1957 – Born Pius N. Njawé on 4 March at Babouantou in Upper Nkam in the Western Region of Cameroo
1972 – Njawé, age 15, obtains his first newspaper job as a paperboy for Seeds Africa newspaper. He would hold the position until 1974, after which he signed on as a reporter with La Gazette.
1976 – Njawé is arrested for the first time at age 19 for writing a published story about the discovery of oil in Cameroon and a second time for reporting about poor academic results of students in Douala, Cameroon. Over the course of his journalism career, he would be arrested some 126 times.
1979– Founds Le Messager at the age of 22.
1990 – Njawé is arrested for publishing an “open letter” to then-President Paul Biya.
1991 – Njawé receives the Committee to Protect Journalists’ International Press Freedom Award.
Becomes the first winner of the Free Expression Award of the International Union of French Speaking Journalists.
1992 – In November, officials ban Le Messager and Njawe is forced into exile. He launches a new paper, Le Messager, from Benin.
1993 – In February, Njawé returns to Cameroon and founds the Cameroon Organization for Press Freedom (Ocalip).
Njawé receives the World Newspaper Association’s Golden Pen of Freedom award.
1995 – In August, Njawé and another journalist are fined 300,000 Cameroon francs (approx. 460 Euros) and given a two-month deferred prison sentence for “abuse and slander” for publishing a story accusing the Cameroonian police chief of misuse of funds.
1996 – On 18 October, Njawé is arrested and convicted of insulting the president and members of the National Assembly after he publishes and article and two cartoons in the satirical Le Messager Popoli.
1997 – On 22 December, Njawé writes story for Le Messager alleging that President Paul Biya suffered from heart problems during a football match.
On 24 December, officials arrest Njawé for spreading “false information” about the article on Biya.
1998 – On 9 January, an imprisoned Njawé gets the news that his wife has given birth to a still-born child, reportedly because of abusive treatment by prison guards.
On 13 January, Njawé is sentenced to two years in prison for the football match story.
In May, Njawé’s sentence is reduced to 12 months after pressure from human rights groups. In November, Biya agrees to pardon Njawé after 10 months in prison.
2000 – Njawe is named one of 50 “World Press Freedom Heroes” by the International Press Institute (IPI).
Njawé lectures in the journalism department at Western Washington University (U.S.A.).
2001 – Njawé serves as lecturer at the Frank W. and Sue Mayborn School of Journalism at North Texas University (U.S.A.)
2002 – On 16 September, Njawé’s wife, Jane, dies in a road traffic accident on her way from Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon, to the city of Douala, where the family lived. The tragedy prompts Njawé to form the organization Jane and Justice to promote road safety. Jane Njawé was 42 when she died.
2010 – Le Messager celebrates its 30th anniversary.
On 13 July, Njawé dies in a car crash in Norfolk, Virginia (U.S.A.). He was 53.
