Rewarding Artists

By Peter Musa

The Cameroon Olympics Awards had its maiden edition on Friday 30th, March 2012 rewarding meritorious athletes that have worked tirelessly in the field of sportsmanship. It was a a great moment for the athletes, sporting federations and the Cameroonian public in general.

I was moved and could see how the young athletes felt receiving their awards. It was an emotional and long awaited moment. It was a historic moment to say "thank you" to the young sportsmen and the beginning of the annual awards ceremony for Cameroonian athletes. Apart from their trophies the best Cameroonian sports woman and man carried home 5.000.000 FCFA each.

As I watched the awards live on the Cameroon Radio and Television (CRTV) network I thought about instituting such an award to our artists also. Artists need recognition for the contributions in building the collective cultural identity of our country. Each era has its own artists and it is important to recognize their contributions. This will inspire our artists and motivate them to continue to pursue their artistic careers.

The role of arts in national life has finally been recognized by the government of Cameroon with the creation of the Ministry of Arts and Culture at the beginning of 2012. Art is also being taught in schools. Professional artists who do outstanding works and are dedicated in their work as artists deserve recognition.