By Walter Wilson Nana & Isidore Abah
Buea, Cameroon
It is well crafted in the language of Moliere; L’artiste ne meurt pas. Simply put the artiste never dies! Robert Nesta Marley is dead but the artiste Bob Marley lives on! This was the feeling, Sunday, May 11 2014 at the Guangzhou Snack Bar in Buea. The population of Buea municipality had turned out in their numbers to commemorate the man and artiste, Bob Marley, his music, legacy and ideology. Robert Nesta Marley died on May 11 1981 in Miami, Florida, USA after battling without success with a Metastatic Skin Cancer, which started from his toe.
The gathering was spiced by Les Brasseries Du Cameroun, with their spirited musical band, slamming and jamming in the honour of Bob Marley.
For many hours, the MUTZIG BAND of Les Brasseries Du Cameroun thrilled the fans of Bob Marley with his rhythms and songs. These included; Buffalo Soldier, Africa Unite, War, Roots Reggae, Get up Stand up, Jamming, Chant Down Babylon, Is This Love, No Woman No Cry and more.
While the fans of Bob Marley and enthusiasts of reggae music enjoyed the show, while savouring the content of a chilled bottle of the Les Brasseries Du Cameroun product designated for the event, MUTZIG, the reggae-jam-session was also flavoured with a Bob Marley singing competition. From an initially ten contenders, it was scaled down to the best three singers, who could do a good replay of any Bob Marley songs. The first, second and third winners went home with variety of Les Brasseries Du Cameroun gears.
A delighted Bebe Ngalle, Jurist and devotee of reggae music remembered Bob Marley for his ideals about natural love. “We are celebrating Bob because he enriched the world with his music full of love, especially in the song; One Love,” he said.
According to Ngalle, though Bob Marley was a mundane singer, he had something to do with the supernatural. “That is why we can still enjoy the effervescence of his songs,” he added.
With a citizen-oriented approach to business, Les Brasseries Du Cameroun, in recent years, has joined Cameroonians who are fans of Bob Marley and reggae music to commemorate the reggae icon from Jamaica on the day he died, May 11.