Born on the island of
Awuta, which is located just off the coast of
Port-Gentil, Akendengué went to school in Port-Gentil, then studied
psychology at the
University of Caen in France during the 1960s. While in France, he met the singer
Mireille, who encouraged his musical interests. In 1974, Akendengué recorded his first album,
Nandipo, which consisted of songs of his own composition, sung in French and
Nkomi, accompanied by guitar, women choir, bass and the percussion of
Nana Vasconcelos. He later set to music poems by
P. E. Mondjegou, such as "Le Chant du Coupeur d'Okoumé" ("The Song of the Okoumé Cutter"). Returning to Gabon, he studied
solfeggio and
plainchant at a Catholic college, and presented spectacles showcasing traditional Gabonese forms in a concert setting. In 1986, he received a doctorate from the
University of Paris for his study of religion and education among the Nkomi. ==Discography==