Following France’s admission of its role in a brutal colonial-era war, Cameroonian musician and activist Blick Bassy has issued a powerful call: the nation must now hold a period of national mourning. Bassy, who co-chaired the commission that led to the acknowledgment, says honoring the dead is the first priority.
President Emmanuel Macron’s letter accepting French responsibility for the war has opened a space for Cameroon to publicly grieve for the tens of thousands who died fighting for independence. This includes heroes like Ruben Um Nyobè, whose memory Bassy has celebrated in his music.
In Bassy’s words, “before anything else [there should be] national mourning, and proper funerals for our compatriot who died for the nation must be organised.” This call emphasizes the deep need for cultural and spiritual healing after decades of suppressed history.
While France’s role is now acknowledged, the process of healing is a national one for Cameroon. Bassy’s call highlights that political gestures from Paris must be met with meaningful actions on the ground in Cameroon, starting with the fundamental act of honoring those who were lost.