GEF's Outlook

Notes from Watching Cameroon v Mauritius on TV

Just over 20 minutes into the first half of the Cameroon against Mauritius game there was a blip on the telly and off went the images of lumbering Lions at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaounde. In came pictures of studio guests and presenters rushing to their seats for an impromptu chit-chat. 

The discussion went on for more than 30 minutes -  ranging from Orange Cameroon's latest  products to the absolute need for more international friendly matches for Cameroon.

But no one really explained to the millions of Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV) viewers in Cameroon and elsewhere why we were unable to see the rest of the first-half of the game. 

When the pictures from €nhthe stadium returned to our screens Cameroon were leading 1-0 in the second-half of the game.

There were no commentaries from the field so the studio presenters took over. One of them saw Henri Bedimo everywhere on the pitch whereas the Montpellier left-back had been replaced by Leonard (Leonie) Kweuke who had scored the curtain raiser.

OLD MACHINES

Transmission failures occur everywhere but CRTV seems to have made them the norm in their live broadcasts.

A fellow Cameroonian watching the game in Dakar asked me (as an ex-CRTV man) why in this 21st Century the national TV station should have problems transmitting a game taking place barely 5km from its production centre!

Profess Democracy but Implement Autocracy: Politics in Nyamnjoh's Married But Available

By George Esunge Fominyen

Is Francis Nyamnjoh’s *Married But Available simply an account of the experiences of Lily Loveless, a Muzugulander (western) researcher, who travels to Mimboland (Cameroon/Africa) to study the relationship between sexuality and power? Or is it about the telenovela-styled sneak peek into the lives of couples by Britney, Lily’s young research assistant? Isn’t it a, rather, witty stab at African leadership, democracy and the role of the media in society?

Lily sets foot in the country when there is strike at the University of Mimbo. It is a deliberate ploy by the author to provide the political backdrop he needs to expose African leaders who claim to be married to principles such as democracy and meritocracy but yield to autocratic, totalitarian and repressive policies; in the same way that Mimbolanders are married (attached) to their spouses (partners) but are available to others.

Leadership epitomized by the university’s administration that is unwilling to accept contradictory thought. An administration disposed to bring in security forces to crack-down on students protesting against its policies such as the construction of a wall around the institution.

“In the context of ruthless and unscrupulous politics in our university campus and lecture halls, the administration cannot sit back and watch vandals destroy what has taken the government and taxpayers of Mimboland much sacrifice to build,” the vice-Chancellor (VC) said on radio in defense of the school authorities. The VC even urged the public “not to inhale the rhetorical smoke coming out from misguided students and irresponsible politically motivated lecturers” (pg 25).

Of Charlotte Dipanda, Majoie Asse and the Canal D'Or

Charlotte Dipanda. Does that ring a bell? The 24-year-old singer with a soulful touch has captured the hearts of Cameroonians since the release of her first album "Mispa" in 2009. They paid her for bringing some bliss into their lives by voting her as the Best Female Artiste of that year,through the Cameroon music and culture awards, Canal D'or.

She carved her niche in the hearts of many with poignant vocals that accompanied the late Jeannot Hens' guitar in songs like Ndando, Longue and Cathy. For connaisseurs who remember her early days as a vocalist in Douala cabarets before she was fished out by Congolese songster - Lokua Kanza, her current success is well deserved.

She was performing on the night of her victory (part of a tour of Cameroon) thus failing to attend the ceremony.

The Male Artiste of the Year - Longue Longue - was at the event. He walked to the stage in a priest's cassock, which he dropped to unveil a stylish suit as he received his prize. According to votes via SMS and the web, he came ahead of Tsimi Tsoro whose lead track  "Merci" was voted best  song of the year.

Lapiro Honoured at Cameroon Music Awards

Organisers of the Cameroon music and cultural awards, CANAL D'Or, have honoured jailed singer Lambo Sandjo Pierre Roger aka Lapiro de Mbanga with a a Life time Achievement Award.

The special tribute presented to his wife Louisette Lambo Sandjo on Friday is in recognition of the artiste's work, especially his engaging lyrics on the social, political and economic situation of his countrymen, often delivered in the "mboko" variant of the country's lingua franca, Pidgin-English.

"I dedicate this award to my husband and to all who are with him in cell number 18," the emotional Louisette told the audience made up of politicians, senior civil servants, top class businessmen, musicians, comedians and journalists.

Lapiro de Mbanga was arrested in April 2008 after the violent riots that rocked Cameroon in protest of high prices of basic commodities and popular discontent over a change in the country's constitution to drop the restriction of Presidential terms.

"I WON'T CRY"

He was convicted in September 2008 to three years imprisonment for looting, unlawful gathering and blocking the public highway at Mbanga, 50 kilometres (30 miles) from Douala, the economic capital and one of several towns swept by riots that claimed more than 40 lives according to the official toll.

Scenes From 25 Years of Watching TV in Cameroon

"When you are old and gray and full of sleep, and nodding by the fire, take down this book and slowly read, and dream of the soft look your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep,"said the Irish poet and playwright William Butler Yeats.

Cameroon's national TV (CRTV) literally took down the book from the shelf by re-broadcasting shows like "Thinking Time" with Emmanuel Jackai, and "Accord Majuscule" produced by Vincent Doumbe as part of activities to celebrate the 25 years of television in the country, this March 2010.

There was something close to depicting Yeats' "dream of the soft look your eyes had once" as CRTV turned to its lofty past and flew-in two of its famed news anchors - Eric Chinje and Denise Epote - from Washington and Paris respectively, to present a commemorative newscast.

Observing the depth of the reports by Charly Ndi Chia, Robert Abunaw, Carol Ijang Akutu, et al on the programme "Provincial Spotlight" produced in 1986; with pictures that matched the scripts written in good English; there was a feeling of bliss all around.

But, should  Cameroonians live on nostalgia alone? Is this all they should expect of a public service broadcaster? Aren't they entitled to more?

The buzz created on Facebook pages where clips of this special newscast have been posted and the scores of newspaper articles and testimonies by past and current viewers of national TV either mean that these were such dazzling presenters that their aura remains for eternity or what is currently on offer is so distasteful to the point that  national TV could be described at barely 25 years of existence as "nodding by the fire" like grey-haired old man! 

Le Messager, Tax Bills, Media Entrepreneurship and the Cameroonian Appetite for Celebration

By George Esunge Fominyen

Last week the offices of Le Messager newspaper were sealed by local taxation services in Douala for unpaid taxes.

"We were accused of arrears of 1.4 million CFA francs," Pius Njawe, the publisher, told a news conference in Douala. "That amount is nothing in comparism to the bill of 12 million CFA francs that we are owed by the Ministry of Finance, (which is the titular head of the taxation department) and other parastatals, "Njawe said.

He has decided to pay the tax bill only after the Ministry of Finance pays up what they owe Le Messager as dues for adverts and announcements.He plans to protest at the Ministry of Finance.

The veteran newspaperman believes the decision to seal his business is an act of sabotage meant to discredit Le Messager which has planned a big celebration of its 30 years of existence in November with many international guests in attendance.

However, with all due respect for what Le Messager and Pius Njawe have achieved in the quest for freedom of expression in Cameroon, there is something odd about this palaver.

The News Media and the Pope in Cameroon

By George Esunge Fominyen

The Pope has left and Cameroon is not so hot in the news anymore. That is the way news organisations work. Still, it was fun to read distant papers like the Seattle Times mentioning Cameroon. And I'm still to get over some of the interesting, absurd (would you say bizzare?) stories that popped-up in relation to this Papal visit. From the controversy on condoms and the spread of HIV, through echoes of Cameroon's First Lady's head gear at the welcome ceremony to maize named after the Pontiff.  Here's how the media covered Pope Benedict XVI in Cameroon...

Timothy Kasolo: Journalists Need to be Trained to Blog

By George Esunge Fominyen

Timothy Kasolo is a Zambian journalist cum entrepreneur cum blogger. He was recently in Dakar to collect an award (coupled with a $2000 cheque) on behalf of lusakatimes.com. This online/citizen media  project had won the prize for the Best African Civil Society Organization’s Blog in the Waxal Blogging Africa Awards.

The ceremony included a debate on the marriage between blogging and journalism. So how do the likes of Timothy deal with this union? I stole into Timothy's time at the reception (with clicking plates and spoons in the background) for a conversation on the matter. One thing he said was that journalists need to be trained to be good bloggers but started by introducing lusakatimes.com...

Timothy Waxal Award Winner.mp3 -

Conversation With...Rosebell kagumire -Award Winning Journalist-Blogger

By George Esunge Fominyen

Rosebell Kagumire, winner of the  Waxal Award for Best English-Speaking African journalist's blog, says ordinary Africans can use blogging to change people's perception of Africa. She spoke to me after receiving her award in Dakar, Senegal on Monday, 9 March 2009.

This investigative journalist for "The Independent" news magazine in Kampala - Uganda thinks if blogging is made close to everyone in Africa it could serve as a counterweight to the depiction of Africa by international media like the CNN and the BBC as a place of suffering, despair and poverty. She supposes it might even make these media view Africa differently.

My conversation with Rosebell also delved into the difference between blogging and journalism and how she copes with both caps...

Best English Journalist Blogger - Rosabell Kagumire

Bomb Scare at Douala Airport?!

George Esunge Fominyen

Rather unusual occurrences have been replete in Cameroon in 2008. The most recent is this reported bomb scare on an Air France flight on the night of Monday 22 to Tuesday 23 at the Douala International Airport.

Freedom of Expression Discussed at PIWA Workshop

By George Esunge Fominyen

The Panos Institute West Africa (PIWA) organised a Strategic Workshop on its ICT Programme on 25-27 September 2008. The event brought together ICT experts, communication researchers, bloggers, citizen journalism organisations,and heads of journalism Schools. These are excerpts of discussions on Freedom of Expression and the development of New Media.

Can Citizen Journalists Change the Face of Journalism in Africa?

By George Esunge Fominyen

The African blogosphere is growing each day. Citizens are using cyberspace to report about issues relevant to their lives and breaking news events. They are occupying a space which mainstream media professionals are still to take advantage of. People are increasingly depending on weblogs to satisfy their thirst for information and the need to communicate (interact).

Will this citizen journalism kill the trade as we know? Does this new breed of journalists need to be trained? Is there need to regulate their practice? Some ICT experts, communication researchers, bloggers, journalists and media managers discussed these issues at a workshop that held in Dakar in September 2008.

On the sidelines of the workshop, I discussed the matter in a conversation with Ndesanjo Macha, the sub-saharan Africa editor of Global Voices Online . Click below to listen to excerpts...  

Cape Verde versus Cameroon: For Heaven's Sake Where Did These Guys See Nkong?

On 6 September 2008, Cameroon's Indomitable Lions beat Cape Verde 2-1 in Praia. The victory enables Cameroon to qualify to the next stage of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. Cameroon's winning goal was scored by Somen Achoyi who came in as a substitute to earn his first national team cap in style. But by some miracle most foreign media reports said the goal was scored by Alain Nkong...?

A Letter to Charly Ndi Chia: President of the Cameroon Union of Journalists

By George Esunge Fominyen

Dear Uncle Charly,

I gather congratulations are in order! On 12 July 2008 you became the president of the Cameroon Union of Journalists (CUJ)! Accept, dear Uncle, my hearty albeit belated wishes of success. I am sure you would remember that we whiffed over this possibility the last time we met face-to-face. Based on the ideas you espoused, my friends from overseas had felt you could be the man for the job. I shall do well to inform them that you finally docked your reservations and took the plunge into this boiling water.

Eto’o, the Indomitable Lions, Cameroonian Journalists and Journalism

By George Esunge Fominyen

  The African qualifiers to the 2010 World Cup have started. In their opening match, Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions beat the Cape Verde national team 2-0. This victory was over-shadowed by the row between the Cameroonian players and sports reporters. The height of which saw Samuel Eto’o physically assault Bony Phillipe (a reporter working for RTS radio) at a bungled press conference in Yaounde. There are two ways of analyzing this fracas between the star “Lion” and the press. Route 1: Eto’o was wrong and should be punished. Route 2: Cameroonian journalists merit such disrespect because they brought this upon themselves.