habit of putting laughter in your crisis moments, your diseases, your worries, your calamities. Turn your back on stress and embrace laughter. You will experience a different you.

Tell you what! There was this man who was very sick. He had lumps in his stomach and each day for him was like hell because of the pains he had to endure. He had to exercise “welisane” (patience) as treatment went on. Then he fell on this audio CD of a certain comedian. And each time he listened to it, he laughed and laughed.

Laughter became his therapy. So he kept listening to the comedian and kept on laughing. After a while he went for some tests and all the doctor told him was, whatever you have been doing, continue to do it. Your problem is resolved. You are well.

Keep laughter in your life, whether you are in the cold of Santa, in an air conditioned studio in Yaounde, or in a stressful, distressful, frustrated or discouraging situation. Laughter will play the trick.

Shifu, I try to engage in some kind of laughter every day. Don’t miss that joyful moment with those wonderful people in your life.

God bless you.