Interview: “NACOMEC Has Trained About 1,000 Choristers In 11 Years”

Please, remind us when you took over leadership of the National Combined English Language Choir, NACOMEC of the Cameroon Baptist Convention, CBC 
It was in April 2015 when the pioneer Coordinator, Hon. Etombi Gladys Ikome, was elected to Parliament. She founded the choir in 2003. In 2013, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of NACOMEC and she handed to me after her election as parliamentarian. 

You have this all-important concert coming up on April 25, 2026 in Etoug-Ebe Baptist Church, Yaounde as from 3pm. How many choristers are you looking forward to? 
Currently, NACOMEC has close to 2,000 committed registered choristers nationwide. But for the Yaounde programme, we are expecting about 1,000 choristers because it's also the general assembly of the choir. Others could not come for want of means. But those who have indicated their readiness to take part in the NACOMEC General Assembly and concert in Yaounde this weekend are about 1,000. 
Whenever we meet once a year, we hold a general assembly. Last year we were in Buea. We meet annually for three days. During the three days, we take decisions and harmonize songs. We also visit the underprivileged. 
We will be visiting the Cardinal Paul Émile Léger National Centre for the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities in Etoug-Ebe, Yaounde, an orphanage, some elderly sick Christians, and Internally Displaced Persons of Etoug-Ebe Baptist Church, Yaounde, as part of our outreach. All this will be done from April 23-24, 2026. 

What are some of the major decisions you plan to take at this year’s General Assembly?
We will start by brainstorming on the celebration of the silver jubilee of the choir, which comes up in 2028.

And you are already thinking ahead. Well ahead!
Exactly! Oh, yes! Each time we meet, we socialise, fellowship and do some training. The concert is proof of what we have been doing for three days. That's the reason for the concert. 

Please, remind us of the theme of this year’s NACOMEC concert.
It is the theme of the Cameroon Baptist Convention, CBC, which is, “Living The Gospel Of Peace,” Ephesians 2: 14-18. NACOMEC’s songs at the concert will be based on this theme. 
The concert will take place in Etoug-Ebe Baptist Church, Yaounde, beginning at 3pm and to end at 6.30pm. Entry is free. You don’t pay money to enter a church! The concert will be under the patronage of Professor Linda Yang. We'll be having other dignitaries in attendance.

What has changed about NACOMEC since you took over 11 years ago?
In 2015 when I took over from Mrs. Etomi Gladys Ikome, NACOMEC membership was about 600. The choir started in 2003 with 60 members. We are now 2,000. 
Also, we have been training people in music literacy to make sure they sing quality music in their churches. Over the past10 years, we've trained about 1,000 choristers, not only from the CBC, but also from other denominations
The training sessions take place differently from NACOMEC annual assemblies, usually during holidays when many people, most choristers are available.

Any other thing you would like to tell us about NACOMEC and the forthcoming concert?

NACOMEC has set up a music centre in Buea. We manage the centre in partnership with Ebenezer Baptist Church, Great Soppo, Buea. The music centre is equipped with music instruments for church worship. The centre trains choristers to sing properly in their churches. 

Is it all about singing? 
No, there is vocal training and training on how to play instruments like the guitar and the piano in a way that matches church worship. Church worship is different from what happens in the secular world. In the church, we sing to worship and adore God. We sing hymns the way they were written, with instruments in way that worshippers are ministered to by the Holy Spirit to meet their needs and challenges. 
Meanwhile in the secular world, music is played for emotions - to honour man. But in the church, music is played to honour God, to proclaim Him and what He has done for mankind. Thereby drawing the attention of mankind back to Him.
We hereby invite the population of Yaounde to come watch and experience what the National Combined English Language Choir of the CBC, NACOMEC perform.   
Once more, the concert will start at 3pm and end 6.30pm. Most of the choristers have to travel back to their...