LITERATURE:

 

Crime Time in Bamenda

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How a vindictive armed robber sets out to revenge a perceived injustice

 

By Claudia Martinek

Bamenda’s Commercial Avenue, Azire, Ntarinkon and Foncha Street constitute the setting of Emmanuel Achu’s passionate story of revenge, Wrong Target. Life seems sweet to Mancho. He has added a doctorat de troisième cycle from the University of Yaoundé to his foreign degrees and has started what looks like a promising career as chief of personnel with an oil company in Bakassi. Back home in Bamenda for a vacation, he is about to get married to the beautiful Bimela. With his best friend Tita on his side, Mancho is the “Actor”, as many Cameroonians used to call the good guy in their childhood movies. In Achu’s novel, he is also the target.
Bonda is the “Chef Bandit” fighting the “Actor”. Having worked on an oil platform for over 20 years, he finds himself dismissed without benefits for criminal activities shortly after the arrival of the new chief of personnel – Mancho. His mind set on revenge, Bonda returns to Bamenda two years later. Displaying the riches he has acquired through crime since his dismissal and supported by his accomplice Stinko, he sets about destroying the man he holds responsible for his dismissal. He sabotages what was supposed to be a dream-wedding reception at Ayaba Hotel, sets Mancho’s kitchen on fire and has the breaks of the young man’s car tempered with.
However, the line between the “good” and the “bad” becomes less clear when the “bad guys” try to turn themselves into respectable citizens, whereas the “good guys” find themselves responsible for the death of an innocent neighbour. In addition, the appearance of former lovers brings about surprising turns with unexpected outcomes leading to the “Last Fight”, the showdown in Bonda’s high class restaurant.
Not once losing his thread, Emmanuel Achu weaves an artful, well-written story full of details which plunge the reader right into the crime scene. Notwithstanding some minor incoherencies which could have been corrected by more critical editing, the bland cover hides a hard-to-put-down crime novel. The author’s mastery in creating suspense is likely to cause readers a sleepless night. Wrong Target is an impressive first novel. It is to be read absolutely.

Emmanuel Achu, Wrong Target (Bamenda: Maryland Printers, 2003), 2.500 francs.

 

EXHIBITION:

Calabashes Caricature Themselves

By Joseph Nkumbe

The Cultural Centre (CCF) of Yaounde and Alliance Franco Camerounaise (AFC) Dschang jointly hosted the 8th edition of the Yaounde International Festival for Caricature and Humour, better known by its French acronym, FESCARHY, from July 5 to August 31. Some 28 cartoonists and other young artists from all over Cameroon submitted works at the exhibition.
Most of the exhibited cartoons, done on plates, calabashes and T-shirts, depicted some contemporary political and social issues in Cameroon such as poverty, corruption and homosexuality. Many of these drawings were signed by famous Cameroonian cartoonists like Nyemb Popoli of Le Popoli, Retin of Cameroon Tribune, Jaimes of Mutations, Sénou from Le Messager and La Nouvelle Expression’s Abou.
During the two months of FESCARHY, many members of the public visited the exhibition grounds to appreciate the works of Cameroon’s finest cartoonists. Cartoon lovers were also treated to the traditional cartoon fresco, “le mur du FESCARHY”, which was done on the walls of the National Library in Yaounde, and on those of the AFC Dschang. Topics for these wall paintings were freely chosen by artists themselves.
Although FESCARHY was conceived to be an international festival, only Cameroonian cartoonists participated this year. Organisers decided to celebrate the international event only next year.
The theme for FESCARHY 2006 was “les calebasses font leurs carics”, meaning calabashes caricature themselves. Talking with Post Newsmagazine, Mr Pascal Awono, who organised the exhibition, said the theme was chosen with the aim of valorising calabashes which are very important elements of Cameroon’s cultures. For her part, Mrs Léontine Babéni, FESCARHY manager, stated that the objective of the festival is to help Cameroonian cartoonists share experiences and ideas with their foreign counterparts. She said FESCARHY is a “training and acquisition” opportunity for cartoonists.

 

MUSIC:

We Want Bread!

Cameroonian musicians seem to have lost their creative acumen in their endless battles over money.

By Ernest Kanjo

The waning conception of yore about music being an ordinary pastime could sound like a singsong for many today. Cameroonian stereos have blared an armada of verdant genres fashioned by home made artists, some of who have made it beyond national boundaries. Nostalgia holds sway each time a Manu Dibango jazz tune is blended with lyrics in Douala or when the likes of Richard Bona and Henri Dikongue tantalisingly tickle listener’s passion with soft tucks on the guitar. Examples abound. But the true picture of the Cameroonian musician is far from melodious. Dancing has been thrown to the winds and slogan chanting against proprietary rights has been taken up by remnants of the ‘adventurer’ infested vocation in Cameroon. “We want bread,” read a placard wielded recently during one demonstration by artists in Douala.
The tussle for money is as unstable as the history of inheritance of problems from syndicate to syndicate. From SOCADRA to SOCINADA the change of name failed to pass for change of management style. Successive syndicate authorities remained accused of heavily swindling benefits destined for artists and continually handed over empty coffers.
When the SOCINADA wheel failed to turn, the following events appeared to beam a revolution in the house. Factions perceptibly embraced magnanimity and rather spoke one language giving rise to the Cameroon Music Corporation, CMC. The artists converged under the new umbrella with more conducive statutes and, with government’s baptism, got the services of renowned France-based artist, Manu Dibango, as pioneer chair of the board of directors.
But sinister forces went to work again and acute misunderstanding returned. The earlier acclaimed Manu Dibango administration was forced to resign, still for reasons linked to royalties.
Manu’s successor, as expected, turned out to be the man alleged to have engaged in a silent war against the toddling CMC administration. Backed by several big names in the business and a brilliant academic profile, Sam Mbende appeared to be the best man for the job.
The new boss went to work pushing several reforms, the most salient being to start paying royalties even from an empty account. The move was saluted by many and Mbende placed on a lofty salary to discourage swindling.
His spin doctors had hardly gone to work, however, than detractors struck. A Douala based couple running a radio station arraigned Mbende before a Douala court for failing to pay artists’ royalties. The artists in question refuted copyright charges owed CMC by their media outfit.
It is true that amidst the simmering crises the present administration has kept up its programme of educating artists about the statutes of the corporation as well as the basics on author’s rights. However, it is important that rather than concentrating so much on struggling for the “bread”, artists have a sound awareness of the socio-cultural and historical background of the society in which they function. This would not only permit them to artfully take the pulse of their environment; in a vibrant, creative atmosphere, the much complained about piracy would also be shunned.
Instead of continuing their clamour for “bread”, local musicians should pick up their guitars and sing. In the meantime, Cameroonians may as well continue paying for and wriggling to Coupé Décalé.