Monthly Archives: July 2019

Forty-five percent of Americans say Trump should be impeached

4, July 2019

Forty-five percent of Americans say Trump should be impeached 0

A new poll shows nearly half the United States population believes that President Donald Trump should be impeached over his performance at the White House while the majority, 53 percent, say he should not.

The new Gallup poll released Wednesday shows that 45 percent of Americans want US Congress to take action and impeach the commander in chief.

The figure involves seven percent of Republicans, 46 percent of Independents and 81 percent of Democrats.

PressTV-Trump impeachment not about 2020: Tlaib

The poll was released as Democrats in control of the US House of Representatives were wondering whether they should confront Trump with impeachment.

Support for impeachment, however, has exceeded former Presidents Clinton and Nixon at the during the Monica Lewinsky scandal and at the beginning of the Watergate controversy respectively, according to Gallup.

Calls for impeachment of Trump have grown among politicians in the United States in the wake of the special counsel’s final statement at the conclusion of the so-called Russia probe.

PressTV-Impeach Trump or no 2020 support: US billionaire

In his last statement, the special counsel neither cleared the president nor charged him, throwing the ball into the Congress’ court.

Mueller argued that the decision not to charge Trump was made based on the Justice Department’s longstanding policy of not bringing charges against a sitting president.

(Photo via Gallup)

Mueller has agreed to testify before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committee on July 17.

The Gallup poll also showed that the president is still enjoying a low favorability, fluctuating between 40% and 43% since early May.

Source: Presstv

Cameroon to face Nigeria in Afcon last-16

4, July 2019

Cameroon to face Nigeria in Afcon last-16 0

Cameroon, the holders, will face the three-time Africa Cup of Nations winners Nigeria in the last 16 of the 2019 edition after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Benin, who sealed their place in the knockout stages for the first time.

Clarence Seedorf’s side needed a victory to guarantee they progressed from Group F in first place but found a stubborn Benin side hard to break down in Ismailia and had to settle for second. They now play Gernot Rohr’s side in Alexandria on Saturday, with the hosts, Egypt, potentially waiting in the quarter-finals.

Michel Dussuyer’s Benin team held on for a point that means they progress as one of the four best third-placed teams, but will face a tough test against unbeaten Morocco in Cairo on Friday. Surprise package Madagascar will face DR Congo in Alexandria on Sunday.

Show

Meanwhile, Ghana’s 2-0 victory over Guinea-Bissau thanks to goals from Jordan Ayew and Thomas Partey ensured they topped group F and earned a potentially easier path to the final. The Black Stars will now face Tunisia, who came second in Group E after a goalless draw with Mauritania.

Mali secured top spot in group E after Amadou Haïdara scored the only goal of the game against Angola in Suez. The RB Leipzig midfielder struck from 25 yards out after 37 minutes with a contender for goal of the tournament. The Eagles will stay in Suez to take on Ivory Coast on Monday.

Defeat for Angola allowed South Africa to sneak into the knockout stages, where they will face Egypt.

Source: The Guardian

Genevagate: Biya’s bodyguards get suspended sentences for assaulting Swiss Journalist

4, July 2019

Genevagate: Biya’s bodyguards get suspended sentences for assaulting Swiss Journalist 0

Swiss Judge

Geneva’s public prosecutor, Olivier Jornot slammed three and four month suspended sentences on five of Biya’s bodyguards on Wednesday for aggravated assault on Adrien Krause, a reporter for Radio Télévision Suisse (RTS). Swiss media reported that after reviewing security cameras, the judicial police in Geneva arrested six members of Biya’s entourage on Tuesday morning; but one woman carrying a diplomatic passport was later released. The other five who appeared before Olivier Jornot, had faced up to five years in prison if found guilty. The men were however handed suspended sentences.

Neither the Swiss foreign ministry nor Geneva police or the public prosecutor’s office would confirm the identity of the security guards arrested but Swiss foreign ministry spokesman, Georg Farago rejected reports that Biya’s security guards might enjoy diplomatic immunity. “The people accompanying the president do not have any particular status and must respect Swiss law,” he said. “Switzerland recalls that it is very attached to freedom of expression and of the press, and to the respect of the rules in public spaces,” Farago told the French news agency, AFP.

RTS reported that in the complaint filed with the Geneva judicial police, Krause detailed how he was brutalized and assaulted by Biya’s security guards while he was filming a protest by the anti-sardine brigade in front of the Hotel Intercontinental, where the 86-year-old Biya has spent over four years at the cost of $40,000 (FCFA 20 million) a day, since he inherited power in 1982; even as a majority of Cameroonians back home are scavenging for survival, RTS reported. Krause said he was immobilized, “roughed up” and the bag containing his professional equipment, as well as his wallet and mobile phone were seized. The items were only returned following intervention by the Swiss federal foreign ministry; and after Geneva’s diplomatic police got involved and Krause filed a complaint over the assault.

Following the assault, Switzerland summoned Cameroon’s ambassador in Bern, Léonard Henri Bindzi, and told him in very strong terms that the attack on the journalist was unacceptable. “Diplomatic procedures have been launched… Cameroon’s ambassador was summoned in Bern and the foreign ministry informed him that such incidents are unacceptable,” foreign ministry spokesman, Farago told AFP, adding: “Freedom of the press is protected and must be respected.”

Journalist Krause

In another reaction, the global media freedom watchdog group, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the attack and called on the Swiss and Cameroonian authorities to ensure it does not go unpunished. RSF’s Swiss section in a statement, urged the Swiss authorities to “take all necessary action despite the legal and diplomatic difficulties that might arise.”

“If presidential staff can attack journalists with complete impunity, including abroad, this would send a terrible message to those who try to report the news in both Switzerland and Cameroon,” said Arnaud Froger, the head of RSF’s Africa desk. “The diplomatic immunity enjoyed by the president does not apply to his bodyguards. Those responsible for this attack must be brought before the competent judicial authorities and must be punished appropriately.” Journalists are often subjected to attacks and arbitrary detention in Cameroon, which is ranked 131st out of 180 countries in RSF’s 2019 World Press Freedom Index. Switzerland is ranked 6th.

Meanwhile, the two officers of the Geneva diplomatic police who witnessed as the journalist, Krause was being attacked by Biya’s security guards, reportedly told investigators that they were afraid to intervene because while they carried batons, Biya’s security guards were armed with automatic pistols and confronting them might have escalated the situation; and provide an excuse for the bodyguards to fire their weapon and then claim it was “accidental discharge.”

Understanding why the Presbyterian Church is now a part of the CPDM crime syndicate

3, July 2019

Understanding why the Presbyterian Church is now a part of the CPDM crime syndicate 0

Two documents are in circulation calling for Action: one by the Rev Nganji Christian, addressed to the BOT and the other by our brother Victor Epie’Ngome and co. addressing the Pew. All these are part of a common effort to restore sanity to a Church’s governing system that has been gangrened and hijacked by a clique to serve their quest for money and power!

The present calamity was predictable from the moment we committed the fatal error of electing the two top officers of the Synod Office, both coming from the fringe, with neither of them grounded in the workings of the institutions and processes that governed the church they took over to lead.Unfortunately, those of us who saw this coming and warned that it did not bode well for the PCC were booed and treated as enemies of ‘progress’ – whatever progress meant.

Had they heeded the warning and sought wisdom from former officers like the Moderators and Synod Clerks emeriti, the present insanity would have been averted! Rather, the Moderator has arrogated sweeping powers to himself, reducing the Synod Clerk and the rest of Synod Committee Executive to rubber-stamp entities. He listens to no one except his “chief high priest” who claims to have a controlling power over the Buea Administration!

Attempts to draw attention to these insane happenings appear to be falling on deaf ears. His cohorts and sycophants have resorted to brushing aside any issues raised, and raining insults on any individual who raises a dissenting voice. Their purpose is to move the focus away from the inhuman acts and social injustices perpetrated by the “Emperor Moderator”! But facts are stubborn.

  1. How can anyone justify the buying of treasury bonds in a foreign country (Gabon) with Church’s money in private names (Fonki & Ndive)?
  2. How can the Moderator stoop so low by syphoning close to a hundred million CFA from the Church’s account to sponsor “the only child”?
  3. Whence comes this crazy idea of the Church venturing into secular business without any expertise? Was it not a ploy to turn the PCC into a family business? Otherwise how do we explain the Moderator’s wife becoming the main contractor to supply machines, computers/ accessories, and sink boreholes all over PCC?
  4. What has the buying of a 70-seater bus got to do with the buying of TELCO’s machines by the  Moderator? Or is it in line with the fact that the PCC moderator adopted buying and selling of cars as his private venture, over and against the sacredness of the office?
  5. Who can explain the Moderator’s involvement in a private school venture in Douala bearing the name “Presbyterian”, yet not controlled by PEA?
  6. Why is it that only the Moderator and the Financial Secretary know about the so-called Pres Insurance? 7. Whenever has the PCC become so desperate, as a Faith-Based Organizations (FBO), that it must source funding for its projects from the State’s budgets? Why do the Moderator and Financial Secretary receive over 600.000 million from the Ministry of finance under the pretext of conducting PCC elections for 2019? If my predictions are right, is it meant to be shared between the tribes and ethnic groups that have been gearing up with meetings here and there campaigning for Fonki? Since when did the state start sponsoring elections in Churches, and what is the Church supposed to give back in return for that strange favour? Lord Save Your Beloved Church – Uber PCC!

Way forward:

  1. Moderator Fonki Samuel Forba be impeached as moderator and all the allegations on him be investigated by a committee to be set up.
  2. An extraordinary Synod Committee meeting be called up wherein some key persons are co-opted to resolve this ongoing insanity.

Here two things are paramount:

• An apology from the three synod officers for misdirection and • the withdrawal of the 2014 draft constitution in order to guarantee an inclusive synod election –

Pr. Dorothy Njeuma to chair such a committee, with V.Rev. Nyansako ni Nku and retired  Rev Dr J N Dah as co-chairs 3.

If the above two options find no support then this option remains the only way out: the moderator and synod clerk be disqualified from running for this election, together with all others who are members of the current PCC Exco!

Humbly Submitted,

Anye-Mo-Anye Mandzong

The Village Pastor

Souza Parish

US Congressional Visit: Ambazonia Vice President declares 24-Hour ceasefire

3, July 2019

US Congressional Visit: Ambazonia Vice President declares 24-Hour ceasefire 0

Declaration of a 24-Hour Unilateral Ceasefire from the Ambazonia Security Council (ASC) starting Midnight 2 July, 2019, to allow the visiting US Congressional Delegation safe and unfettered access to the sites of the crimes of the past 2 years.

The Ambazonia Security Council (ASC), and representatives of other ally Ambazonia community self defence groups fighting to end the occupation of our land by the French Neo-colonial regime in Cameroun, after consultation with our community leaders in an extraordinary meeting, do sign this declaration to commit to a 24-Hour Unilateral Ceasefire to go into effect on midnight today 2 July 2019.

We take this step as a good-faith response to the fact-finding tour of the ongoing conflict between our self-defence forces and the forces of the Cameroun regime which has been undertaken by United States Congresswoman Karen Bass, the Chair and leader of the Foreign Affairs and National Security Task Force of the Congressional Black Caucus, and her team. This decision is to ensure unfettered access to Rep. Bass’s team as they gather the facts on the ground to pave the way for a fast end to the killings and eventual resolution of the roots of the conflict.

We acknowledge the personal efforts of Rep. Bass to get the US Congress to pay attention to this war; stating with her H.Res.1111 of the 115th Congress, and now H.Res. 358 of the 116th Congress.

It is our fervent belief that the Congressional Black Caucus can live up to its credo of the “Conscience of the Congress,” as we saw it do in the battle against Apartheid in South Africa.

In taking this action, we also call others to action: 1. We call on the Cameroun authorities to do the same and declare a 24-hour unilateral ceasefire as a sign of their interest in finding a peaceful resolution to this conflict.

  1. We call on the Cameroun government to allow humanitarian groups unlimited access to our territory as requested by the US, Sweden and other representatives to the UN Security Council at the past two briefings.
  2. We call on Rep. Bass and her team to visit the sites where some of the most horrendous international crimes the world has seen in decades have taken place, including:

• The site in Bambui where Cameroun forces assassinated US Missionary Charles Wesco;

• Menka- Pinyin, were 29 youths were summarily executed in broad daylight at a hotel by Cameroun soldiers and to this day the regime is still to provide an explanation to the mourning families;

• Kwakwa, where Mami Appih Sarah, 96 years old, was burnt alive in her bed when Cameroun soldiers burnt down the village;

• Belo, where Cameroun soldiers murdered and beheaded Chiaba Samuel alias Sam Soya and photographed themselves doing the beheading and put it on social media;

• Mamfe, were Kenyan Missionary Cosmas Omboto Ondari was summarily executed in front of his congregation by Cameroun soldiers;

• Bali, where Cameroon soldiers summarily executed 20 students and burned their bodies on one occasion, and in another the teacher of CPC Bali College Ndeh Blaise was shot and killed in cold blood while his colleagues who tried to help him where shot and severely injured without cause;

• Batibo, where a family of 10 were all summarily executed by Cameroun soldiers;

• Mile 8 Mankon, Bamenda, where 126 homes were burnt to the ground by Cameroun soldiers;

• Kumba, where the General Hospital was burnt to the ground by Cameroon soldiers;

• Mbengwi were medical workers Nancy Azah and Njong Paddisco were summarily executed on their way from their farm by Cameroun soldiers at a barricade, sparking a general protest by medical workers in the North zone;

• Muyuka were 5 months old baby Martha Ngum, was shot point blank ten times on the head while asleep in her parents’ bedroom by Cameroun forces;

• Yaounde Central and Principal Prisons- Kondegui where 236 civilians are being held incommunicado without access to lawyers or families, under the pretense that they are being handled through the military court, which is a violation of international law by Cameroun and the list continues.

  1. We call on Rep. Bass and her team to support US Senators Durbin, Cardin, Van Hollen and Kaine’s NDAA Amendment To Halt Security Assistance To Cameroun, and to initiate a similar amendment to related House bills in order to pressure the Cameroon regime with the imminent removal of aid.
  2. We call on Rep. Bass and her team to give voice to and strongly decry the malicious targeting of our civilian population, which is pushing hundreds of thousands into a state of homelessness and exile. We are painfully aware of the suffering of our people, and know that shining the light on this situation is a necessary step to putting us on a path to a peaceful end of the occupation.

We also take this opportunity to highlight that we are ready and open to engage in honest peaceful negotiation with Cameroun facilitated by independent impartial non-participant third parties — which most definitely excludes France and the other neo-colonial French regimes that are using the French neo-colonial currency formerly known as the Colonies Françaises d’Afrique (CFA) Franc.

Our signature to this unilateral ceasefire declaration only commits us to non-offensive action during this 24-hour period, but we will hold to our positions and remain alert, aware Cameroon forces might try to exploit the ceasefire posture to ambush on our positions.

We hope this unilateral ceasefire is seen for what it could be: the first step on our path to end this conflict and build a new sub region based on the rule of international law.

Yours truly,
Dabney Yerima

Vice President

Federal Republic of Ambazonia

Africa Cup of Nations: Cameroon, Ghana qualify for last 16

3, July 2019

Africa Cup of Nations: Cameroon, Ghana qualify for last 16 0

Jordan Ayew’s superb solo goal helped Ghana overcome an unimpressive start in the Africa Cup of Nations to beat Guinea-Bissau 2-0 and top Group F.

Ayew broke down the left wing, skipped past a defender and curled a shot into the far top corner to give Ghana the lead in the first minute of the second half. Thomas Partey added a second when he forced in a cross from close range in the 72nd minute as Ghana secured their first win at the tournament. The four-time champions began the tournament with two draws and under threat of not qualifying for the last 16, but victory saw them emerge as group winners after defending champions Cameroon failed to beat Benin.

Cameroon stutter into last 16

Cameroon’s 0-0 draw in Ismailia had repercussions beyond the group stage as finishing second in Group F means a last 16 encounter with Nigeria.

The draw also saw Benin through as one of the best third-place teams, the first time the West African nation has made it past the group stages at the tournament.

Benin players celebrate after qualifying for the round of 16

Mali, Tunisia qualify from Group E

Mali secured top spot in Group E of the Africa Cup of Nations after a 1-0 win over Angola, who failed to progress to the knockout stage.

Angola threatened early on when Gelson Dala went through, but could not beat goalkeeper Djigui Diarra.

At the other end, Toni Cabaca saved well from first Adama Traore and then Falaye Sacko before Mali striker Kalifa Coulibaly nodded just wide from a corner.

The West African side, though, took the lead in the 37th minute through a long-range effort from RB Leipzig midfielder Amadou Haidara.

Mali progress to a second-round showdown against the Ivory Coast in Suez on July 8, while Angola head home.

Tunisia went through as runners-up despite a goalless draw against Mauritania, and will next play Ghana.

Tuesday’s results also mean South Africa edge into the last 16 after ranking fourth out of the best third-placed teams, which will see the Bafana Bafana take on hosts Egypt in Cairo on Saturday.

Source: Sky Sports

7 killed in Yaounde road accident

3, July 2019

7 killed in Yaounde road accident 0

About seven people were killed when two cars collided Monday morning on the outskirts of Cameroon’s capital Yaounde, according to police.

The accident took place on the road linking Yaounde and economic capital, Douala.

“The driver of a bus was on high speed and lost control of the vehicle and collided face to face with another car. The seven people died on the spot and others were injured seriously. They have been transported to hospital. The death toll might increase,” police official Jean Magloire who witnessed the accident told Xinhua.

The local police will launch a probe into the accident, the official said.

Deadly road accidents are common in Cameroon often due to poor road conditions, reckless driving and overloading.

Source: Xinhuanet

Southern Cameroons Crisis: US Congress Delegation Calls for Talks

3, July 2019

Southern Cameroons Crisis: US Congress Delegation Calls for Talks 0

A United States Congressional delegation visiting Cameroon has called for unconditional talks between the government and Ambazonian leaders on the country’s separatist conflict.  The two-year struggle, in which Southern Cameroons have fought to separate from La Republique du Cameroun, has killed close to 2,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.  But the Francophone dominated government says it will not engage in any talks with Southern Cameroons that includes the issue of separation from Cameroon.

California Congresswoman Karen Bass told journalists in Cameroon late Monday that the government and Ambazonia Restoration Forces should respect human rights, end all violence, and begin talks on the separatist conflict.

“We especially want to see a peaceful dialogue, a peaceful resolution without conditions.  We want to see all sides come to the table.  We recently passed a resolution in Congress saying this and we wanted to come and see first-hand what is happening in the country,” she said.

Bass made the comments after meeting with refugees and displaced people from the conflict in Cameroon’s English-speaking western regions as well as government ministers.

She is leading a seven-member Congressional delegation to Cameroon with a focus on health and human rights issues.

Peter Henry Barlerin, the U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon, joined the congressional delegation to Cameoon during meetings with officials, in Yaounde. Cameroon, June 1, 2019. ( Moki Kindzeka)
Peter Henry Barlerin, the U.S. Ambassador to Cameroon, joined the congressional delegation to Cameoon during meetings with officials, in Yaounde. June 1, 2019. 

On Tuesday, the U.S. delegation is scheduled to meet with Cameroonian activists and rights groups.

The United States, United Nations, and rights groups have been calling for sincere dialogue between authorities and the rebels to try to resolve the deadly conflict.

Government spokesperson Rene Emmanuel Sadi says they are not against talks in principle.  But, he stresses that President Paul Biya has made it clear that splitting the country is off the table.

“At a time when Cameroon is resolutely moving towards its emergence, everything must and will be done to preserve peace and stability.  Cameroon is and remains a rule of law,” he said.

International observers and rights groups say Cameroon’s separatist conflict is getting worse by the day.

The United Nations says at least 1,800 people have been killed and more than half a million displaced in the two years since fighting began.

Cameroon’s aid workers in June said they feared travel to the region after suspected Amba fighters attacked and burned several truckloads of aid.

Congresswoman Bass says humanitarian needs are increasing in both the English-speaking western regions and in Cameroon’s north, due to the Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

“We are concerned about humanitarian aid in the far north as well as in the northwest and southwest, making sure that there is access to aid, that the people that provide humanitarian assistance are able to provide that freely and fully to the population,” she said.

The U.S. Congress in a May resolution condemned abuses by Cameroon’s security forces and armed groups.

The abuses included extrajudicial killings and detentions, the use of force against civilians and protestors, and violations of the freedoms of press, expression, and assembly.

The Congressional resolution called on Cameroon’s military and rebels to cease the abuse, use of child soldiers, torture and kidnapping, and attacks on schools and teachers.

Reported by the VOA with additional editing from Camcordnews Group

US: Frontrunner Biden drops in polls after first Dem debate

2, July 2019

US: Frontrunner Biden drops in polls after first Dem debate 0

Former US Vice President Joe Biden, who is considered the favorite Democratic candidate to face President Donald Trump in the 2020 race for the White House, has lost some of his supporters following a weak showing in the first presidential debate last week, a new poll shows.

The CNN survey released Monday showed that Biden’s popularity among Democratic voters slipped to 22 percent after the debate on Friday, a whopping 10 percent drop since late May.

The veteran politician, who served as former President Barack Obama’s VP, still polled the highest among the two-dozen contenders for the Democratic nomination.

Biden’s loss was largely due to a surprisingly strong showing by Senator Kamala Harris, a California Democrat whose exchange with Biden on racial discrimination has been described by many as the highlight of the debate.

Harris, who aims to be the first black female US president, ranked a relatively close second to Biden with 17 percent support in the poll.

A separate poll by Politico/Morning Consult on Saturday returned similar result, with Biden’s support dropping to 33 percent from 38 percent before the debate.

PressTV-Democrats clash in heated first US presidential debate

This is while Harris doubled her support as she climbed to 12 percent from six percent pre-debate.

Tying with Harris at 12 percent was progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren in that poll. Warren shadowed Harris in the CNN poll with 15 percent support.

The poll also recorded declining support for leftwing Senator Bernie Sanders, who dropped to 14 percent from 18 per cent before the debates.

The Politico/Morning Consult poll however did not register any changes in Sanders’ and put him in second place after Biden.

Pete Buttigieg, the young mayor of South Bend, Indiana, came in fifth place in both polls, scoring four percent in the CNN poll and six percent in the Politico/Morning Consult survey.

Despite the drop in support, voters still saw Biden as the strongest candidate in the field, with 43 percent saying he was the only Democrat with a chance to unseat Trump.

Only 13 per cent believed Sanders could do the job, while Harris managed to convince 12 per cent of voters.

Bebe Manga: An Angelic Voice with a  Social Conscience

2, July 2019

Bebe Manga: An Angelic Voice with a  Social Conscience 0

Few even knew she hailed from Manyu Division in the Southwest region, but her exceptionally creative impulses, great vocal versatility and revitalizing voice captured the hearts of music aficionados. Elizabeth Bessem Manga, known the world over as Bebe Manga was a cultural icon of awesome proportions. She died Friday, July 1, 2011, from a heart attack in Douala, and was buried on July 30, 2011. The glowing tributes that trailed her demise, was testimony; if at all any was needed, that in this woman of grace, yet modest persona, Manyu and Cameroon indeed, lost one of their own!

On stage, Bebe Manga was a natural and consummate performer; a larger-than-life figure who bestrode the Cameroonian music landscape like the colossus that she was; captivating her fans with an angelic voice, a magnetic smile and a dynamic vocal range that could induce delusions of intimate contact.

Bebe Manga could sing Makossa with the rendition of a native Douala speaker, but her Manyu kith and kin remember her for some of the most enchanting songs in her native dialect, distinguishable by the epigrammatic blend of Kenyang and English language. Indeed her music was a language of universal appeal, demonstrating great versatility in a variety of languages and settings that touched people across different nations; from Mota Benama through Na Meya to Alice Agbor and Bele Sombo.

Music lovers, the world over, adored Bebe Manga because of her inspiring lyrics and impassioned music. But her personal life was an epic tragedy of domestic upheaval, “self-exile” and sometimes, torment. A true Bayangi woman to the core in word and in deed; her music reverberated with consciousness about the real conditions of women in their perennial quest for self-emancipation. Her traditional Bayang songs delivered with a Makossa rendition captured the fundamental values of the Manyu character in all its many contradictions.

Born to sing
Bebe Manga was born on November 27, 1948 and hails from Tinto, Upper Bayang Sub-Division in Manyu Division, South West region. She told The Herald in a 1999 interview that her musical career which dates back to 1979 at the then Bar Americain cabaret in Douala was the by-product of an “accident” She had gone on a routine relaxation outing with friends, when one of the bar performers staged a belated rendition of the song “kissa kissa” which happened to be one of her favorite songs. Her entourage exhorted the Bar owner that Bebe Manga could sing better, and the manager took the challenge and gave her the chance. She produced a rhapsodic and scintillating performance that captivated and held the audience spellbound. The Bar manager could not help, but hire her instantly! And so began her roller-coaster career which took her to several African countries – Zaire, Togo, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Ivory Coast.

International Fame
It was in Ivory Coast where the proprietor of the “Son de Guitare” cabaret/night club where she sang, gave her the sobriquet “Bebe.” She said since she had become the crowd favourite at the nightclub, the owner started referring to her as “Mon Bebe Prefere.” And soon everyone started calling her “Bebe”, and eventually the name stuck. Her meteoric rise to the top came in 1980 when she replayed Ebanda Manfred’s 1962 radio hit, “Amie” (French for “friend”), using her golden voice to transform a hitherto unknown song into a worldwide classic that hit the top music charts.

Her version of that song called “Amio” earned her the “Maracas D’or” award from the music production and marketing corporation, SACEM. In the last two decades, Amio has been replayed in different languages by musicians in Europe, the Caribbean, Latin and North America, and Africa, amongst them André Astasié, Nayanka Bell, Manu Dibango, Papa Wemba, Monique Séka and Jackie Biho. She was voted one of the best all time African artists.

A great entertainer turned humanist
Bebe Manga was a musician first and foremost. Her music not only brought her fame and fortune but also became vocal symbols to raise awareness about the plight of children. Although she never had any biological children herself, she raised so many, who called her, mum. “I think the Almighty God gave me a voice, which means He wanted me to sing; which is what has made me famous…I am very grateful and I cannot ask for more because only God knows why He decided that I should not have children.” Bebe Manga was also a philanthropist, believing in the cause of humanity and extending a hand of friendship to the needy and less privileged.

She also endured some bizarre domestic and showbiz episodes. When her marriage to the famed Dr. Ako Defang (AD) Mengot collapsed, she succumbed to a kind of emotional paralysis yet this part of her life, seldom discussed, became a major source of inspiration for some of her songs dealing with society’s foibles, such as domestic violence, marital infidelity, polygamy, inter-tribal marriages, death and life beyond this realm. In showbiz, she once failed to appear for a show in Abidjan, Ivory Coast and when she returned years later, she was jailed for a night until the outstanding financial penalty was paid on her behalf.

She finally returned to Cameroon in the 1990s and became a first choice performer at national culture and arts festivals but the music business had moved on and, despite working with stars like Manu Dibango and Tom Yoms (also of blessed memory), the opportunities for giving concerts had diminished. She was planning to grace the Manyu Elements Cultural Association (MECA) Canada convention, when she suffered a heart attack and was rushed to the Douala Laquintini hospital where Doctors were unable to revive her.

An artist with a social conscience
Bebe Manga’s music sprang from deep inside her soul. Millions of people were inspired by this charismatic, electrifying Manyu woman with a matchless ability to touch the human spirit with her moving voice. Her voice as the signature song in the movie Potent Secrets undoubtedly raised the profile of the film.

Bebe Manga produced several albums and videos with an audience reaching across Cameroon, West and Central Africa, Europe and North America. Her lyrics thunder with rare Bayang resonance, as she sang from the very depths of her heart, which in turn struck a chord deep down our soul. She leaves behind a rich legacy. The best way to pay homage to the towering memory of Bebe Manga is to uphold the values that she so selflessly embodied.

Love was the essence of Bebe Manga‘s life. She gave it to all who came her way in full measure. In her songs, in her smile and her sweet personality, Bebe Manga conveyed great warmth. Her life was full of ups and downs: but she was a true artist; a great entertainer with a social conscience. While we celebrate the life she lived, we should equally ask ourselves what abiding qualities we can learn from her rich and meaningful life. Cameroon will produce other great singers and greatly talented women. It is however doubtful that Cameroon will produce another Bebe Manga. Adieu Golden Voice; may you reincarnate as a Manyu woman!

By Valerian Ekinneh Agbaw-Ebai, Boston USA

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