TIPTOPSTARS

The heat is on! That’s the manner in which someone, close to the organization of the Cameroon Entertainment Awards, CEA has described preparations for the second edition of the event. Back from Abuja, Nigeria where they have, amongst other things been creating more partnerships, Executive Producers Maybelle Boma and Anne Ngono Etape have continued erecting the mansion with relentless corporate movements. In Washington DC where the event will hold, anxiety keeps building. “I’ll be making my second appearance at the CEA,” Dorcas Maneli who says she enjoyed being part of the maiden edition last year told TIPTOPSTARS. This year’s edition holds on Saturday August 17. Visit www.cameroonentertainmentawards.org for regular updates.

Notes from TTS Compiled by Ernest Kanjo

USA: Excitement grows a Naomi releases new video

There has been a growing excitement among music lovers in general and fans of rap in particular following the release of Naomi Achu’s new video. The clip for Suga, one of Naomi’s hit tracks saw the light of day from Washington DC on Wednesday February 27 and has now spread across social media. For sure, it is a professionally crafted piece of audio-visual work, directed by DMV’s Wale and Jeff and said to have taken the crew two months to complete the job.” Fans will appreciate the uniqueness of every scene and won’t get enough of Naomi’s energetic and captivating performance,” says Naomi’s publicist. It should be recalled that Naomi, one of Cameroon’s leading rap singers was laureate at the first edition of the Cameroon Entertainment Awards, CEA held in July 2012. She lives in Washington DC, USA. For more, log on naomiachu.com

Cameroon gets new film production outfit

Cradle Rocks Productions International, CRPI is the name movie lovers in Cameroon and the rest of the world are going to start getting used to. It is the latest film production house authorized in Cameroon and run by Cameroonians living in the USA. According to the Chief Operating Officer, COO of the company, Mercy Mbi Etta, CRPI relies on Cameroon’s rich cultural heritage to project its goals, based on promotion of Christian values in a bid to contribute to the fight against social vices as well as health problems. At the same time, this outfit is created to celebrate the said heritage and push it further to the world stage. To that effect, the production of movies, documentaries, reports and shows will be our primary activity. Proceeds from these productions will go a long way to assist needy communities. CRPI has as CEO, Mathew Eyong. Its first movie, Pink Poison Reloaded in co-production with AGE Productions is currently in the making.

“There is no CFI” – Anurin, film director/actor

Popular Cameroonian film actor and director Anurin Nwunembom has said there is no Cameroon Film Industry, CFI. The film maker was speaking to TIPTOPSTARS’ Samson Tarh soon after the CFI meeting in Buea on February 16 to discuss issues pertaining to elections. “I see no need for a CFI, they are just trying to emulate the Hollywood and Bollywood cultures and not succeeding in doing so. So without CFI, good movies will still be produced,” said the lead actor of Ninah’s Dowry, an award-winning Cameroonian movie. Anurin further expressed frustrations about the meeting which rather focused on planning for the March 23 election than discussing salient issues affecting the smooth running of the industry.

“There is a CFI” – Esua, Yijika, Epule, Otia, film maker/actors respectively

In a straight-forward quizzing session with TIPTOPSTARS’Samson Tarh, Kumba-based film maker Esua Julius and some three leading faces in the Cameroonian film industry, Solange Yijika, Epule Jeffery and Vitalis Otia have affirmed that there is a Cameroon Film Industry, CFI. Their declaration was in sharp contrast to that of Anurin Nwunembom who on his part said there was no CFI. However, the film maker and actors confirmed the organization has problems which must be addressed. “We have a problem of communication and government,” said Esua. “But as Kumba branch PRO, I always make sure I inform folks on what is going on,” he said further. To Otia, there are a few things to correct with the organization. “The industry has not met its expectation yet,” award-winning Yijika told us. “We have the problem of structure, productivity, accountability and advertising,” said Jeff Epule. The CFI members were speaking at the Buea meeting from where the date of the election was announced.

Before leaving for Burkina Faso to attend the 2013 edition of the African Film Festival, FESPACO, Waa Musi, president of the caretaker committee of the Cameroon Film Industry, CFI made public the date for the election of a new leader of the organization. According to his release, March 23 has been slated as the date for the event, billed whose venue will be the Yaoundé Conference Centre. The announcement has since then generated a lot of reactions from me

Until February 4, 2013 Jovi, one of Cameroon’s most renowned Rap artistes was produced under the banner of MuMak, a record label he helped to set up with his bosom friends Jules Nya and Rachel Applewhite. The Rap star who is also a producer has gone solo and his fans will from now start learning to identify Jovi with New Bell Music, a record label he just gave birth to. This is information was served to our newsroom by CEO, Jules Nya in a release dated February 4, 2013. According to MuMak, Jovi’s decision is just a mere agreement between both parties for the sake of structural convenience and does not in any way affect their relationship.