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.