TIPTOPSTARS

Never have Cameroonian music fans been as disturbed as was the case before a couple of days ago when song icon, Eriko staged a spectacular come-back. Eriko had almost been crippled following a ghastly car accident near Yaounde in 2008. The severity of the crash kept the singer in a comma for several days and for quite some time dragged him out of activity. It was feared Eriko could pass on until consoling information reached fans he was recovering. Perhaps the most satisfying was news of his return on the music scene. ''It's such a wonderful thing that our star is back on stage, we missed him quite much. Thank God he is back and can dish out more of those beautiful songs of his,'' commented a fan upon Eriko's arrival from Paris where he had been receiving medical attention.

Upon arrival in the country, the talented artiste was given a hilarious reception at the Douala International Airport as hundreds of fans jammed him with love and concern. This was followed a few days later by two massively attended concerts, staged first in Cameroon's economic capital Douala and then political stronghold Yaounde.

Sponsored by one of the renowned mobile telephone network outfits, both concerts offered fans another great moment of entertainment the music star was noted to be good at. But more to that, Eriko's stage come-back emotionally rekindled sweet memories of the famous Djomboss, an album that did not only win several awards, but held the entire country spellbound. As he performed, some fans found it really hard to hold back tears. ''I can't help soaking my eyes, I am emotional. Thank God he is back,'' a female fan expressed herself at the Douala concert.

To the young musician, it is God's might that saved him from the ugly hands of death. He told reporters that he was now physically apt and could continue practicing the art he knew best - singing. On whether Eriko intended to live in Paris, the makossa star said: ''I was born in Cameroon to sing and entertain Cameroonians. I can best do that living in my country.''

Eriko's single, Je sort de loin roughly translated as I'm coming from afar, tells the story of his ordeal and how he miraculously came out of it. It is packaged in Paris.

Before the car he was driving crashed on a fateful Sunday morning, Eriko had just returned from Bafoussam to Douala where he had performed in a concert. Without resting, he headed for Yaounde for yet another rendezvous and probably because of exhaustion burst into an accident. News of the incident sent fans crowding the Yaounde University Teaching Hospital (CUSS) to confirm or discard rumours that he had died.

Eriko became popular with his maiden album Djomboss that hit the charts in 2007. Yondo, another song on the album later attracted popular attention, making him one of the most celebrated budding artistes in recent times in Cameroon.