Cameroonian bikutsi singer, Roger Bekono has passed away age 62. Roger Bekono died on Thursday in Yaounde following a long illness. The news was made public through a joint statement issued by his relative, Ottou Marcellin and his daughter Marie-Christine. The author of the greatest hit Jolie Poupee was reportedly sick for more than six years. He spent the last two weeks in a hospital in Mfou and finally left for the land of his ancestors on Thursday.

Born in 1954, Roger Bekono emerged in the 80s as a renowned bikutsi singer and went ahead and recorded 33 hit singles including “Jolie poupee”, “Etam”, “Enying Moni”, “Ye wo kombel” and also “Oget Mongi”. He worked with the likes of the great Zanzibar, Jean Marie Ahanda, Atebas, “Big” Ngole Pokossy and Mystic Jim.

President Muhammadu Buhari has been accused of influencing the arrest and incarceration of the man, Joachim Chinakwe, who named his dog after President Muhammadu Buhari. A section of Nigerians reacting to the arrest and incarceration alleged that Buhari was masterminding the travails of the man. Joachim Iroko, was remanded on Monday, August 22, at the Ibara Prison following his arraignment at the Ota Magistrate Court 2, Ogun state. He was charged to court by the police with conduct likely to cause breach of the peace, in a case with suit number MOT/617c/2016.

According to the prosecutor, Inspector Itaita Ebibomini, the accused committed the offence on Saturday, August 13, 2016, at the Hausa section of Ketere Market in Sango-Ota in the Ota Magisterial District. But the accused, who was represented by a counsel, U. Michael, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The chief magistrate, B. J. Ojikutu, admitted Iroko to bail in the sum of N50,000 with two sureties in like sum, adding that the sureties must be regular tax payers in the state. The accused was subsequently taken to the Ibara Prison pending when he fulfills his bail condition.

However, the jailing of the trader has fueled the narrative that President Buhari might have masterminded the incarceration of the man to teach him a lesson. Some Nigerians have accused the president of displaying dictatorial tendencies for persecuting the man because he named his dog ‘Buhari’.

Naij.com

20 years after their last performance on Cameroon soil, the musical group, Kassav will begin a victory tour of Cameroon from the 16^th to the 22^nd of December 2016. The first live concert is scheduled for Hotel Sawa (Douala) on December 20, 2016 and the second live concert will be held at the Sports Palace (Yaounde) December 22, 2016.

Cameroon Concord News has been reliably informed that after show performances will be hosted in two renowned nightclubs in Yaounde and Douala with the participation of some local artists.

The tour of Cameroon has been dedicated to the fight against cancer and it will be also to celebrate Kassav ‘ 37 years of existence. The organizers are planning a series of activities notably, a visit to the Chantal Biya Foundation.

By Chi Prudence Asong

President Paul Biya has been crowned “Most loved politician” among four other politicians in the country. Meanwhile, First Lady Chantal Biya was crowned “Most enterprising woman of action” among four other women. They were awarded the “Most Patriotic Excellence Award” at a ceremony in the headquarters of the “Roi de la Ferraille Koloko Levis-Claude” Foundation in Bonaberi, Douala, on July 30, 2016.

Immediately following the presidential couple were the SDF Vice Chairman, Joshua Osih, President of the Cameroon National Salvation Front, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, former Minister and President of MRC party, Maurice Kamto, Banda Kani as well as Elimbi Lobe, for the “Most loved politician” category. Libom li Likeng Minette, Courtès Ketcha, Caroline Ngo Banseck and Jacqueline Mbarga, won the “Most enterprising woman of action” prize.

The award follows several months of voting by television viewers on Dan Broadcasting Corporation, DBS TV and further research by the “Roi de la Ferraille Koloko Levis-Claude” Foundation. Speaking at the event in Bonaberi, Douala, Hubert Etoundi, DBS General Manager and promoter of the award, said it reflects the views of the people confirmed through intense research.

“It is very necessary to recognise these people for their patience, stamina, peace, etc. They contribute to the peace and development of the nation,” he underscored. Some 45 other people received awards in the categories for economic-political patriotism, patriotic investors, living together and petty trades. The presidential couple, like some of the recipients, was not present. Those who were present either in person or represented did receive their awards.

Cameroon Tribune

The new general manager of CRTV has announced technical changes on programs in the corporation. Charles Ndongo recently decreed that the 7:30 and 8:30 news bulletins will henceforth have just one anchor person. Correspondingly, Benn Meno Pufong was appointed to host the 7:30 English language news while Adele Mballa was accorded the 8:30 news in the French language.

The Charles Ndongo order also nominated Atta Badyne Oumar and Esther Kima Tabot to deputize for Benn Pufong and Adele Mballa over the weekends.   Ibrahim Cherif,  the Chief of Information on national television defended the Ndongo move saying the duo presentation was no longer popular.

Rita Akana (Cameroon Concord News Group)

Nguimfack Cheugueu Frankline Julie, 24, an MA student, Department of Management in the University of Douala who hails from Menoua in the West region like the great Jacob Nguni was crowned on Saturday as Miss Cameroon 2016 succeeding Jessica Ngoua Nseme who won the contest in 2015.

By Rita Akana

While a court reportedly extended Koffi Olomide’s detention period to 15 additional days, the artist announced on his Face Book page late last night that he has been released and is back home with his family. Koffi added a thank you message to all his friends and fans and observed that he was humbled and grateful for the unwavering support.

On Friday the 29^th of July, a collegiality of judges rejected the bail application made by Koffi’s counsel. The court remanded him in custody for 15 days. Koffi’s lawyers we learned, appealed the decision.

He is pursued by the justice of his country for a violent kick on one of his dancers in Nairobi in front of television cameras. The video raised a stir in the world. The Congolese star was expelled from Kenya and saw his concert canceled in Lusaka (Zambia).

Chi Prudence Asong (Cameroon Concord News Group)

The mother of the late Cameroonian artist, Achallé has made a shocking revelation on the life of the young Cameroonian musician and winner of the Star2Demain in 2006. In a video, the young woman accused the Cameroonian society for making her only child, a “sex slave.” “Achalle was a victim of sexual abuse” she declared. She revealed that her son confided in her how he was sodomized in his youth and forced to become homosexual.

In the video, she noted that the networks operating in Cameroon led her son to believe that homosexuality was the only way forward. She added that Cameroon is in complete darkness with children being abused in schools, in churches and elsewhere.  Achalle, who was 30, died Wednesday in the South West region from liver cancer.

Rita Akana (Cameroon Concord News Group)

Distraction is very important for children, especially during holidays. However, there exists few leisure facilities for children in Yaounde. Perhaps, the only ones are the merry-go-rounds at the Yaounde Conference Centre and in the premises of the Mahima Supermarket at Elig-Essono. Certainly, these are not enough to enable the city’s little children to have fun.

Moreover, getting to them and being attended to is not often easy, given the regular traffic jams in the city and the huge number of kids always waiting for their turn to enjoy themselves. In these centres, there are games like “Toboggan,” “slider,” “sand houses” and even swimming pools. There is also foodstuff like popcorn, ice-cream and drinks, especially those children prefer. The leisure centre at Elig-Essono is open from Mondays to Sundays, but children prefer going at weekends, making it always full.

Surey Kumar Singh, the man in charge of the Elig-Essono Mahima Leisure Centre, told Cameroon Tribune on July 26, 2016:  “Even though there are few children around today, the little ones who come have real fun with the different games provided for them. The entrance fee is 1,000 FCFA and they are able to enjoy Toboggan and slider. For those who climb on to the merry-go-round, there is an additional 500 FCFA to pay because it needs electricity.”

In order to enable little children have real fun, music is provided for dancing. “So, when going home, they are very happy because they enjoyed their stay,” Surey Kumar Singh noted. As a result of the paucity of children’s leisure places in Yaounde, some parents prefer to get their kids engaged in other activities like sports, music and dance classes and outings in order to have fun and distraction these holidays.

Cameroon Tribune

Koffi Olomide, one of Africa’s most popular singers, has been caught on camera purportedly kicking a woman at the main airport in Kenya. Police were seen intervening to stop the attack on the woman, identified by Kenyan media as one of his dancers.

The 60-year-old rumba star denied in a Facebook post that he attacked the dancer and said he respected women. In 2012, he was convicted in the Democratic Republic of Congo, his home country, of assaulting his producer.

The court gave the singer a three-month suspended prison sentence. The altercation with his producer, Diego Lubaki, was over a debt of about $3,700 (£2,800), the court heard.

BBC