Obituary: Musician Amumba, Quits Stage

The South West music family has been thrown into deep mourning following the death of veteran musician Lucas El Chic Echondong, popularly known as Amumba. He passed away on January 21, 2026, at a hospital in Douala after complications from a road accident. According to reports, the accident occurred on January 18, in Buea. The artist was riding a motorbike when it bumped into a stationary vehicle shortly after he had performed as a guest artist at a funeral ceremony in Small Soppo. Speaking on his passing, Njume Loko, a close colleague of over 30 years, described Amumba as an exceptional composer and tireless performer. “Composing was natural to him; he did it all the time. He loved live performances and would perform at least twice a month,” Loko said. He added that although Amumba has died, his legacy remains alive: “An artist never truly dies. His music will live on,” he said. Amumba rose to prominence in the early 1990s, most notably with his iconic 1992 album African Food Collection, which humorously celebrated Cameroon’s rich culinary diversity. The album featured popular tracks such as “African Food Collection,” “Oja,” “Jealousy,” “Amumba Express,” etc. Sa...