In the interview below conducted by Manjoh Priscilla Musoh (MPM) as part of a fulfilment of her academic research in the University of Potsdam, Germany, Mwalimu George Ngwane expresses his fears and hopes on Anglophone writing and the role of the writer as a development agent in Cameroon’s fledging democracy and nation building. The interview was made available to Eden newspaper courtesy of the writer.
Manjoh Priscilla Musoh (MPM): Who in your own opinion is an Anglophone Cameroon Writer?
George Ngwane:
An Anglophone Cameroon Writer has two definitions; the broader definition which deals with any one whose historical origin can be traced back from the geo-political territory called Southern Cameroon, West Cameroon or the present North West and South West Provinces of Cameroon. In addition and in a more specific thematic manner the Anglophone Cameroon Writer assumes a deeper identity as one whose themes reflect the particular socio-cultural, politico-economic and historical worldview of the people of his/her geo-political territory.
MPM: Given your definition of Anglophone Cameroon Writing, will you include other Cameroonian Writers such as Ferdinand Oyono, Mongo Beti, Francis Bebey, who write initially in French but the translated English versions of their works are introduced into the Anglophone curricula?
George Ngwane:
Oyono,Beti,Francis Bebey or Calixte Beyala can never be defined as Anglophone Cameroon Writers even if all their writings are translated in English. Translation is a mere literary facility that expands the audience space of any writer but does not mutate nor foist a national identity on the writer. Chinua Achebe and Wole Soyinka are both Nigerian writers but their Igboness and Yorubaness will never be exchanged if the works of the writers are translated in Yoruba or Igbo respectively. I therefore consider any Francophone Cameroon writing translated in English as Cameroon Writing in English.
MPM: What in your opinion is the main influence behind Anglophone Cameroon Writing?
George Ngwane:
From a historical perspective, influences on Anglophone Writings have been generational. The first generation of Anglophone writings especially in terms of fiction was basically cultural. It was a trend that was inspired by the quest for using writing as a pedagogic tool that was common currency with other African writers. This probably was due to the political high-handed regime of the then President Ahmadou Ahidjo who had no sympathy for protest literature especially of political nature. This generation bears the milestones of writers like Sankie Maimo, Victor Musinga, Kenjo Jumban, Mbella Sonne Dipoko, Buma Kor, Takere Mesack, Nsanda Eba, Ndeley Mokosso etc. In the field of non-fiction one needs to add writers like Bernard Fonlon and Albert Mukong who were courageous enough to address the sensitive political issues in their writings.
The second generation of Anglophone writing was influenced by grievance, protest and conscientisation, and the drum major came to be Bate Besong. To quote Bate Besong “The Anglophone Cameroonian Writer at home and in the Diaspora must tell the outside world the story of his tragic land from the point of view of its hostage minority”
Favoured by the wind of change in the 80s and fuelled by the pent-up national frustrations that had gripped Cameroonians, Anglophone writers of this generation turned their pens into hand grenades chronicling the history and bondage-hood of their people. It was a season of committed Anglophone literature. The Anglophone nation had found a voice in the writer leaving the problems of the entire nation in the hands of born-again democrats with the over 210 political parties even if some of these parties were led by Anglophones who refused to overtly acknowledge the Anglophone problem in Cameroon. In the fiction area, there was Bate Besong, Victor Epie Ngome and Bole Butake. Of course others like Hansel Eyoh, Linus Asong, Comfort Ashu, Nchami Azanwi, Alobwed’Epie and Nol Alembong held their own in this category but not with the same Anglophone thematic verve of Bate Besong. In the area of non-fiction and more so in newspaper writing, Rodcod Gobata, Dibussi Tande, Ntemfac Ofege, Francis Nyamnjoh, Churchill Monono, Boh Herbert, Julius Wamey and I maintained the vitriolic Anglophone thematic punch which is being sustained today by Sam Nuvala Fonkem, Charles Taku and Charly Ndi Chia.
The third generation of Anglophone Writers is basically young people who are retreating to the worldview of the first generation. The fever of integrating in the Cameroon mainstream democracy has negatively affected Anglophone writing to the extent that most of the emerging Anglophone fiction writers today with the exception of John Nkengong rather focus on national issues than very specific problems confronting Anglophones. It may be a literary choice but one that may bring to question the very definition and identity of the Anglophone Cameroonian writer.
MPM: Whom do these writers intend to reach in their works and to what extent are they successful?
George Ngwane:
I think any writer would want to reach out to the general public but in terms of greed/grievance writing that was the hallmark of the second generation, the main targets were the Anglophone masses and the policy makers in Cameroon. Some success was recorded because the All Anglophone Conferences in 1993 and 1994 were consequences of the conscientisation movement that were echoed in our writings and from the first ever Anglophone Cameroon writing Conference that took place in 1992. How that momentum was supposed to be maintained was the affair of the political elite (Anglophone or Francophone) who unfortunately derailed the cause. I always say a writer in politics is not necessarily a politician. A writer is a compass indicating the direction that the ship of state should take; but the actual pilot is the politician who has a choice to ignore or respect the directives of the compass. And in the Cameroonian context the writer is either ignored or humiliated to the peril of national development.
MPM: Are these writers being marginalized in a way? Can they assume a subaltern position?
George Ngwane:
Yes they are marginalized but that is also a matter of individual perception. They do not therefore need to assume a subaltern profile. In fact my experience shows that the more the writer avoids the madding elite the more he/she is inspired. A writer’s sword is consistency and his shield is independence. He derives his strength from spite and comptempt from the insensitive and insecure power cartel.
MPM: Do they have a double subaltern position?
George Ngwane:
In a way Anglophone Cameroonian writers have a double subaltern position because even within the corpus of Cameroon writings, Francophone writers hardly take their Anglophone colleagues and their besieged sentiments seriously. That is why the Anglophone writer has the double task of proving that he is a writer and more specifically an Anglophone Cameroon writer.
MPM: In what way(s) are their voices gagged?
George Ngwane:
I am not sure there is any specific manner that Anglophone writers are gagged any different from other writers. It all depends on the strength of character and devotion to the mission of writing. My quarrel is with the Cameroonian Television, private and public where the Anglophone voice is peripheral. The programme policy on our local Television channels is so lopsided that one is tempted to conclude that there is a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the bilingual status of Cameroon. It is the same quarrel I have with the government owned newspaper Cameroon Tribune which needs to revert to its English and French versions for the Anglophone journalism voice to be felt. Anglophone business men should also try their hands at establishing Television houses in Cameroon.
MPM: What impact does this have on their writing, the themes and ideas inherent?
George Ngwane:
The impact is very minimal.
MPM: Of what significance is this lack of utterance in Anglophone Cameroon Writing on a national and global scale? What, in your own opinion can be done to ameliorate the situation?
George Ngwane:
I cannot agree that there is a lack of utterance in Anglophone writing. I visit the bookstores so often and I am overwhelmed by the new writings that I find on the shelves. The problem is one of cultural policy and civil society militancy. I am tired of proposing that a National Book Forum be held to assess the level of writing in Cameroon, establish a book policy and create a book development institution in Cameroon which would either operate as a department in the Ministry of Culture or work in tandem with the civil society created National Book Development Council. How do you expect books to flourish in a country that does not organize book fairs, literary competitions, book awards or sponsor its book professionals to attend international book functions?
Hopefully with a new Minister of Culture these suggestions can be taken seriously. I also hope that the Diasporan Anglophones shall emulate the example of Langaa Publishers of Francis Nyamnjoh in carving a specific publishing outlet for books by Anglophone writers and Dibussi Tande, George Ekema Agbaw and Joyce Ashutantang in promoting Anglophone creative industry. In a more specific manner there is a need for another Conference on Anglophone Cameroon Writing.
MPM: Is Anglophone Cameroon writing in any way politicized?
George Ngwane:
All writing is a political statement. As long as it addresses the mores and lores, values and virtues, and highs and lows of society such writing speaks to the problems of leadership and existence. And that is what politics is all about. Of course there are a few story tellers in our society (different from the griots) whose mission it is to write about our cultural or traditional values. But in the main, all writing is about how the city is governed. It is about transforming our rulers into leaders and our politicians into statespersons.
MPM: Do you envisage a possibility of Anglophone writers writing one day in an African language or languages?
George Ngwane:
Writing in an African language is possible. I know of some Ngugi wa Thiongo fans among some Lamnso and Bakossi writers in Cameroon.
MPM: Is there any future in Anglophone writing?
George Ngwane
Yes there is as long as it remains focussed.
MPM: Thanks a lot.
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