National Anthem Comparison
Cameroon vs Gabon
2
Shared themes
✓
Same mood
32
32 years apart
✓
Same continent
Comparison Analysis
Cameroon and Gabon, both Africa nations, take distinct approaches to their national anthems. Cameroon's "O Cameroon, Cradle of Our Ancestors" was written in 1928, while Gabon's "The Concord" dates to 1960.
Both anthems share themes of ancestors / heritage and unity. Cameroon additionally explores love of homeland and freedom, while Gabon also touches on peace and hope.
Both anthems carry a proud tone, creating a similar emotional register despite their geographic distance.
Cameroon's anthem predates Gabon's by 32 years, having been written in 1928 compared to 1960.
Shared themes
Cameroon
🏺 Ancestors / Heritage 🤝 Unity ❤ Love of homeland 🕊 Freedom
Gabon
🤝 Unity ☮ Peace 🌅 Hope 🏺 Ancestors / Heritage
Shared themes:
🏺 Ancestors / Heritage 🤝 Unity
Metadata
| Cameroon | Gabon | |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 1928 | 1960 |
| Adopted | 1957 | 1960 |
| Lyricist | René Djam Afame, Samuel Minkio Bamba, Moïse Nyatte Nko'o (1928); revised 1970 | Georges Aleka Damas |
| Composer | René Djam Afame (disputed; also credited to Samuel Minkio Bamba) | Georges Aleka Damas |
| Language | fr | fr |
| Region | Central Africa | Central Africa |
Lyrics Side by Side
Cameroon
Ô Cameroun, berceau de nos ancêtres
Original
Ô Cameroun, berceau de nos ancêtres,
Va debout et jaloux de ta liberté.
Comme un soleil ton drapeau fier doit être
Un symbole ardent de foi et d'unité.
Que tous tes enfants du Nord au Sud,
De l'Est à l'Ouest soient tout amour,
Te servir que ce soit leur seul but,
Pour remplir leur devoir toujours.
[Chorus]
Chère Patrie, terre chérie,
Tu es notre seul et vrai bonheur,
Notre joie et notre vie,
À toi l'amour et le grand honneur.
Tu es la tombe où dorment nos pères,
Le jardin que nos aïeux ont cultivé.
Nous travaillons pour te rendre prospère,
Un beau jour enfin nous serons arrivés.
De l'Afrique sois fidèle enfant,
Et progresse toujours en paix,
Espérant que tes jeunes enfants
T'aimeront sans bornes à jamais.
[Chorus]
Chère Patrie, terre chérie,
Tu es notre seul et vrai bonheur,
Notre joie et notre vie,
À toi l'amour et le grand honneur.
Translation
O Cameroon, cradle of our ancestors,
Go forth upright, jealously guarding your freedom.
Like a sun, your proud flag must be
A burning symbol of faith and unity.
May all your children from North to South,
From East to West be all love!
To serve you, let that be the only goal,
To fulfill their duty always.
[Chorus]
Dear Fatherland, beloved land,
You are our one and only true happiness,
Our joy and our life,
To you our love and great honor.
You are the grave where our fathers sleep,
The garden that our forebears cultivated.
We work to make you prosperous,
One fine day at last we shall arrive.
Be a faithful child of Africa,
And ever advance in peace,
Hoping that your young children
Will love you boundlessly forever.
[Chorus]
Dear Fatherland, beloved land,
You are our one and only true happiness,
Our joy and our life,
To you our love and great honor.
Gabon
La Concorde
Original
[Chorus]
Uni dans la Concorde et la fraternité,
Éveille-toi Gabon, une aurore se lève,
Encourage l'ardeur qui vibre et nous soulève!
C'est enfin notre essor vers la félicité.
C'est enfin notre essor vers la félicité.
Éblouissant et fier, le jour sublime monte,
Pourchassant à jamais l'injustice et la honte.
Qu'il monte, monte encore et calme nos alarmes,
Qu'il prône la vertu et repousse les armes.
[Chorus]
Oui que le temps heureux rêvé par nos ancêtres
Arrive enfin chez nous, réjouisse les êtres,
Et chasse les sorciers, ces perfides trompeurs.
Qui sèment le poison et répandent la peur.
[Chorus]
Afin qu'aux yeux du monde et des nations amies,
Le Gabon immortel reste digne d'envie,
Oublions nos querelles, ensemble bâtissons
L'édifice nouveau auquel tous nous rêvons.
[Chorus]
Des bords de l'Océan au cœur de la forêt,
Demeurons vigilants, sans faiblesse et sans haine!
Autour de ce drapeau, qui vers l'honneur nous mène,
Saluons la Patrie et chantons sans arrêt
[Chorus]
Translation
[Chorus]
United in concord and brotherhood,
Awake, Gabon, a dawn is rising,
Encourage the ardor that thrills and uplifts us!
At last we rise toward happiness.
At last we rise toward happiness.
Dazzling and proud, the sublime day ascends,
Driving away injustice and shame forever.
Let it rise, rise ever higher and calm our fears,
Let it champion virtue and drive weapons away.
[Chorus]
Yes, may the happy time our ancestors dreamed of
Arrive among us at last, bringing joy to all beings,
And chase away the sorcerers, those treacherous deceivers
Who sow poison and spread fear.
[Chorus]
So that in the eyes of the world and of friendly nations
Immortal Gabon may remain worthy of envy,
Let us forget our quarrels, together let us build
The new edifice of which we all dream.
[Chorus]
From the shores of the Ocean to the heart of the forest,
Let us stay vigilant, without weakness and without hatred!
Around this flag, which leads us toward honor,
Let us salute the Fatherland and sing without end.
[Chorus]
Interesting facts
Cameroon
- 1. The words began as a civics assignment in which the students were asked to express their hopes for Cameroon's future; according to one historical account, Afame then combined the best sentences into the two stanzas of the original text.
- 2. Sources differ on the composer: the Cameroonian embassy in Brussels credits Afame, while the same historical account says three student musicians each wrote a melody and Samuel Minkio Bamba's was chosen.
- 3. The song dates from 1928, almost three decades before it became the official anthem in 1957.
- 4. The text was revised in 1970, and Cameroon has official versions of the anthem in both French and English, its two official languages.
Gabon
- 1. Georges Aleka Damas wrote both the lyrics and the music. He was also a politician: from 1964 to 1975 he presided over Gabon's National Assembly
- 2. In 1985, three years after his death, Gabon issued a postage stamp bearing his portrait alongside the score of 'La Concorde'
- 3. On 17 August 2026, the 66th anniversary of independence, President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema inaugurated a monument to Damas on the Libreville seafront, facing the official stand; the building bears the anthem's name, 'La Concorde'
Listen
Cameroon
Gabon
