TIPTOPSTARS

Scouting for the worthwhile personality who would carry the aspirations of Apex 1 Radio across the Central and West African sub regions was to say the least, the most effortless task the station has carried out since its creation in 2015. It would have been, if Enoh Emilie Faith Koree was out of the picture. However, the Performing & Visual Arts graduate from the University of Buea squarely fitted into the job, upon the initial snapshot on her profile.

In a deliberate option to transform Africa by connecting the continent to the contemporary network where youths and their visions reign supreme, the station had little choices left on its table. Picking Enoh Koree (as the leading make-up artist who doubles as an actor as simply called) only goes to buttress this ideology.

“I haven’t come across a youth who is so purposefully focused and does her job with amazingly exactitude such as Koree. She’s one in a million,” Winny, an Ohio-based beautician told TIPTOPSTARS. The beauty specialist, who told us she has been carefully following up Koree and her works, explained that naming the young, yet talented artist as brand ambassador for Apex 1 Radio was the wisest decision the station ever made. “She is an asset and would definitely be a good one for Apex 1 Radio,” said the beautician.

To Pridel, a marketing expert for a Columbus Ohio-based fashion outfit, Koree is a great revelation, if she only goes by her works. “I noticed she is extraordinarily talented,” she indicated. “I’d equally have had her to model for my products if I were to select a face for them,” she confessed.

In Cameroon, the reaction has been the same. “Apex 1 Radio went for the best, I’m not surprised,” Sherilline Queen, Cameroonian actress who has starred in Bollywood films opined. She went on: “Koree’s humility beats anything else – I’m happy for her.”

To the new brand ambassador for Apex 1 Radio, executing the task for which she is hired is primordial. “In as much as I’m glad and feel really honoured to have been given this opportunity, I look forward to performing my duties so assiduously,” Koree told TIPTOPSTARS. “I’m one person who never lies on their laurels - I have an uphill task – upholding the good values Apex 1 Radio professes is my biggest responsibility. I’m therefore settling for work in a bid to give the station the most deserved image out there,” the corporate image worker told us.

Amongst other things, the new brand ambassador shall represent the station at public events – conferences, seminars, workshops, music concerts, movie premieres, trade fairs, etc. She shall present the station to individuals, new audiences, the business community, officials and other groups of interest. In the same light, she shall carry out Apex 1 Radio’s humanitarian/charity activities to less privileged populations.

Koree who is at her best when she is carvings out SFX wounds on the bodies of movie actors as they brace to go on set, is a fascinating stage performer. She did scores of plays during her University of Buea days, including Obsession, written by Anne Tanyi Tang and directed by Ade Joseph and Nkumah written by Patricia Temech, Green Hills by Ayang Fred and Gaining the Game by Mathew Takwi. She has featured in a number of movies as well.

Enoh Koree becomes Apex 1 Radio brand ambassador at a time the station seeks to expand its scope of community outreach in a bid to achieve the radio of proximity mission it set from the onset. A new app for the station is on its way, but for now, Apex 1 Radio could be listened to at www.apex1radio.com or download the Tunein app and search Apex 1 Radio.

Enoh Koree will be guest on a special edition of Apex Snapshot later this December.

When we will not be writing about her music, as is the case in this report, we will simply be referring to Pandita Njoh as Mrs Ekun. The USA-based Cameroonian gospel artist, on Saturday, November 4, 2017, sealed a marital deal which has graduated her and young Edmound Ekun to the happy status of husband and wife.

The nuptial knot was fastened at a religiously-powered event that took place in the Ohio city of Fairfield, found within the Cincinnati metropolis.

As expected, scores of family members, colleagues and friends thronged the event venue to witness how the venerated praise singer was brilliantly obtaining her certification into a new form of art – the art of running a home as a wife.

For once, the song mistress was a student and this time, in a discipline that is new to her – marriage. That explains why the gospel singer, now Mrs Ekun and the soft-spoken gentleman who has from November 4 2017 become her spouse, gave their ears attentively to speakers at the event. One after the other, they mounted the rostrum to tell their respective stories about the couple.

In all of what the speakers who included Pandita’s family members, friends and Men of God said, two things emerged – marital endurance and love. The couple was assured with all honesty that undesirable moments would characterize their matrimony. “That however doesn’t mean you are going to separate, rather, you should gather inspiration from such moments to intensify the love you have for each other and pray harder,” one speaker advised.

To Columbus Ohio-based Pastor Manaseh Omechamba who revealed that Pandita and Edmound were daughter and son from his hometown Mamfe (South West region of Cameroon), where they had all worshipped together, the American lifestyle, generally known to be disgustingly challenging, shouldn’t be given a place to thrive in their matrimony. “Forget the American grammar and make your marriage successful,” the Man of God said.

To the groom, his bonding to Pandita is the fulfillment of God’s will and a blessing in abundance. “She is at the center of every good thing that has happened in my life,” said the gospel singer’s husband, as he looked directly into the latter’s eyes. “And, I’m promising this audience here today that I’ll live with her forever and nothing will separate us,” the young husband pledged.

The highlight of the wedding evening was no doubt singing part of the event – Pandita’s comfort zone. With pump and pageantry like she has never done before, she performed Hallelujah Praise, her current single to the utter satisfaction of her spouse. More music, supplied by the King’s House Christian Center church band, characterized the entertainment and joyous phase of the wedding.

Also present were Franka Faith and Damaris Fazao, Pandita’s close aides and gospel artists who accompanied the church orchestra in musically gracing the event.

Before Pandita, Alex Emile, another USA-based Cameroonian gospel music artist tied the nuptial knot in June 2017. The newly wed artist has spent several years in the song ministry. In 2013, she released her first single, Life Don Better. The video of Hallelujah Praise, the current one, was released over six months ago and has enjoyed a great feedback.

My effortful search for words to use in knitting this farewell piece to a man whose professional life heavily influenced me, never bore fruits. Such words turned out to be clearly hard to find and made this eulogy the most difficult writing assignment I ever encountered in my years of experience in print.

I dreaded doing this piece – I hoped I did not. I hoped I rather spilt ink, celebrating more of such glorious moments as Zachary Nkwo’s Ultimate Commentary, which Fon Echekiye, one of the celebrity football commentator’s disciples, presented as his last gratifying offer. I would rather have been happier reporting on a next such project which I conjectured would come, if not yesterday, today or even tomorrow.

But, that I was going to be weaving a piece of writing about my mentor, my dad in journalism and mightiest source of inspiration, in the past tense, is the last thought that could hover around my mind. It’s seriously not a palatable exercise! However, as the circumstances have compelled me, so too have I had to heed to the call.

While struggling to find a silver lining that could console me out of the disturbingly thick dark cloud that fell on the Cameroonian media family, following his demise, I hung on my privilege first, to have known Zach (as we affectionately called him), secondly, to have been part of his  editorial school, and thirdly, attended his school of life.

Just like scores of other young people of my generation, I was one of his disciples and we so unconditionally believed in the man. One common trait that was characteristic of our discipleship to the man, was the addicted love for his professional values which in most instances were unique. There was little that could be done to dissuade us.

My story with the legendary football commentator began in the early 80s when like millions of other Cameroonians, I could visualize the fleet-footed Roger Milla, agile Ebongue Ernest, skillful Tokoto Jean Pierre, catlike goalkeeper Thomas Nkono, etc, thanks to Zack’s matchless play-by-play commentaries.

As I grew to discover a solid love in journalism, my interest gradually shifted from the picture of the talented footballers Zack had beautifully drawn on my mind via radio, to the art the great commentator was performing in such an extraordinary manner. Zack in the commentary booth, gesticulating, in the process of running those sassy commentaries, became the next set of images on my young mind. How and when I would have the golden opportunity of witnessing this unique artistic performance became the big dream. And, how and when such a dream would turn into a satisfactory reality, is what I waited for with an uncontrollable anxiety.

In mid-1993, during a maiden physical visit to a radio station, I met Zack for the first time. I had only visited CRTV Buea to take part in a radio show for pupils and students on vacation. Each day I showed up for Holiday Workshop, the said programme, I would spot the man who was later going to be my mentor, from a distance, but would lack the courage to approach and announce my long-time admiration for his craft. How was I going to line up my words before start delivering them to such a mighty house in journalism, if I had not sufficiently rehearsed them? Zack of course was and still is a 20-ton weight media personality.

It was not until June of 1996, when I found strength to meet the man and confess my love for his works. This time, I had made it to CRTV Buea as a journalism student on internship, from the University of Buea. That fateful morning, after the news conference, I mustered courage, walked into his office just next to the newsroom (for those who know the Likoko Membea building) and reported myself. In addition to my testimony of clinging to my radio set back in the 80s to feed on his commentaries, I revealed to Zack that I had a knack for sports reporting and would praise God forever, if he allowed me write and present papers on his week Sports Special show.

Zack wouldn’t quickly fall for serious things. He would joke at everything and make fun of the most serious ones. The rest of the time I spent with the guru in his office that day was fun about everything else, except his success story in football play-by-play reporting and/or the Sports Special show I badly yearned to be co-opted in. He was neither friends with self-aggrandizement nor praises rained on him. To Zack, living a down-to-earth life was more important than the great strides he had made in football reporting.

However, at the end of the day, he gave me a topic for a three-minute report on the next Sports Special edition. My task was to do some analyses on the 1996 South West Second Division football championship which was ongoing. You can guess how I stayed awake all night, making sure I flexed all my writing muscles to impress the man whose record in the commentary booth has never been beaten. Also, I was going to be on a show that was widely savoured in South West and Littoral homes with unending appetite. Every such thought, prior my maiden participation on Sports Special was palpitating.

To be continued…….…..

Naomi Achu is very good on rap. Then, when she is powered by the Holy Spirit, she becomes excellent on the art. This is what the urban artist just experienced in her latest promotional track, Power of God, carved out from her current album.

The 4.20-minutes track whose video was released on Tuesday, July 18, 2017, features Pastor Okudi George, the renowned sound engineer and music producer. In Power of God, the USA-based Cameroonian musician comes out confidently, defying shame vis-à-vis the gospel. Rather, the Queen of Bamenda (as Naomi is affectionately called) is searching her spirit for the muscle with which she will combat the enemy.

The power in Naomi’s latest extract lies in the use of words that depict the strength of God – glory, honor, power, redeemer, worship, Holy Spirit, elevate, gravitate, etc. The rapper intertwines these words magnificently to bring out the color of Power of God.

In a rare black and white music video style, the rap heroine and Okudi perform the dance in the best of the ability.

Apart from Power of God, Naomi also has Shower Your Blessings, another gospel track that is comprised in her 2016 album. Power of God can be watched on YouTube.

Meanwhile, George Okudi, featuring in the track has worked with scores of Cameroonian musicians including Alexis E. and Lucy Tene. Naomi Achu will be throwing more light on this latest project on Apex 1 Radio (www.apex1radio.com) in the coming days.