O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Forefathers
National anthem of Cameroon
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"Chant de Ralliement" ("Rallying Song"), also known as "Ô Cameroun berceau de nos ancêtres" ("O Cameroon, Cradle of our Forefathers"), is the national anthem of Cameroon and former national anthem of French Cameroon.
Bernard Nsokika Fonlon, 1961 (English version)
1978 (English version)
National anthem of Cameroon | |
| Also known as | Chant de Ralliement (English: Rallying Song) |
|---|---|
| Lyrics | René Jam Afame / Samuel Minkio Bamba / Moїse Nyatte Nko'o, 1928 (French version) Bernard Nsokika Fonlon, 1961 (English version) |
| Music | René Jam Afane, 1928 |
| Adopted | 1957 (French version) 1978 (English version) |
History
The song was composed in 1928 by René Jam Afane who also wrote the lyrics along with Samuel Minkio Bamba and Moïse Nyatte Nko'o, all while they were students at the École Normale of Foulassi.[1] It was used on an unofficial basis in French Cameroon beginning in 1948 before independence and officially adopted as the anthem of the territory in 1957. In 1960, the anthem was officially adopted by the new Republic of Cameroon.[2]
In 1961, upon the accession of the former British Southern Cameroons to the Republic of Cameroon, an English version was written by Bernard Nsokika Fonlon, which was later officially adopted in 1978.[3][2] In 1970, the French lyrics were changed to remove some words such as barbarie ("barbarianism") and sauvagerie ("savagery"), reference to France and the United Kingdom.[2]
Lyrics
The first verse and chorus are considered to be the official lyrics and are most frequently played at important occasions.
Current lyrics (1970–present)
| French version[4] | English translation of French version | English version[3][4] |
|---|---|---|
I |
I |
I |
In local languages
The anthem has also been translated into several local languages.
| Ewondo lyrics[7] | Adamawa Fulfulde lyrics[8] | Ghomala lyrics[9] |
|---|---|---|
I |
I |
I |
Former lyrics (1957–1970)
| French lyrics[4] | English translation |
|---|---|
I |
I |