Flashmag January 2019 www.flashmag.net
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I wanted to pay tribute to her by doing the cover of her favorite song. I must say that I was quite confident about my ability to sing, having proved myself in many choirs before. So, during her funeral, I got in touch with musicians and I entered the studio. Perhaps it was my spiritual opening in these moments of mourning? One thing is certain, I felt coming to me the inspiration to write several songs. From a song at the beginning, I came out of the studio with an album of 8 tracks. I discovered the joy and healing that comes when we let the power of music rebuild us. Since my entry into music was not made for entertainment purposes, the music for me has a special meaning. I use it to heal and educate minds and raise awareness. That's how I ended up in music and that's why I stay there!
You seem with “A Sango a Mboa "which means if I am not mistaken homeland, to return to the crucible of your culture. Why this desire to visit the history of your country Cameroon?
Very young, I left Cameroon for France first, then Norway where I am currently installed. In recent years it has become increasingly impossible for me to remain blind and passive about the abuses that are being done in African lands, and about the willful demonization of the Black people by Westerners in all their media. I asked myself questions "why? how? all these evils we know. I came to the conclusion that I should not only be the change that I would like to see in my Africa and on the Black people, but that I should also contribute to next generations, which for me goes through an awakening of feeling of greatness in every African, in a world that tells them every day what they are not. I wanted to remind them of a great man, a hero, so that they can have someone to identify with, since Africa is lacking role models. And also encourage them to channel the "Duala Manga Bell" the "Sankara" that lies dormant on them. Because, the reconstruction of our continent requires the contribution of everyone.
"A SANGO'A MBOA" also has sentimental value for me, and I explain myself: My father, who was Sawa / Malimba, died when I was only 4 years old. I have never been able to learn either his language or his culture. But every time I sang
this song, I felt like if I turned around, I would see him behind me. I felt his presence, happy and proud to see his little girl, becoming a woman, searching her roots and making her return to her family.
This song is my way of going back to my Sawa peoples and reconnecting with them. But also, through this song, I would like to remind the Cameroonian peoples who seem to have lost their bearings for lack of real models, that we have always had heroes! Heroes who have unfortunately paid with their lives to oppose these people who want to take everything from Africa and Africans! Heroes who risk falling into oblivion if we do not revive their memories and if we do not teach their actions.
You have been living in Norway since then, and you are part of what is commonly known as the diaspora. In your opinion, how would this diaspora be useful in resolving the crises that are currently going through your continent of origin?
Grace Eboué: I would like to point out that the "diaspora" is made up of human beings, there are idiots, bored, bigots, but fortunately builders too. In the diaspora, there are some who have left their homelands for purely materialistic reasons and who have been enormously corrupted in their human integrities on their path of seeking material happiness. Fortunately, there are also some who have kept their greatness of mind and have not bowed the knee before the gods and goods of this world. With systems of thought that oppose within the diaspora, we cannot expect a unified action of the diaspora. It is so in this world! We live in a world of duality and opposition! And, according to the system of thought to which we adhere, actions to find solutions on crisis are erected. And, I must say that some actions are so destructive that it would have been better for some people not to get involved because they create more harm. Sometimes doing nothing is better than doing if it is to achieve a result that makes the situation worse.