At defining moments in an institution’s life, the question is not simply who can lead, but who has already proven they can transform. As the Société nationale camerounaise de l’art musical (SONACAM) approaches its electoral crossroads on Thursday, 30 April 2026, the answer is both clear and compelling: Dr. Ateh Bazore must be given the mandate to finish what he has decisively begun. This is not a sentimental endorsement. It is a strategic one, grounded in verifiable results.
Dr. Ateh Bazore (born Ateh Francis Ngong, PhD in Journalism, ESSTIC Yaounde, July 2020) assumed leadership of SONACAM in December 2020, at a time when authors’ rights management in Cameroon was fragile, contested, and starved of credibility. What he has accomplished since is no cosmetic reform; it is institutional recalibration. By confronting entrenched inefficiencies and restoring governance discipline, he has shifted SONACAM from a space of uncertainty to a platform of structured possibility.
His leadership forged through decades as a performing artist, CRTV senior journalist, academic, and author, has redefined three critical pillars:
Credibility restored
Through a firm stance against opacity and corruption, and the introduction of structured, bank-based royalty payments, Dr. Bazore has re-established trust where doubt once prevailed. In the creative economy, trust is currency and he has rebuilt it from the ground up. This aligns with his broader anti-corruption mandate, having served on the Ministry of Arts and Culture’s Anti-Corruption commission since April 2015.
Innovation institutionalized
The introduction of a source-based royalty collection system – a bold, first-in-Africa mechanism – signals a leader who understands that the future of creative industries lies in systems, not slogans. This reform does more than generate revenue; it stabilizes livelihoods, reduces friction, and aligns Cameroon with emerging global standards in rights management. Such innovation echoes his own pioneering spirit, from winning a BBC jingles competition (1996) to initiating the Association of Cameroon English Speaking Artists (ACEM, 2008) and the Union of N.W Performing Musicians (UNOWEM, 1999).
Vision expanded
From the “Palais de la Musique” infrastructure drive to social protection ambitions for artists, Dr. Bazore has refused to manage decline; he is engineering growth. He is positioning Cameroonian music not just as culture, but as an economic force with scalable value. This vision is deeply rooted in his artistic and academic journey: a PhD in Journalism (2020), a Master’s in eJournalism (2016), 11 musical albums, and two novels (Seat of Thorns and Between Two Worlds), both of which were integrated into Cameroon’s national school curriculum (Forms 3 and 2, respectively).
But beyond systems and strategy lies something rarer: leadership ethos.
Dr. Ateh Bazore leads with discipline without rigidity, authority without arrogance, and simplicity without loss of depth. In a sector often fractured by ego and short-termism, he has modeled steadiness, inclusion, and purpose. His profile as a Chevalier de l’Ordre National de la Valeur (August 2020) and Knight of the National Order of Merit (May 2013) speaks to a life of service recognized at the highest levels of the State.
To many of us, myself included, his leadership is not abstract. It is lived. As my music mentor and Senior “Mishe” within SHESA Yaoundé, I have witnessed firsthand the consistency between his public leadership and private character; he embodies a rare alignment that builds not just institutions, but legacy.
Let us be clear. Cameroonian music is not lacking in talent and substance; it is often lacking in structure, protection, and strategic direction. Dr. Bazore who successfully coordinated the Music Art Pole during RECAN 2019 (recording a peace song for the Major National Dialogue), represented Cameroon at UNESCO Paris (2008), and performed at the African Folk Festival in Durban alongside Hugh Masekela and Youssou N’Dour, has begun to close that gap. Interrupting this trajectory now would not be democratic renewal; it would be developmental disruption.
His 2026 call “Ensemble pour consolider les acquis”is more than a campaign line; it is not just an empty slogan. It is a recognition that transformation is a process, not an event. The foundations have been laid. The systems are taking root. The credibility is returning.
What is needed now is consolidation, acceleration, and scale.
A second mandate for Dr. Ateh Bazore is not about extending tenure; it is about securing momentum. It is about ensuring that reforms mature, that innovation deepens, and that the Cameroonian artist finally operates within a system that rewards creativity with dignity and fairness. He turned down a ministerial appointment in May 2017 when he believed it was not the solution; that same integrity now guarantees that he will not cling to power for its own sake—only to complete the mission.
He is not just carrying the institution; he is repositioning an entire industry. For those who understand what is at stake, the choice is not complex.
Renew the mandate. Strengthen the system. Elevate the industry.
Signed:
Akere-Maimo Joseph Ano-Ebie
Artiste | Author | Strategic Communicator (C4D, KMC)
Founder President, TalentzAXIS
Endorsement based on documented achievements from Dr. Ateh Bazore’s curriculum vitae (2020–2025), including his presidency of SONACAM’s Board of Directors, national and international artistic leadership, and academic credentials from ESSTIC Yaounde.