*Pointillism is a form of art, a technique of painting in which small, distinct dots of colour are applied in patterns to form an image. l recollected this all over again when as part of a delegation of cartoonists attending the FESCARHY Cartoon festivals in Yaounde the capital of Cameroon, we were taken to Camp Artisque in Lada. It’s a holiday camp where young skillful artists were encouraged to draw and be creative during schools’ summer break in Cameroon.
Amongst the skillful artists at the camp, was and is the now international Cameroon’s own visual artist, Toh Bright (he was still young then and willing to learn) whom I took under my wings after being impressed by his creative work at the camp. Cameroon is a country situated in West-Central Africa.
Pointillism was one of the various techniques used for images by the students. I was very impressed at the fantastic drawings produced at the camp by these children who came from all around Cameroon regions French and English speaking and under the tutelage of invited Comic artists and book illustrators from France, around Africa, and from Cameroon. Children in the age range of 8 – 12 years and teenagers 13 -17 years and 18 years and above were all drawing at the camp with ambition. The aim was for child development through creative art and music.
Who else could put this wonder program of many together with her team? Well, it is still so sad to have lost Madame Leontine Babel Babeni a very dear friend. The very hard-working Madame Babel as I called her, was the organiser and Director of FESCARHY Cartoon Festivals in Yaoundé, Cameroon and Cameroon TV (CRTV) journalist who died on 4th of July, a day before her 60th birthday on the 5th. News broke out of her passing like wild fire, as those who heard, expressed their shock and wrote condolences and wrote their various experiences of their association with her.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB: TAYO Fatunla’s Ivory Coast Diary – GBICH! A Parody Cartoon Newspaper Publication
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Madam Babel organised my trips to Cameroon as with many other African cartoonists and helped in me meeting cartoonist friends I already had met and making new ones. To publicise FESCARHY Cartoon festival, Popa, a friend and cartoonist from Tanzania and myself were driven by Madame Babel, early one morning to the famous Breakfast TV show called BONJOUR. An English-speaking breakfast show on Cameroonian National TV (CRTV) and presented by the witty Albert. We also went for a pre-recorded interview on Cameroon’s National radio station, again to promote the cartoon Festival.
Madame Babel and l, last met in Paris, both on our way to St Just-Le-Martel Cartoon Festival, St Just, a three-hour train journey from Paris. I have been able to meet great Cameroonian and international cartoonists the young, the established, and the famous, owing to Madame Babel’s efforts to promote Cameroonian arts and culture to the global world and within and with the support of Cameroon government and private sponsors.
If it wasn’t for Covid 19 pandemic, she had plans for me to participate at 2021 FESCARHY cartoon Festival she was planning. She always would remember to send messages to me on WhatsApp about her planned programs. Adieu Madam Babel the pillar of culture, arts and music in Cameroon. I weep inside but God knows best. She tirelessly did well for Cameroon culture. Her work on earth is done and she will be laid to rest on 28th July. I chose to use pointillism as a form of tribute image for this late great woman in remembrance of her. She will be missed by many, the Cartoonists in Africa and beyond. I will miss her too.
TAYO Fatunla is an award-winning Nigerian Comic Artist, Editorial Cartoonist, Writer and Illustrator is an artist of African diaspora. He is a graduate of the prestigious Kubert School, in New Jersey, US. and recipient of the 2018 ECBACC Pioneer Lifetime Achievement Award for his illustrated OUR ROOTS creation and series – Famous people in Black History – He participated at UNESCO’s Cartooning In Africa forum held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and the Cartooning Global Forum in Paris, France and has held a virtual OUR ROOTS cartoon workshop for SMITHSONIAN- National Museum of African Art, Washington D.C. His image of Fela Kuti is featured in the Burna Boy’s mega-Afrobeat hit song “Ye”. –– [email protected]
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