"" ("Rallying Song"), also known as "" ("O Cameroon, Cradle of our Forefathers"), is the national anthem of Cameroon and former national anthem of French Cameroon.
The song was composed in 1928 by René Jam Afane who also wrote the lyrics along with and Moïse Nyatte Nko'o, all while they were students at the ÃÂcole Normale of . It was used on an unofficial basis in French Cameroon beginning in 1948 before independence and officially adopted as the anthem of the territory in 1957. In 1960, the anthem was officially adopted by the new Republic of Cameroon.
In 1961, upon the accession of the former British Southern Cameroons to the Republic of Cameroon, an English version was written by Bernard Nsokika Fonlon, which was later officially adopted in 1978. In 1970, the French lyrics were changed to remove some words such as ("barbarianism") and ("savagery"), reference to France and the United Kingdom.
The first verse and chorus are considered to be the official lyrics and are most frequently played at important occasions.
The anthem has also been translated into several local languages.