07/07/2026
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
From the Office of the Founder
CELEBRITY ICONS AWARD NIGHT (CIAN AWARD)
Last year, during the end-of-shoot celebration of my yet-to-be-released film project STRAY BULLET, which I produced, I shared a vision to create an event that would bring together icons from different sectors of society—filmmakers, fashion designers, show promoters, business owners, and other creative minds. I chose to use my birthday as the point of connection for this vision.
For those who know me, I have never celebrated my birthday in the conventional sense. Since childhood, I have always regarded that day as sacred, dedicating it to charity or meaningful initiatives that positively impact others. This project was intended to become one of those meaningful legacies.
After developing the concept, I invited a colleague from the entertainment industry to collaborate with me and support the vision. He accepted, and we began working together. During this process, he designed a logo that was later used on the page I had created and even made him an admin for the project. I subsequently noticed that the project name had been presented as Celebrity Icon Award Night (CIA NIGHT) on the logo instead of the original name I conceived, Celebrity Icons Award Night (C.I.A.N AWARD) which was still the page name with the only difference in logo At the time, I continued working in good faith, believing we were building the same vision together.
As time went on, I began receiving reports from different people claiming that the project belonged solely to him. Rather than reacting immediately, I chose to remain silent and observe the situation.
The disagreement later became more apparent when he began referring to himself as the founder of the project. I made it clear that, while I acknowledged his contributions, I recognized him only as a collaborator and co-founder, not as the originator of the concept.
Some months ago, he also presented a proposed organizational structure to my event coordinator and co-founder without my knowledge. In that structure, he listed himself as Founder, President, and Event Director, while assigning me the position of Public Relations Officer. This came as a surprise, particularly because he had earlier requested my signature on project documents, which I gave in good faith. After consulting trusted friends and respected colleagues within the Douala Film Community, I confronted him about these concerns.
A few days ago, he shared a tentative programme for the event and requested my feedback. While reviewing it, I suggested that the section titled “Word from the Founder” be changed to “Word from the Founding Team.” Although I originated the project, I felt it was important to recognize the collective efforts of everyone who had contributed to bringing the vision to life. Unfortunately, my proposal was declined, and he insisted on maintaining the title identifying himself as the founder.
In the interest of resolving the matter peacefully, the President of the Douala Film Community convened a mediation meeting in Bonamoussadi. During that meeting, my colleague sought legal advice by phone in the presence of everyone. It was argued that two projects could legally exist with similar names provided they differed in wording and objectives. He maintained that Celebrity Icon Award Night (CIA NIGHT) and Celebrity Icons Award Night (C.I.A.N AWARD) were separate projects and proposed that each party retain what they had individually contributed. According to that proposal, he would continue with the planned event under his version of the name while retaining the logo and organizing committee WhatsApp group he had created, whereas I would retain the page I had created, the Celebrity Icons Award Night (C.I.A.N AWARD) brand, and the general WhatsApp group established at the inception of the project.
I found this deeply disappointing. My question remains simple: if someone possesses the experience, creativity, and entrepreneurial ability to develop an independent project, why not create one from the beginning instead of becoming involved in a vision that someone else conceived?
This experience has been one of the most painful lessons of my journey in the entertainment industry. It reminds us that success requires not only creativity and hard work but also trust, integrity, and transparency.
Despite everything, I choose not to respond with bitterness. The world is vast enough for everyone to pursue their dreams, and there is room for everyone to succeed without taking ownership of another person’s vision.
I wish to sincerely thank everyone who has remained loyal, believed in me, and supported this vision from its inception. Your encouragement has strengthened my resolve to continue building meaningful projects with integrity.
I also extend my sincere apologies to our sponsors, partners, invited guests, and supporters who had already received invitations for the scheduled event. My team and I will take time to reflect, review the circumstances, and carefully determine the future direction of Celebrity Icons Award Night (C.I.A.N AWARD).
Thank you for your understanding, your continued confidence, and your unwavering support.
Signed
CJAYBROWNEBA
Founder – Celebrity Icons Award Night (C.I.A.N AWARD)
Actor | Filmmaker | Host | Event Organizer | Cultural Promoter | Community Advisor
