Walter Wilson Nana
8 May 2008
The name Ginger Emmanuel Kamdem Forcha might not be easily remembered in Cameroon now.
But Ginger Forcha will be given a quick thought by many English-speaking Cameroonians who took time off in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s to be part of show business at the time. As a secondary school boy in Cameroon Protestant College, CPC Bali in the 60s, Forcha had already caught up with the musical virus.
He will do what was known at the time as the Afternoon T-Time Dances. Even though his parents were not in accordance with what he did, Ginger will not be tamed. In 1972, the time came for the young rock and soul artist to blossom into stardom. This was the official release of his album with the track entitled; Fuel For Love.
Prior to the 1972 breakthrough, Forcha talks about the beginning. "While in CPC, we started a school band when I bought a guitar for the first time in the Guzang market for one pound. It was also strange for somebody to play music at the time, considering that CPC was one of the best and disciplined schools in English-speaking Cameroon.
And for me to have dared to go and buy a guitar, it was an extraordinary feeling. When I came back, it was mixed feeling everywhere. It created some controversy and moved people to ask themselves what this young man was up to. I was encouraged because my principal then, Dr. Merkel used to play a musical instrument too.
The vice-principal, Rev/Dr. Gilbert Gordon was also a great musician. So, when I brought the guitar, I had this psychological backing from my friends in the other classes who were also very enthusiastic about music. Hence, I was emboldened to forge ahead with my musical feeling."
Forcha was not interested in whether music at the time was lucrative or not. His interest was to satisfy that inner desire for something he loves so much. "You don't need to start thinking about emoluments on any calling in life.
God has called us to fulfil certain roles in life. I had a fire in me and I couldn't be distracted from it. I had to go into it. I wasn't thinking what it will bring to me but it was an opportunity for me to speak to my generation and impact life," he says.
Done with secondary education, Forcha left for Nigeria. His parents would not want him to proceed with music, yet that is where his destiny was as the artist asserts. "I love my parents so much although they were not happy I was into music.
I thought it will not be proper for me to live close to them and do what they don't want me to do. Therefore, I left the country for Nigeria, which I didn't know who I'm going to meet out there but I needed to be out of home," he recalls.
After more than three decades in Nigeria, Forcha is still in the business of music though spiced with a gospel touch. "May 2, 1982, I was regenerated in the Lord. I'm still singing, dancing and preaching. I'm certain some of my peers and contemporaries will not belief it is me. I tell them, it's Ginger! Before the year runs out, I'll be releasing the Reaping The Harvest album in French and English" he noted with glee.
Back to fatherland, Forcha has in his briefcase a series of projects to embark on. "We've to move the nation ahead thanks to the music industry. There is still so much untapped potentials in the music domain. We've to use entertainment to impact on the life of the people positively and make it sustainable," he wished.
Though born in Bamenda, Forcha is a native of Baleng in the West Province of Cameroon. He did his primary education at Basel Mission School, Azire, Bamenda, before moving to CPC.
After Fuel For Love in 1972, produced by EMI Studio in Nigeria, with his band, Wrinkar Experience, Forcha will subsequently move on to create another band christened Rock Town Experience.
With the latter, he released the album and title-track Fonkey Makossa, which also include the track; I want to see you tonight.Ginger Forcha is married and father of many children.
Read comments. Write your own.
Copyright © 2008 The Post. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
I used to read all Africa.com news because i believed in it's seriousness and profesionalism. I have o say I'm extremely disappointed to find an article like this one with no disclaimer saying "new musical talents" or "a new-comer in the musical arena"
Instead, the article starts as if we have here a famous singer who can be ranked among the artist Cameroon takes pride of. The truth is that no one know that Ginger guy. I lived in Douala, Yaounde, bamenda from 1970 to 2007, I never heard of him. It's a shame this platform becomes a place… [Read Full Text]