Here is a brilliant, eloquent and very bilingual journalist. All CRTV’s viewers and listeners are always captured by the various talents, beautiful voice and even the seductive physical profile of this young journalist. She is one of the famous presenters of “Hello Cameroon” on the national television. But behind this face and this name, there is a lot to learn. So, who is that young girl and what does her life beyond cameras look like? Let us discover.
Pochi: the journalist and the humanitarian
With origins from Bambalang, a village situated in Ndop Sub-Division, in the Ngoketunjia Division of the North West Region of Cameroon, Martina Pochi Tamba Nsoh, is Chief of Unit for Programming and Broadcast at Cameroon Radio Television (CRTV). She is a producer and also reports on and presents news on the Cameroonian national radio. Besides her job, she is the author of two published novels, and is very active in civil society movements where she encourages mothers to always remain close friends to their daughters as a step against sexual violence.
Her entire name is Martina Pochi Tamba Nsoh. But she does not like using her surname Martina. Because she is a very traditionalist woman attached to our basic values. She thinks that our identity lies in our African names. Born Martina Pochi Tamba, on November 11, 1981, in Douala, she became Martina Pochi Tamba Nsoh after her marriage with mister Nsoh with whom she has two bubbly kids’ two girls. Unfortunately, Pochi’s father is no more. He was a famous lawyer in the country. Her mother is still alive. She is a retired civil servant working now in Douala’s Archbishopric. Martina Pochi Tamba Nsoh started her primary school at Bepanda in Douala. Then she moved to Lycee Bilingue de Bonaberi in the same town.
Journalism: from dream to the reality
Journalism is a profession that had been her dream early on. “ I have always wished to be a remarkable journalist, so I chip in my little bits daily to add value to lives in my Country. I also write and I am very involved in civil society activities that bring forth the rights and issues of people on the margin of society, such as the less privileged.”
As a student at Lycee bilingue Bonaberi in the 90s, she built a voice, a name and a reputation as a young radio personality at FM 105, working under the supervision of talents like late Moise Banteke and Serge Pouth.
Later, she went on to give a helping hand at Mount Cameroon FM while wrapping up studies in Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Buea. “I am lucky to have signed my first work contract almost immediately after leaving university in 2003. In almost 14years of journalism, I have been around – press with Macacos, radio and TV with the CRTV.”
Pochi has a very active civil society life and within this context, she created and is managing two civil society initiatives: “My first initiative, started in 2007, Network of African Youths for Development, is one of the largest online meeting place of African youths working in development. The other is Maya Initiatives. It is a project that gives voice and chances to children and women within Cameroon.”
Martina Pochi Tamba is also a former executive board member of the International Association of women in radio and television, which one of the oldest association of women in the media. She is by the time we write this report, the Presenter of wake up programme HELLO CAMEROON and the Chief of Unit for Programming and Broadcast at the National Television, as we already mentioned.
Her motto
“I am passionate in everything I do, and I see every experience as a gift. Each time, it is a challenge for me to discover the hidden treasure in each moment”.
It is certainly the passion that seeks to find added value in everything she comes across. That could explain why she is constantly seeking to contribute her little bit in the lives that cross her path.
Hobbies
“I love discovering nature, people and ideas. Naturally, I travel a lot, work a lot and try to also play a lot. In my quite moments, I like to sing, swim or sleep.”
Memorable moments
“When I read the news for the first time on national radio (Thank you aunty Jes).
When I represented Africa among over 700 youths, to write a chapter on youths and development. A toolkit that is today, used at the international level to teach sustainable development to young persons.
Since 2007, I have been working to keep some vulnerable children from dropping out of school by providing fees and other needs. Today, we can count over 60 of such. I have also been part of varied initiatives to sensitize communities on different social issues like rape, sex education, Family challenges, etc. I have no idea how much these actions have been, but I am definitely proud of myself each time I am able to add one step to this particular civil society advocacy journey. »
Pochi’s Icons
“In journalism, my icons are: Oprah Gail Winfrey for the way she works with heart and with a lot of passion. I also admire Madeleine Soppi Kotto, Ibrahim Cherif and Moise Bantéké. In life in general, my models vary and change as the case may be. I greatly admire people who beat challenges or who are not afraid to go against the waves. I am a huge fan of Mother Teresa of Calcutta who left her people and her continent to go serve the poor in land that had nothing in common with hers, Christian Cardinal Tumi who till date is the simplest and most straightforward person I have ever met and Whitney Houston whom God blessed with a voice that none has, and an inspiration that is rare to find. »
A piece of advice for the African Woman
“You are already strong, so no need saying you should be. Just believe more in yourself, and in something bigger than you. Also celebrate yourself, because each woman is a wonder of nature. And never stop celebrating all your little successes because one by one, they take you there. »
André BION andrbion@yahoo.com copy right 2017
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