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Koko Ateba was above all an anti-star , a woman whose celebrity did not prevent her from being humble and empathetic . Her erudition for a woman who had left school to take up music just before taking her baccalaureate was astonishing . However , Koko Ateba ’ s stay in Paris also served another purpose , as she returned to school to study at the University of Paris Nanterre .
Flashmag ! Issue 156 January 2025
The atypical musician Koko Ateba never hesitated to give music lessons or advice to those who wished to approach her . As one of the great figures of the golden age of Cameroonian music in the 80s , when asked why Cameroonian music was in trouble , she was optimistic , saying that it was a bad cycle and that good music would undoubtedly return , because she firmly believed in the talent of future generations . Koko Ateba had no regrets about her life .
When we asked her if she was satisfied with the path she had taken so far , she replied Oh yes , I am ! I ’ ve had the life I wanted , I ’ ve done what I dreamed of doing , I haven ’ t lost my way ! I ’ ve become stronger in the face of life ’ s trials and tribulations , and I have absolutely no regrets about what I ’ ve been through ...
In this issue of the magazine dedicated to the life of Koko Ateba , you can reread the interview published in October 2011 : the words of this talk have not aged a single day . According to Flashmag readers , it ’ s one of the finest interviews ever produced by the avant-garde magazine .
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