Published on February 25, 2024, by a Facebook account named Tanza Saint Cyr, and later shared by Ludovic Ledo in the group “Cercle de réflexion pour l’essor de la Centrafrique,” the post garnered numerous comments, likes, and some shares. The viral post claimed: “The change of the national anthem ‘Renaissance’ is being drafted by the authorities in Bangui… MY COUNTRY IS IN VERY BAD SHAPE.”
A Proposal to Amend Certain Words in the Sango Version of the National Anthem, Differing from the French Version, According to the Ministry of National Education
Contacted via WhatsApp on February 28, 2024, Aurélien Simplice Zingas, Minister of State in charge of National Education, former deputy, and author of the bill to revise the Sango version of the National Anthem, clarified: “Back when I was still a deputy, and in accordance with the provisions of our constitution and the organic law governing the internal regulations of the National Assembly, I initiated a bill to amend certain words in the Sango version of our National Anthem that are different from the French version.”
He continued: “One example among many: ‘O Centrafrique, O berceau des bantous’ in French (in Sango, it’s ‘O Centrafrique ndjoni kodro ti é…’), does it mean the same thing? This bill went through several reviews by our musicologists and linguists at the University of Bangui. It’s a bill that aims to make the Sango version rhyme with the French version,” he concluded.
On March 8, 2024, Centrafrique Check obtained a copy of the bill from the National Assembly Secretariat, clearly titled: “Bill amending and supplementing the provisions of Law No. 60-134 of May 27, 1960, determining the Central African National Anthem ‘La Renaissance’.”
According to the explanatory statement that we reviewed, it is stated: “All human work is subject to imperfection, and the Applied Linguistics Institute judged the translation to be incorrect. The President of the Republic, Faustin Archange Touadera, made a correction, and the musicologist Saturnin Ngouka also did remarkable work in poetic versification.”
Additionally, concerning the modification, a material error crept into the French refrain, notably using the present participle instead of the first-person plural present indicative of the verbs, such as ‘briser’ and ‘brandir.’ The statement also highlights that the version written by founding President Barthélemy Boganda is available on an internet application, with a copy attached that duly accounts for this error.
The Sango and French Versions of the Anthem Are Not Consistent, According to the Government Spokesperson
Furthermore, Centrafrique Check contacted Maxime Balalu, Minister of Communication and Media, and government spokesperson, who recalled: “As a member of the commission revising the Sango version of the national anthem, it is not about revising the entire National Anthem, but only certain excerpts from the Sango version. Since the French version and the Sango version are not consistent, the commission decided to review certain excerpts of the Sango version of the National Anthem.”
Reached by phone on March 4, 2024, Gervais Lakosso, Coordinator of the Civil Society Working Group (GTSC), stated: “I cannot confirm or deny this information, as I do not have any document or proof to justify it, so from my side, it remains a rumor.”
Law No. 60-134 of May 27, 1960, only addresses the Sango version of the National Anthem, which is often poorly sung in schools, according to linguistic experts. A teacher in M’baïki had presented a translation validated by President David DACKO. However, the Applied Linguistics Institute (ILA) at the University of Bangui deemed this translation incorrect.
The current bill amending and supplementing the provisions of the May 27, 1960, law determining the Central African National Anthem “La Renaissance” aims to correct two verbs and harmonize the two versions of the National Anthem in the two official languages, French and Sango. After its promulgation, this law will be publicized in the 2,639 primary schools and 100 secondary schools, as well as in private schools, churches, mosques, and associations, so that the entire Central African population can know and correctly sing the SANGO version of the national anthem, according to the explanatory statement of the bill, duly signed by Aurélien Simplice Kongbelet Zingas, former deputy and current Minister of State in charge of National Education.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the post claiming that the French version of the national anthem “La Renaissance” has been changed is false, as verified by Centrafrique Check.
This article was edited by Esdras Michael Ndamoyen.
