In 2016, a public accusation by Charles Ndongo against Foly Dirane shook Cameroon's media landscape. Ndongo, then an executive at CRTV, claimed Dirane was ill, fueling persistent rumors of HIV/AIDS. Today, Charles Ndongo is the General Manager of CRTV, while Foly Dirane has just passed away.
The case began with the arrival of a sponsor for the show "Délire," which Foly Dirane had hosted since 1991. A brewery agreed to finance five episodes, contributing 30 million CFA francs. Charles Ndongo initially approached Dirane with this opportunity. However, shortly after, Ndongo informed Dirane that the sponsor wanted a younger presenter, thus sidelining the historical host. It was then that rumors about Foly Dirane's health began to circulate, culminating in Charles Ndongo's statement in the Cameroon Tribune.
Faced with these accusations, Foly Dirane took steps to prove his good health. On June 13, 2016, he went to the Yaoundé Central Hospital to undergo a series of tests, including an HIV/AIDS test and a full scan. The results, all negative, were hand-delivered to the general management of CRTV. Dirane reacted bitterly: "When Délire had no sponsor, Foly was in good health. When the sponsor arrives, Foly falls ill according to this manager, who has also become my treating doctor apparently."
Foly Dirane's eviction marked the end of an era for the show "Délire," which had revealed 192 artists with at least one album on the market. He, who had created the show from an April Fool's joke, found himself sidelined when money came into play. He never returned to the air. Foly Dirane passed away on March 26, 2026, at the Yaoundé General Hospital. His legacy remains, but his departure remains a wound for many.
Charles Ndongo, born in 1954, rose through the ranks at CRTV to become its General Manager. A career journalist, he was appointed to this position on June 29, 2016. History will remember the 26 years of "Délire," the 192 talents revealed, and a controversial end to Foly Dirane's career.
