"East of Bakassi" - A Special Issue of Palapala Magazine on Cameroonian Literature in English

In its second issue, Palapala magazine, the newly created Pan-African e-journal of culture, strikes gold with a special on Cameroonian literature in English.

This rich and diverse issue includes a toast to the late poet/playwright Bate Besong by Africa's leading poet, Niyi Osundare; Chinua Achebe's appeal to Anglophone Cameroon writers to find - and tell - the story of their marginal and marginalized condition; playwright Bole Butake's dilemma of either dealing with the hardships Cameroon or going into exile;

storyteller Makuchi's National public radio interview on re-appropriating folk tales of her native Beba; novelist Rosemary Ekosso's interview which focuses on feminism, religion, the state of Cameroon literature, among other things; Shadrach Ambanasom's keynote address at the first EduArt awards for Cameroonian literature in English; Joyce Ashuntantang's tribute to literary Kenjo Jumbam, etc.

This issue, which has a guest editorial by Dibussi Tande, also includes short stories and poems from emerging and established Cameroon English-speaking writers such as Dipita Kwa, Lloney Monono, JK Bannavti, Donna Forbin, Peter Vakunta and B'abila Mutia.

For decades, critics lamented about the "dearth of literary creativity in Anglophone Cameroon". This issue of Palapala shows, if need be, that there is an ongoing literary renaissance West of the Mungo - or East of Bakassi, to use Palapala's preferred term.

A big thumbs up to Cameroonian poet and Palapala founding editor, Kangsen Wakai, and his team for a magnificient tribute to the "literature of the hunchback"!

Click here to visit the Palapala website.

Comments

[red flag]

INTELLECTUAL DISHONESTY ISNTIT JUST THAT?

WHAT NATIONAL IS ANGLOPHONE?
WHAT NATIONALITY IS FRABCOPHONE?

SOUTHERN CAMEROONINANS SHOLD COULD JUST THAT,
AND CAMEROUNESE SHOULD BE CALLED JUST THAT.
NOTHING MORE OR LESS, I AM A GHANIAN, I AM ALSO AN ANGLOPHONE.

[Ejabe]

At least you agree that even as a Ghanian, "anglophone" is part of your identity. So I don't see why "Anglophone Cameroonian" is wrong within the context of literature - A Cameroonian who writes in a colonial language called english

[The SouthWesterner]

>>RED FLAG>>

Since when did you became a Ghanian.Hehehe
Intellectual honesty a la manier RED FLAG.
You wont give it up..isn't it?

[DANGO TUMMA]

MAYBE SOME BUNCH ARE SSTILL DOESNT GET IT

.......

FRANCOPHONE ISNT AN IDENETITY, ,THERE IS NO HISTORIC IDENTITY KNOWN AS ANGLOPHONE CAMEROUN, AS ELL AS

FRANCOPHONE CAMEROUN, BUT THERE IS FRENCH CAMERN AND SOUTHRN CAMEROONS. SOO, GET IT AND TALK SENSE. NOT PROPAGANDA.

[Ejabe]

Mr. Dango, please educate yourself; Francophone or Anglophone Cameroonian (i.e., French speaking or English speaking Cameroonian) is indeed an IDENTITY, an identifying characteristic. However, it is not a country. That is where you are getting confused and all worked up. someone can be described both as a Nigerian, and as an English speaking (i.e., Anglophone) African.

We are all multi-dimensional human beings and the challenge is being able to use our numerous dimensions in the appropriate context. And there are contexts where "Anglophone Cameroon" is the most appropriate description

[DANGO TUMMA]

EJABE, YOU ARE THEY ONE WHO GOT IT WRONG
IDENTITY WHEN USED IN ANY POLITICAL LANGAUGE DESCRIBE ONES OUNTRY OF ORIGIN.
SOO CALLING SOUTHERN CAMEROONIANS ANGLOPHONE IS NOT PROPER, ANGLOPHONE IS NOT THEIR COUNTRY, AND LET ME REMIND YOU.
NO COUNTRY CALLED ANGLOPHONE VOLUNTARILLY VOTED FOR A FEDERAL UNION WITH FRECN CAMEROUN IN 1961, THE TERM ANGLOPHONE, LIMBE, DECENTRALISATIO, HARMONISATION REGIONISATION, MARGINALISATION ARE ALL THE WORDS OF THIS CRIMINAL , REGIME OF FRENCH CAMEROUN, GOT IT?

[George]

hmmm...

Interesting.

[The SouthWesterner]

This RIGHT-WINGERS would chop our arms off if they got their way.
Boiling criminal fascist in disguise.

[DANGO TUMMA]

ITS OK FOR JOUENALIST TO WRITE EAST BAKASSI
BUT NOR BRITISH SOUTHERN CAMEROONS, HMM
THATS THE PROPAGANDA LANDGUAGE OF PAUL BIYA
ANOTHER LANGUAGE IS BILINGUALISM,

SHAMEON THOSE WHO FOLLOW THIS CRIMINAL GANG LIKE SHEEP

[DANGO TUMMA]

another one is limbe
not victoria...
YOU DON SEE WATIE?