Nji Oumarou Nchare
Encyclopedia
Nji Oumarou Nchare is Co-Director of the Bamum Scripts and Archives Project
in Foumban
, Cameroon
and Director of Cultural Affairs and Archivist at the Bamum Palace. He is the founder (1978) of “Club Shümom” in Foumban
, Director of the A-ka-u-ku and Shümom School Initiative, and hosts a regionally broadcast program on Radio Communautaire du Noun.
, Africa
, the son of Mbouombouo Moussa and Lipainpouo Amina. He attended Government Primary School, Njintout in Foumban
, from 1970 until 1976, and earned his advanced studies degree from the Government High School in Foumban
. It was during his primary studies in 1976 at Njintout when Oumarou first learned about the Bamum script and Sultan Ibrahim Njoya. Nchare was in Class 6 in primary school and the story of Sultan Ibrahim Njoya's inventions were told to him. He instantly became intrigued by the story of Njoya’s inventions but his primary school instructor had no knowledge of the writing itself. Eventually Nchare studied the Bamum script under the tutelage of Emmanuel Ndayou Njoya, Nji Yerema Jean and André Njififen Kouendap and became involved in the Bamum Scripts and Archives Project
.
Nchare continued to earn his advanced studies degrees from the University of Yaoundé
, the Summer Institute of Linguistics at Yaoundé
and the Regional School of Documentation in Brazzaville
, Republic of Congo. He holds the first school leaving certificate, G.C.E ordinary level certificate, G.C.E advanced level certificate, the certificate of linguistic studies and the certificate of documentalist.
at the Archives du Palais des Rois Bamoun, Foumban
. With the project's Co-Director, Konrad Tuchscherer
, he has traveled the Bamum Kingdom collecting and photographing threatened documents, created a modern archives for the storage of documents, and helped to create a functional computer font for the Bamum script. He is involved with the translation and inventory of documents with a team of translators and has commenced an initiative to spread literacy among Bamum youth in schools. In 2006 the King of the Bamum, El Hadj Sultan Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, recognized Nchare for his efforts by awarding him the Bamum title “Nji” (“Master”). This recognition is among the highest titles in Bamum society, and once bestowed is passed down from generation to generation.
Today Nchare lives happily with his wife and five children in Cameroon
.
Bamum Scripts and Archives Project
Bamum Scripts and Archives Project at the Bamum Palace is engaged in a variety of initiatives concerning the Bamum script, including collecting and photographing threatened documents, translating and in some cases hand-copying documents, creating a fully usable Bamum computer font for the inventory...
in Foumban
Foumban
Foumban or Fumban is a city in Cameroon, lying north east of Bafoussam. It has a population of 83,522 . It is a major town for the Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and culture...
, Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
and Director of Cultural Affairs and Archivist at the Bamum Palace. He is the founder (1978) of “Club Shümom” in Foumban
Foumban
Foumban or Fumban is a city in Cameroon, lying north east of Bafoussam. It has a population of 83,522 . It is a major town for the Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and culture...
, Director of the A-ka-u-ku and Shümom School Initiative, and hosts a regionally broadcast program on Radio Communautaire du Noun.
Education
Nji Oumarou Nchare was raised in CameroonCameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, the son of Mbouombouo Moussa and Lipainpouo Amina. He attended Government Primary School, Njintout in Foumban
Foumban
Foumban or Fumban is a city in Cameroon, lying north east of Bafoussam. It has a population of 83,522 . It is a major town for the Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and culture...
, from 1970 until 1976, and earned his advanced studies degree from the Government High School in Foumban
Foumban
Foumban or Fumban is a city in Cameroon, lying north east of Bafoussam. It has a population of 83,522 . It is a major town for the Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and culture...
. It was during his primary studies in 1976 at Njintout when Oumarou first learned about the Bamum script and Sultan Ibrahim Njoya. Nchare was in Class 6 in primary school and the story of Sultan Ibrahim Njoya's inventions were told to him. He instantly became intrigued by the story of Njoya’s inventions but his primary school instructor had no knowledge of the writing itself. Eventually Nchare studied the Bamum script under the tutelage of Emmanuel Ndayou Njoya, Nji Yerema Jean and André Njififen Kouendap and became involved in the Bamum Scripts and Archives Project
Bamum Scripts and Archives Project
Bamum Scripts and Archives Project at the Bamum Palace is engaged in a variety of initiatives concerning the Bamum script, including collecting and photographing threatened documents, translating and in some cases hand-copying documents, creating a fully usable Bamum computer font for the inventory...
.
Nchare continued to earn his advanced studies degrees from the University of Yaoundé
University of Yaoundé
The University of Yaoundé is a leading university in Cameroon, located in Yaoundé.It was built with the help of France and opened in 1962 as the Federal University of Yaoundé, dropping the "Federal" in 1972 when the country was reorganized....
, the Summer Institute of Linguistics at Yaoundé
Yaoundé
-Transportation:Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport is a major civilian hub, while nearby Yaoundé Airport is used by the military. Railway lines run west to the port city of Douala and north to N'Gaoundéré. Many bus companies operate from the city; particularly in the Nsam and Mvan neighborhoods...
and the Regional School of Documentation in Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
, Republic of Congo. He holds the first school leaving certificate, G.C.E ordinary level certificate, G.C.E advanced level certificate, the certificate of linguistic studies and the certificate of documentalist.
Career and Life
Nchare is the Co-Director of the Bamum Scripts and Archives ProjectBamum Scripts and Archives Project
Bamum Scripts and Archives Project at the Bamum Palace is engaged in a variety of initiatives concerning the Bamum script, including collecting and photographing threatened documents, translating and in some cases hand-copying documents, creating a fully usable Bamum computer font for the inventory...
at the Archives du Palais des Rois Bamoun, Foumban
Foumban
Foumban or Fumban is a city in Cameroon, lying north east of Bafoussam. It has a population of 83,522 . It is a major town for the Bamoun people and is home to a museum of traditional arts and culture...
. With the project's Co-Director, Konrad Tuchscherer
Konrad Tuchscherer
Konrad Tuchscherer is an educator, scholar, writer, and public intellectual. Tuchscherer currently serves as the Co-Director of the Bamum Scripts and Archives Project in Cameroon and is Associate Professor of History and Director of Africana Studies at St...
, he has traveled the Bamum Kingdom collecting and photographing threatened documents, created a modern archives for the storage of documents, and helped to create a functional computer font for the Bamum script. He is involved with the translation and inventory of documents with a team of translators and has commenced an initiative to spread literacy among Bamum youth in schools. In 2006 the King of the Bamum, El Hadj Sultan Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, recognized Nchare for his efforts by awarding him the Bamum title “Nji” (“Master”). This recognition is among the highest titles in Bamum society, and once bestowed is passed down from generation to generation.
Today Nchare lives happily with his wife and five children in Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
.