Today’s
Enlightening Entertainment
will be presented
in Douala and French,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese,
English, French,
German, Indonesian,
Italian, Japanese,
Korean, Malay,
Mongolian, Persian,
Portuguese, Russian,
Spanish and Thai.
Hallo, joyous viewers,
and welcome
to today’s episode of
Enlightening Entertainment,
featuring the celebrated
and beloved Cameroonian
Bikutsi singer
Anne-Marie Nzié.
The central African
nation of Cameroon
is well known
for its wondrous ethnic
and linguistic diversity,
all flourishing
in perfect harmony
with one another.
Cameroon is also
a nation that is gifted
with musical
and singing talents.
Cameroonian musical
abilities find expression
in various international
and local genres,
including Jazz, makossa,
Bikutsi, bend-skin,
and gospel,
to mention just a few.
Indeed, the list of
ingenious Cameroonian
musicians and singers
can be hardly exhausted.
Today, we present
one of Cameroon’s
long-standing and
highly patriotic singer,
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié,
whose remarkable
musical career lasted for
more than five decades.
Born in 1931,
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié is
one of Cameroon’s
legendary Bikutsi singers.
Bikutsi is the traditional
music of the Beti Fang
ethnic groups found in
the central and southern
regions of Cameroon.
Affectionately referred to
as “The Voice of Gold”
or “The Queen Mother
of Bikutsi,”
Ms. Nzié made her debut
on the Cameroonian
musical scene
in the 1940s,
with the recording
of her album titled,
“Ann-Marie Nzié.”
Even though this was
her debut, the record
made a remarkable
and indelible impression
on the Cameroonian
musical platform.
The album also clearly
provided a keynote of
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié’s
prodigious musical talent.
Ms. Nzié first discovered
her singing talent
when she got involved
with a church choir
in the village of Bimbia
in Cameroon, where
her father was a pastor.
Thereafter,
her elder brother
who was later known
as Cromwell introduced her
to performing music.
Eventually,
Anne-Marie Nzié
and her brother
sang together as a duo.
Ultimately,
this enabled her
to develop the expertise
of writing and composing
her own songs.
I started singing in 1957,
in Bimbia.
Because my father was
a pastor, I can say.
I started in the choir and
finally, since my brother
who is on the photo there…
and he was
a big guitarist.
As he played his guitar,
he said, my sister,
you will do the chorus
in my songs;
and I accepted;
I could not refuse.
I went to do the chorus;
I also composed myself,
I tried to compose as well.
And it was very good.
But since he died,
he left me; that hurt me,
but until today,
I still continue to
compose my songs and sing.
I cannot leave it.
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié
maintains that singing
is her inborn gift
and that she loves singing
very much.
This, in essence,
is the secret
of her inspiration.
Because it’s all about love.
It’s by the love
of your work that you can
invent many things.
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié
is also well versed
in blending traditional
African rhythms and
popular music such as
the Blues and Jazz, as an
experimental technique.
Because I like my work,
and I do the mixture
in that manner
to better determine
if it works.
But, I see
that it works very well.
By 1968,
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié
made her presence on
the international scene.
For instance,
some of her albums were
recorded in Paris, France.
She performed
in numerous ceremonies
in Africa, including
Algiers in Algeria,
Dakar in Senegal,
and Lagos in Nigeria.
Anne-Marie Nzié also
gave vocal instruction
for Cameroon’s
National Orchestra.
Throughout her
exciting and long career,
Ms. Nzié produced
numerous appealing albums.
I can’t count them.
I started with my brother,
but I myself, I don’t know.
I know that if I produce
an album, they sell it.
They give my due,
my author’s rights.
I stay and live on that.
I dress up,
I give to my family,
even people outside.
That’s all.
In 1994,
Ms. Anne Marie Nzié
recorded her landmark
and most successful
album titled “Liberté,”
that received
overwhelming acclaim
from the public,
both at home and abroad.
During Cameroon’s
celebration of 50 years of
autonomous rule in 2010,
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié
was invited to sing
this highly popular and
most loved song, Liberté.
We now invite you
to listen and enjoy
an excerpt of the song
“Liberté”
by Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié.
Liberty, liberty!
God Almighty,
we are free, thank You.
God has delivered us
from the forces of evil,
and has transported us
to the Kingdom
of Son, of His of Love.
In Him, we shall obtain
redemption and
the appeasement of sins.
Thank You, God,
we are free.
O my God, thank You.
Liberty, liberty!
God Almighty has
liberated us, thank You.
Anne-Marie Nzié states
that the song “Liberté”
was composed and sung
as a tribute to God
for the liberty
bestowed upon us:
Yes, yes, yes.
It’s to thank Him
that Father,
You have done good for us.
You’ve remembered us.
That we should also be
amongst others.
This is why I composed it.
Yes. If I sing the chorus,
everyone sings “liberty.”
Because liberty
belongs to all of us.
We are strangers here.
Soon, we shall go
and meet our Father
and He will give us
a place to stay and then
glorify Him on the spot.
Indeed,
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié
offers due credit
and gratitude to God
for nourishing
her lengthy career, and
for rendering it possible
for her to uplift others
with her beautiful voice.
He is the Boss.
He’s the one
who gives me everything.
You can’t do anything
if God is not with you.
You can’t do anything.
He gives.
Because He likes everyone.
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié’s
remarkable career
and outstanding talent
have earned her
numerous recognitions
in the form of medals and
awards, as she explains.
Fifteen awards
and how many medals?
I think 13 medals,
French, Chinese,
all over, all over,
I had medals.
You see how I’m
with the ambassador,
it’s there,
and I was singing.
They just decorated me.
I have many medals.
The Cameroonian
Ministry of Culture
organized a photo
exhibition as a tribute
to Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié,
while President Paul Biya
of Cameroon declared
Ms. Nzié as the Jewel
of Cameroonian culture.
My president likes me a lot.
Because at my age,
I still work well.
How can that be?
There is a golden medal
that he gave me.
And now, he has built
a house for me.
His wife,
she sends food, clothing,
everything, so that
I live well.
And you Cameroonian,
Land of our ancestors,
Liberty progresses
on a favorable footing,
green, red, yellow.
Cameroon,
land of reunions,
Africa in miniature.
Let all the mouths sing
with you,
and with all the wise,
let’s sing, let’s sing liberty.
Liberty, liberty!
God Almighty has
liberated us, thank You.
Liberty, liberty!
God Almighty has
liberated us, thank You.
Liberty, liberty!
God Almighty has
liberated us, thank You.
Thank you.
Anne-Marie Nzié also
found the need to
appreciate and collaborate
with other well versed
Cameroonian musicians
such as
Emmanuel Dibango,
as she stated:
I even took photos
with Manu,
we even produced a song
together with him.
And the others
like Tchana Pierre,
many artists.
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié
has also utilized
her talent and knowledge
to instruct and guide
young people who are
interested in pursuing
a career in music.
Young people come,
I even take some of them
to come with me.
They first
off start with the chorus,
the choruses of my songs.
They continue until they
can also sing like myself.
The others come
even nowadays, that,
“Mama, we don’t know
your secret,
we like what you do.
Please show us.”
I tell them, “My children,
you must love what you do,
and hand all to God.
With that you’re fine.”
That’s how I advise them.
To the younger generation
of musicians and singers,
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié
offers
the following advice:
To young people,
I tell them,
“Work well as usual,
to compose good songs,
and to sing.
Don’t sing nonsense.
Don’t insult people.
Sing nicely as usual.”
Because I know that
youths sing very well.
But they should continue
like that right to the end.
That youths should like
what they’re doing.
Because there’re others
who sing for two years
and abandon it.
They say, I had nothing,
there is no money,
there is this or that.
They abandon it.
Try to love what you do.
And then, you will have
fruits for your work.
God has delivered us
from the forces of evil,
and has conveyed us
to the Kingdom
of His Son of Love.
Through him,
we obtain redemption
and the appeasement of sins.
Thank God, we are free.
O my God, thank You.
Liberty, liberty!
God Almighty,
we are free, thank You.
Thank you,
Ms. Anne-Marie Nzié,
Queen Mother of Bikutsi,
for your cherished
contributions to
the music of Cameroon
and beyond.
We wish you all the best
of health and joy
as you continue sharing
your uplifting musical gifts
with others.
Esteemed views,
we greatly appreciate
your presence
on today’s episode of
Enlightening Entertainment,
here on
Supreme Master Television.
Coming up next is
Words of Wisdom
after Noteworthy News.
May our lives blossom
in love and
elating Divine melodies.