Frank Bessem's Musiques d'Afrique: Hoïgen Ekwalla (1949-2008) (Cameroon)

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Hoigen Ekwalla has become famous during the 1980s with his up-tempo makossa. He was raised by his mother and elder sister, as he lost his father when he was 5 years old, and became a mecanic and elictrician. He has worked for various big companies, with his earned saving he managed to travel to Paris in 1980. Back in Cameroon, he started to sing, with the help of Kotti François. He developed a particular talent for the guitar, and on his albums, he played guitar himself. He became a close friend of fellow makossa singer Djene Djento and with his velvet voice and elegant appearance, Hoigen made several successful albums. Hits such as « Chat botté », « Longue di titi nika », and « Mon amie vérité » remain in your head a long time after listening through their sweet melodies and dancable rhythms. The 1994 album resulted in the Artist of the Year title in Cameroon. Hoigen Ekwalla composed several songs for a new album due early 2009, but was stopped by health problems, and on 23 October 2008, he died after a 2 weeks stay in the Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. He leaves behind his mother, his elder sister and two children. Born: 13 June 1949, as Ekwalla Mpouli Eugène Style: makossa.

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