TIPTOPSTARS

If desperate cries and yelling have not been strong enough to scare the Ebola virus, silent voices from some of Africa’s most influential singers would definitely do the trick. It may only suffice for them to show up with their faces, gesticulate without any sound of their voices for tables to turn. A mark of creativity from creative artists! That’s is what Senegalo-American Hip-Hop/RnB icon Akon, Congolese Fally Ipupa, Benin’s Angelique Kidjo, Cameroon’s Wax Dey and eleven other top-rated singers have opted, as their own coveted approach towards the fight against what is now forcing Africa and the world on their knees – Ebola.

The 1.13 second-long video which questions what we are still waiting for as Ebola ravages Africa is undoubtedly a brilliant work of art which technically appears simple and simplistic, but is literally pregnant with a lot of meaning. “I almost shed tears when I watched it,” Sierra Leonean Miendele told this writer at press time. “The message in their silence is so strong that I felt its weight and kept telling myself that this surely is the right moment to act with more conviction,” the Sierra Leonean who told us she has been repeatedly watching the video since it went public explained.

In the said video, now described as one of the strongest anti-ebola campaign messages, the artists, portraying sad and desperate looks plead that there is need for experience medical personnel, better health systems and coordinated actions in the fight and more financing.

Perhaps, the call on African leaders to be proactive is seen as the biggest signal in the come-together appeal which the general public is invited to endorse by signing a petition to force “our leaders to do more”.

Also prominent in the campaign are Nollywood actor Desmond Elliot, Nigerian jazz hero Femi Kuti, Cameroonian Hip-Hop star Magasco, etc.

The current outbreak of the Ebola disease has been one of Africa’s most dramatic health crisis ever with more than 5000 people losing their lives in just a couple of months in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone. It has fast turned into a global crisis with the Ebola scare having a very strong grip on the world. Efforts to combat it are ongoing.

The name Charlo Magique is hugely meaningful to Cameroonian secondary and high school generation of the 90s, especially in the North West region of the country. The name was an incarnation of choreography. And even when Vumomse, the artist who was fondly referred to as such is mentioned today, the first thing that comes to mind is state-of-the-art dancing. In short, the USA-based dance hero, today an up-and-coming gospel singer is a choreography par excellence. “It runs in the blood,” he recently joked when this reporter sought to know if Charlo Magique could still perform the art of dancing as he used to.

Those school dancing days gone, Charlo Magique who simply goes by the name Vumomse has now steered the wheel to a new lane with gospel music on focus. Drawing inspiration from significant blessings he has enjoyed from his creator, the young Cameroonian singer retreated for a while to weave tracks for his maiden album. After months of packaging the bundle, Vumomse has sprang with a carefully woven job the public has received with a lot of excitement. Rakata, the said album has been prominent at home and abroad since its foretaste was officially made public a couple of days ago.

Reactions to this project have come from the artist’s former schoolmates, friends, movie actors etc. Writing from Canada, Lum Irine Asanji aka LIA said: “Our classmate and brother is making us proud.” “God never sows useless seeds…He placed them in you {referring to Vumomse} for a purpose. Here is the maturity stage and harvest is around the corner,” she went on.

According to the artist, Rakata which is the key track in the Afropop/Afrobeat album, was born while he was driving in his car, with mixed feelings, after a series of wrong happenings in his life. A signal of victory swept across his mind and before he knew it, he was speaking in tongues and hailing God for having done it for him.

Other songs in the six-track album, produced by Slim Beats and Charles Vumomse are A Believe Busy Body, Do Me Again, Satan Dey Fee My Bad, You Too Much. The songs are done in English and pidgin (lingua franca). Featuring in the album whose videos are directed by M.T Muna (Benzene Creation) with INV Media in the UK, are Ewube and Na Me Cyrus.

The official release of Rakata has been billed for Michigan, USA in a red carpet event that will take place at Pi Banquet Center, 28847 Franklin Road, Southfiled MI, 48034.

Ahead of the event, Vumomse will be received on Afrikka Radio’s (www.afrikkaradio.com) African Cocktail with Ernest Kanjo on Wednesday, November 26, 2014 at 10am. He has been on the Belgium-run Batimu FM’s African Family Show with Titus Banyoh to talk about Rakata.

Writing for online consumption has undoubtedly become a fascinating practice. It risks becoming an addictive exercise, but for the most parts, positive, especially for career online reporters/bloggers. As time goes on, the art of blogging among Cameroonian bloggers is getting more and more interesting and from a keen observation, the practitioners passionately love the job. They have variously attested this.

When TIPTOPSTARS’ Marcel Adig, in a conversation with this writer, prior to this write-up said she is a social media sensation, it was just the most appropriate description one could have of Honorine Express. Honorine Express is undoubtedly a household name, at least as far as social media (Facebook, especially) is concerned. She is one of the most authoritative citizen journalism social critics of her times.