Hoigen Ekwalla

Hoigen Ekwalla (June 15, 1959 - October 23, 2008), was a Cameroonian singer and composer born in Douala. He recorded his first album "Ndol'am" in 1982. More records followed and in 1988 he received a "Disque d'Or" for his album "Chat Botté". In 1994 he became Artist of the Year in Cameroon with the album "Mon amie". His latest album "Tendresse" was released in 2000. In 2003 Ekwalla became more and more frustrated by the lack of protection against music piracy in Cameroon and then decided to put aside his music career to become a business man. But since music was his real passion, he never truely gave it up. In 2008 he was still working on a new album when health problems forced to him to stop and eventually led to his passing later that same year.