Meet Cameroonian actress, Women’s rights advocate and Spoken Word poet extraordinaire, Abunaw Olive

Photo credit: Nalevel Empire

Abunaw Olive Arrey-Nchung is a Cameroonian actress, spoken word poet and an advocate for women’s rights, women’s entrepreneurship and development. She was born on the 3^rd of May 1989 in Mamfe, a town in the South West Region of Cameroon.

She reveals that she has always been drawn to the arts despite doing science right up to high school.

“I started reading novels at the age of 4 and was already writing poetry by the time I was 8 years old. My father wanted me to be a medical doctor, so I studied sciences right up to high school but I have always had a deep passion for Literature and poetry in particular”. Words have always fascinated me. The way they can be woven together to form simple yet mind-boggling stories that are beautiful and unique to each writer is simply amazing”.

Olive attended primary school in Government School Group 2 in her native Mamfe, obtained her ordinary levels at St Augustine’s College Nso before moving to Buea where she attended the famous Baptist High School Buea, where she had her Advanced Level Certificate.

Abunaw olive is currently studying for a Master’s Degree in Special Education at the University of Buea, but admits that she almost dropped out and abandoned it all in her early years of tertiary education. She first attended the Government Teacher’s Training College (GTTC) Buea from where she obtained her certification but discovered that she didn’t really have a passion for teaching. She worked for a short while at Express Exchange- a money transfer company-  in her hometown before returning to Buea to study Psychology. “It’s truly a miracle that I am currently at this level in my education because my years as an undergraduate student were incredibly difficult due the fact I had no financial assistance and had to sponsor myself through school. I did all kinds of things just to get by. I ran a restaurant and worked at Njorku during my second year just so I could make ends meet”.

 It is during this period of struggle and hardship that she was inspired to create her NGO, NGORE Africa in 2016 after her encounter with a lady in Buea who suffered abuse and neglect from her husband and had almost no means to feed her children.

“When I met this lady, her story moved me to tears. I realised that even when you think you are facing the most gruesome hardship in your life, there is always someone who is worse off than you. No matter how dire your situation is, there is always the possibility to help someone who is in more need than you. I was able to mobilise a group of friends with whom I took clothes, food and a little money to assist the lady in taking care of her children. After that experience, I thought that if Cameroonian women are empowered with opportunities to ameliorate their lot, the country as a whole will improve significantly. When you empower women, you empower a nation because women are the backbone of society”. NGORE Africa seeks to empower women in the domain of entrepreneurship as well as sensitize them about female reproductive health and related issues.

Olive has received an award for her role in the movie ‘The Return’. She won the Best Actress award at the Festival International du Cinema Independent de Bafoussam (FICIB). She has starred in several other movies including: ‘Against my will’ and ‘Bad Angel’, a TV series which currently airs weekly on Cameroon’s national television CRTV.

“I think the Cameroon film industry’s best days are ahead of it. Increasingly we are seeing more and more high-quality productions and the international community is starting to take an interest in what we are doing. I’m excited about the future of our film industry and eager to play my part in making it a force to be reckoned with in Africa”.

The poetry bug bit Olive Abunaw at a very young age when she would write and perform poems for her family, at school and in church. Her poem “Knowing God” was selected as the best poem for the Cameroon Baptist Convention Youth Camp (2014-2015). She started performing as a spoken word artist in 2016 and believes that it is a very powerful and potent art form that can contribute to change the Cameroonian society and make it better.

“We do not have enough Spoken Word events in our country and many people are yet to discover what Spoken Word is. It has the power to transform minds and impact change and I would like to see more of it not only in Buea but in other regions as well. I want to help create a Spoken Word poetry movement in Cameroon and make it really popular among youths”.

Her first official performance was at the Cameroon International Film Festival (CAMIFF) in April 2018.

The rising star has recently been on a couple of TV and radio shows to talk about herself and her upcoming projects, including “Inside Out” a talk show on Canal 2 English, hosted by Solange Tanjong

Abunaw Olive on “Inside Out”, Canal 2 English

and on Douala-based Nabstar Radio with well-known radio personality, Nabil “Nabstar” Fongod, where she performed one of her poems.

Olive is not only an actress and Spoken Word poet but also a TV presenter and co-host of a youth empowerment programme on the Buea-based HI TV channel.

She is an avid reader and writer and enjoys swimming and dancing.

Alpha Better Records proves they're the best with brand new hit "Qu'est-ce qui n'a pas marche´"

It's been a while since fans of Cameroonian music have been treated to some  really good music. A lot of the stuff that's played on our radio stations and TVs is downright mediocre. To the point where a lot of fans have completely lost faith in our ability to procuce good music. 
But it seems all is not lost, as the Douala-based Alpha Better Records has just realesed a song that is set to be a smash hit titled " Quest-ce qui n'a pas marche´?" produced by Big Joe and Salatiel.
 The track features the entire roaster- Mr Leo, Salatiel, Askia and their most recent addition, Blaise B- who deliver a melodic piece infused with afrobeat, dancehall and highlife influences. The quartet toggle between Enlish, French and pidgin, to thrill us with a song that will not only have us dancing all night in clubs and snacks but also at home and in cars. 
What is most gratifying is that "Quest-ce qui n'a pas marche´ " is not just another sensless song like many that have come and gone unnoticed, but one packed with thought provoking -meaning . The four crooners go back to the essence of what music is meant to do-EDUCATE. This is a call to the other so-called "big artists" out there to step up their game because they are being anhilated by this label that has understood the formula for becoming the best in Cameroon.
Fans of Alpha Better Records will have a hard time forgetting this one. We hope to continue having more of this on a regular basis.
Cameroonian artists wuna stand fine! Alpha Better Records is putting y'all to shame!!!
Here's the lyric video which is also AMAZINGLY WELL DONE!!!
ENJOY!!!!!

Uber finally arrives Uganda

U.S-headquartered taxi hailing service, Uber has continued its expansion drive in Africa by launching in Kampala, Uganda today, bringing the total number of cities with Uber presence to 462.
Uber works by connecting riders with the closest available driver in the city, who picks up riders in minutes – less than 5 minutes most of the time.

Riders get to see a photo of their drivers, the car they are driving, and even see them on the app as they drive towards them. With the launch, Kampala residents can now request an uberX from their smartphones to take them to their destination, whether it’s Entebbe International Airport, Mandela National Stadium, Acacia Mall or anywhere in between.

Mr Leo Drops Spanking New KEMAYO Video

No one can question Mr Leo‘s vocal strength and it was obvious he would make it big in the Cameroon music scene. From “E go better” to “On Va Géré“, Mr Leo always brings out our daily societal plights in his songs. Back again with “Kemayo“, Mr Leo keeps riding on the same lane. This song talks of yet again another societal issue “Infidelity” and its soul remedy “God”. Great story line, good actors and actresses, talented dance group and especially a killer wardrobe, Kemayo is a song that we’ll be humming and singing all day.Mr Leo’s vocals of course remain the same with such an engaging voice. Starring in the video the duo Rythmz, Blaise B, Ade Kelly and several others. Video shot by Nkeng Stphens and Artnurin.


Hope you enjoy the song. Here's the video:

Magasco Unveils New Dancehall Video Clip – ALL VIP

We get to slowly seal the month of May with a great video clip from Empire Music artist Magasco who just released spanking new “All VIP” directed by NS Pictures. Put on your dancing shoes people and get your moves right with this Kamer song freshly released.

Gripping the world with his single “Wule Bang Bang” from EP Raw Gold, Magasco doesn’t let the heat cool off and releases another club banger “All VIP“. The dancers, the choreographic moves, sets that set the mood and killer wardrobes; this song gets you entranced until the very last second.

Some dark clouds however mar this release as we wonder why he did not unveil a video clip (s) from any of his EP songs like “BELINDA”, “DEAL”, “BOLO”, “BABBY LOVE” and “MUMMY LOVE”? These songs are different, engaging and addictive. Why release a song pretty similar to his already musical sensation “Wule Bang Bang“?

Sometimes diversity is refreshing… Anyways, we hope with time we get Refreshed.

Watch the video below and tell me what you think  in the comment section. 

Better World Cameroon Organises Summer Camp 2016

Better World Cameroon is organising yet another Summer camp this August 2016. The International Summer Work Camp is an annual event. It aims at bringing together youth from different parts of the world to promote solidarity and and foster cultural exchange.They are inviting 20 Youth change makers from Cameroon as well as abroad to come together to explore options for the future from different viewpoints so that we all can grow in our vision. Here'
s where to go to know more.

Cameroon's Kiro'o Games is taking the gaming industry by storm

Many Cameroonians (especially boys) who grew up in the early 90s, spent obscene amounts of time and money in arcades playing video games. Many would use their food and taxi money to get a chance at beating the high score in such titles as Final Fight, Street Fighter, the King Of Fighters series, Cadillacs and Dinosaurs and other memorable titles. 

We have come a long way from those days when we used to hit buttons and push joysticks to a very wide-ranged and sophisticated, billion dollar gaming industry. 
Most Africans and Cameroonians in particular have always taken it for granted that video games are something foreign which come mainly from the U.S and Japan but the tables have turned much in the last couple of years.
Kiro'o Games,  is a Cameroonian video game, animation, development and publishing company founded in 2003 by Madiba Olivier, and headquartered inYaoundé. Based in the green hills of Yaoundé, Cameroon’s capital, Kiro’o Games is not only breaking ground for software developers in its home country—it’s also among the first companies in the world to create an African-themed role-playing game.Their debut title is Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan.

 According to The Wall Street Journal's website,"The player controls Enzo Kori-Odan, an African prince, and his fiancée, Erine. They are victims of a coup by Kori-Odan’s brother-in-law, who exiles them on their wedding and coronation day. The royal couple then travels through a fantasy world, recruiting allies and fighting to regain their rightful command. Players battle amid thatched roofs, lush green settings, percussive music and colorfully robed tribal characters —far from the usual Game of Thrones fare."
This completely changes the paradigm in video game development and proves that Africans are capable of the most extraordinary feats, given the right environment and resources. The game is available on Steam and needs to be downloaded and installed. So check it out and let's know what you think. Meanwhile you can enjoy some screenshots from the game:

Is the Stanley Enow/Jovi feud finally over?

Stanley Enow and Jovi, the two Kamer hip-hop front runners who are known for their sour attitude towards one another as much as for their music, seem to have posed together probably for the first time ever.
 In past months the pair have thrown jabs at each other on Twitter and have made allusion to that in their songs.
Does this mean  that the Bayangi Boy and the self proclaimed Mboko god have finally decided to bury the war hatchet and look forward to a more positive relationship?

Here's the photo:
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Buea tech guys Making Cameroon Proud

Some tech start-ups in Buea are putting the town on the map of  relevant places to watch for future innovation. Infact the BBC recently did a short documentary on the companies making great strides in technology and that have the potential to become the next big thing. You can watch the Video here:

“Chasing Tails” – A Movie To Be On The Lookout For [Trailer]

Sire Nation and Blue Rain entertainment will be unveiling its new masterpiece “Chasing Tails” come June 4 at the Buea shopping mall, in partnership with W Cinema.


This movie has as cast prominent Kamer actors like Frank Sire, Desmond Wyte, Syndy Emade and Ade Kelly, who enact the little games both men and women play in the arena of love.


Produced by Frank Sire and edited by Awemo Pizaro, this movie strikes it all, from the wardrobe, location, image quality and great actors.

Children and Smartpones: The dilemma

Children are using smartphones at an increasingly youger age. This has gotten many people (especially parents) worried about the negative health and psychological issues that may ensue. Many argue that smartphones are convenient, of course, but they also alter the parent-child relationship, creating a constant connectivity that can often be mistaken for a genuine connection. It can weaken your authority and ability to bond, and in the hands of children whose judgment isn’t yet fully developed, smartphones can lead to the fast-track to bad choices and even worse consequences.

Smartphones hinder parent-child relationships

 According to school behaviour expert Tom Bennett Children should not be allowed smartphones until they are 16 and teachers should not allow them unless absolutely necessary.
But others still will say that kids need smartphones because they help keep track of the child and help them in their intellectual growth:
So who is right?

UB Takes Centre Stage in Renewable Energy Development

In the near future, every home in Buea may be equipped with a solar panel and the exorbitant electricity bills which Cameroonians pay may soon be a thing of the past. This is as a result of a convention that was recently signed between the university of Buea, college of Technology and Addax petroleum with Mayors of the South West Region.

According to the convention, South West mayors will provide funds to the college of Technology, UB, while the school will in turn provide the various councils with renewable energy sources. Addax petroleum on its part provided equipment worth Millions of francs CFA to the College to help train technicians and mining experts who could one day work in the company.

  As a result of the partnership agreement, on entering the university of Buea campus, one can see that there are new solar lamp posts alongside the regular ones. Around U-block, there are wind turbines and a solar panel. The technicians at the Faculty of Engineering Technology say that these are just baby steps that will lead to achieving the not too distant plans of making the University of Buea completely autonomous in terms of energy supply. The engineering and technology students use these facilities to study and practice how to harness the power of the wind and the sun and convert them into electricity for use in homes, companies and industries.

It is hoped that this generation of students will use the knowledge acquired to contribute towards taking Cameroon to emergence by 2035.

RAMADAN CELEBRATIONS IN BUEA

 Celebration of the feast of Ramadan in Buea has been marked by a call to the Muslim community from the Imam of the Buea central mosque, Imam Aboubakar Mohammed, to be tolerant towards all members of the society at a time when the Islamic faith is facing serious challenges from violent radicals who claim to be acting in the name of Allah. More on this report with our correspondent in Buea

Speaking to a large gathering of faithful who converged at the Buea Central Mosque prayer ground to pray and thank Allah for the peaceful nation of Cameroon, the Imam told Muslim faithful’s that violence has never been the solution to any problem and that the terrorist sect Boko Haram would never succeed to turn the people of Cameroon against one another because they are a peace-loving people

Ramadan Day Prayer

Imam Aboubakar Mohammed went ahead to remind parents to be vigilant and keep a watchful eye on their children so they won’t be targets of individuals with evil intentions such as terrorists.

The women were also an important part of the sermon as the Imam reminded faithfuls of their crucial role in the well being of the family while reminding the men to take good care of their wives and provide for them.

Prayers were then said for the people of the far North Region who are going through difficult times and for those who have lost their lives in terrorist attacks. The key message of the day being love.

        

The ceremony ended with the immolation of the ram and much feasting in the various homes of the faithful