Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s <i>The Oracle of Tears</i>

Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh; De Noumedem Peter Caleb

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12

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Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears

Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh, De Noumedem Peter Caleb

Published in International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 9, Issue 2)

Received: 18 February 2021 Accepted: 13 March 2021 Published: 22 March 2021

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Abstract

This article seeks to analyse Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s depiction of the Anglophone problem in Cameroon in his poetry collection, The Oracle of Tears. Mbuh’s poems indicate that this problem is caused by the duplicity of the Francophone leadership in the country. This leadership, from 1961 till date, has not treated the Anglophone as a brother but has instead devised strategies to broaden its power through the erosion of Anglophone identity and the corrosion of Anglophones’ political weight in the state. This state of affairs has nurtured a sentiment of marginalisation in many Anglophone Cameroonians. Marginalisation in this paper is understood as a series of political actions undertaken by Cameroon’s Francophone leadership to stifle effective self-governance in Anglophone regions and reduce the latter’s identity to a varnish for decreed national unity. Though both Francophone and Anglophone identities are admittedly colonial, this article argues that it is biased to use this argument only when the preservation of Anglophone identity in the nation is evoked. Since Francophones gladly use their colonial bequests (French language, educational and judiciary systems), the same freedom ought to be conceded to Anglophones without any attempts at annexation. Hence, this paper underscores the responsibility of Francophone leadership in causing a generalised sentiment of frustration in Anglophones. It also emphasizes the need for Anglophones (like all dominated people) not to miss the target of their struggle. Postcolonialism is used in this paper to discuss the central issue of marginalization with which Anglophone Cameroon poetry grapples for decades. This theory helps analyse the fragmentation of formerly colonised nations like Cameroon – fragmentations which still make perceptible the shadow of French and British colonisation over the country. The study arrives at the conclusion that Mbuh’s poetry is a reminder addressed to Anglophone consciousness about the need, not to fight themselves, but reason with the divisive sexagenarian Francophone Establishment.

Published in	International Journal of Literature and Arts (Volume 9, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12
Page(s)	55-62
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Brotherhood, Marginalisation, Identity, Francophone Leadership, Anglophone

References

[1]	Ashcroft, B. Gareth Griffiths and Helen Tiffin, eds. Postcolonial Studies: The Key Concepts. London: Routledge, 2013. Print.
[2]	Caxton, Ateki Seta. “The Anglophone Dilemma in Cameroon: the Need for Comprehensive Dialogue and Reform”. http://www.accord.org.za/. n. p., February 2017. Web. March 8, 2021.
[3]	Forbang-Looh, Gilda Nicheng. “Marginalisation and (Un) Belonging in John Nkemngong Nkengasong’sAcross the Mongolo”. International Journal of Academic Research and Reflection. Vol. 6. No. 2. May 2018: pp. 81-95. Print.
[4]	Gwangwa’a, Njongoh G. “‘Frogs’ with Us”; “The Imperfect Blend”. Cry of the Destitute. Limbe: Nooremac Press, 1995: 23-25. Print.
[5]	Jorgenson, Bent D. “Ethnic Boundaries and the Margins of the Margin”. Peace and Conflict Studies. Vol 4. No. 2. January 1997: pp. 1-10. Print.
[6]	Konings, Piet. and Francis B. Nyamnjoh.“The Anglophone Problem in Cameroon”. TheJournal of Modern African Studies. Vol. 35. No. 2. June 1997: pp. 207-229. Print.
[7]	Konings, Piet. The Politics of Neoliberal Reforms in Africa: State and Civil Society in Cameroon. Leiden: Langaa and African Studies Centre, 2011. Print.
[8]	Loomba, Ania. Colonialism/Postcolonialism. London: Routledge, 1998. Print.
[9]	Mbuh, MbuhTennu. The Oracle of Tears. Bamenda: Langaa Research& Publishing, 2010. Print.
[10]	Moore-Gilbert, Bart. Postcolonial Theory: Contexts, Practices, Politics. London: VersoBooks, 1997. Print.
[11]	Nejat, Jamal and FatemeYaghoobi.“Marginalization in John Maxwell Coetzee’s Disgrace”. Journal of Novel Applied Sciences. Vol. 3. No. 6. 2014: pp. 566-571. Print.
[12]	Ngeh, Andrew, Minang Moses and Usman Suleiman. “Anger and Rejection: The Rhetoric and Dialectics of Violence in Anglophone Cameroon Poetry”. European Journal of English Language and Literature Studies. Vol. 3. No. 3. July 2015: pp. 43-56. Print.
[13]	Ngoh, Victor J. History of Cameroon since 1800. Limbe: Pressbook, 1996. Print.
[14]	Nkengasong, John N. “Interrogating the Union: Anglophone Cameroon Poetry in thePostcolonial Matrix”. Journal of Postcolonial Writing. Vol. 48. No. 1. 2012: pp. 51-64. Print.
[15]	Sibley, David. Geographies of Exclusion: Society and Difference in the West. London & New York: Routledge, 1995. Print.
[16]	Takwi, Mathew. “Man”. People Be Not Fooled. Limbe: Design House, 2004. 44. Print.

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Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh, De Noumedem Peter Caleb. (2021). Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 9(2), 55-62. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12

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Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh; De Noumedem Peter Caleb. Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2021, 9(2), 55-62. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12

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Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh, De Noumedem Peter Caleb. Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears. Int J Lit Arts. 2021;9(2):55-62. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12,
  author = {Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh and De Noumedem Peter Caleb},
  title = {Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears},
  journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
  volume = {9},
  number = {2},
  pages = {55-62},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20210902.12},
  abstract = {This article seeks to analyse Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s depiction of the Anglophone problem in Cameroon in his poetry collection, The Oracle of Tears. Mbuh’s poems indicate that this problem is caused by the duplicity of the Francophone leadership in the country. This leadership, from 1961 till date, has not treated the Anglophone as a brother but has instead devised strategies to broaden its power through the erosion of Anglophone identity and the corrosion of Anglophones’ political weight in the state. This state of affairs has nurtured a sentiment of marginalisation in many Anglophone Cameroonians. Marginalisation in this paper is understood as a series of political actions undertaken by Cameroon’s Francophone leadership to stifle effective self-governance in Anglophone regions and reduce the latter’s identity to a varnish for decreed national unity. Though both Francophone and Anglophone identities are admittedly colonial, this article argues that it is biased to use this argument only when the preservation of Anglophone identity in the nation is evoked. Since Francophones gladly use their colonial bequests (French language, educational and judiciary systems), the same freedom ought to be conceded to Anglophones without any attempts at annexation. Hence, this paper underscores the responsibility of Francophone leadership in causing a generalised sentiment of frustration in Anglophones. It also emphasizes the need for Anglophones (like all dominated people) not to miss the target of their struggle. Postcolonialism is used in this paper to discuss the central issue of marginalization with which Anglophone Cameroon poetry grapples for decades. This theory helps analyse the fragmentation of formerly colonised nations like Cameroon – fragmentations which still make perceptible the shadow of French and British colonisation over the country. The study arrives at the conclusion that Mbuh’s poetry is a reminder addressed to Anglophone consciousness about the need, not to fight themselves, but reason with the divisive sexagenarian Francophone Establishment.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears
AU  - Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh
AU  - De Noumedem Peter Caleb
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DO  - 10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12
T2  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JF  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JO  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
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AB  - This article seeks to analyse Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s depiction of the Anglophone problem in Cameroon in his poetry collection, The Oracle of Tears. Mbuh’s poems indicate that this problem is caused by the duplicity of the Francophone leadership in the country. This leadership, from 1961 till date, has not treated the Anglophone as a brother but has instead devised strategies to broaden its power through the erosion of Anglophone identity and the corrosion of Anglophones’ political weight in the state. This state of affairs has nurtured a sentiment of marginalisation in many Anglophone Cameroonians. Marginalisation in this paper is understood as a series of political actions undertaken by Cameroon’s Francophone leadership to stifle effective self-governance in Anglophone regions and reduce the latter’s identity to a varnish for decreed national unity. Though both Francophone and Anglophone identities are admittedly colonial, this article argues that it is biased to use this argument only when the preservation of Anglophone identity in the nation is evoked. Since Francophones gladly use their colonial bequests (French language, educational and judiciary systems), the same freedom ought to be conceded to Anglophones without any attempts at annexation. Hence, this paper underscores the responsibility of Francophone leadership in causing a generalised sentiment of frustration in Anglophones. It also emphasizes the need for Anglophones (like all dominated people) not to miss the target of their struggle. Postcolonialism is used in this paper to discuss the central issue of marginalization with which Anglophone Cameroon poetry grapples for decades. This theory helps analyse the fragmentation of formerly colonised nations like Cameroon – fragmentations which still make perceptible the shadow of French and British colonisation over the country. The study arrives at the conclusion that Mbuh’s poetry is a reminder addressed to Anglophone consciousness about the need, not to fight themselves, but reason with the divisive sexagenarian Francophone Establishment.
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Author Information

Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh

Department of English, The University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon
De Noumedem Peter Caleb

Department of English, The University of Bamenda, Bambili, Cameroon

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APA Style

Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh, De Noumedem Peter Caleb. (2021). Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears. International Journal of Literature and Arts, 9(2), 55-62. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12

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ACS Style

Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh; De Noumedem Peter Caleb. Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears. Int. J. Lit. Arts 2021, 9(2), 55-62. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12

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AMA Style

Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh, De Noumedem Peter Caleb. Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears. Int J Lit Arts. 2021;9(2):55-62. doi: 10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12

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@article{10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12,
  author = {Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh and De Noumedem Peter Caleb},
  title = {Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears},
  journal = {International Journal of Literature and Arts},
  volume = {9},
  number = {2},
  pages = {55-62},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijla.20210902.12},
  abstract = {This article seeks to analyse Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s depiction of the Anglophone problem in Cameroon in his poetry collection, The Oracle of Tears. Mbuh’s poems indicate that this problem is caused by the duplicity of the Francophone leadership in the country. This leadership, from 1961 till date, has not treated the Anglophone as a brother but has instead devised strategies to broaden its power through the erosion of Anglophone identity and the corrosion of Anglophones’ political weight in the state. This state of affairs has nurtured a sentiment of marginalisation in many Anglophone Cameroonians. Marginalisation in this paper is understood as a series of political actions undertaken by Cameroon’s Francophone leadership to stifle effective self-governance in Anglophone regions and reduce the latter’s identity to a varnish for decreed national unity. Though both Francophone and Anglophone identities are admittedly colonial, this article argues that it is biased to use this argument only when the preservation of Anglophone identity in the nation is evoked. Since Francophones gladly use their colonial bequests (French language, educational and judiciary systems), the same freedom ought to be conceded to Anglophones without any attempts at annexation. Hence, this paper underscores the responsibility of Francophone leadership in causing a generalised sentiment of frustration in Anglophones. It also emphasizes the need for Anglophones (like all dominated people) not to miss the target of their struggle. Postcolonialism is used in this paper to discuss the central issue of marginalization with which Anglophone Cameroon poetry grapples for decades. This theory helps analyse the fragmentation of formerly colonised nations like Cameroon – fragmentations which still make perceptible the shadow of French and British colonisation over the country. The study arrives at the conclusion that Mbuh’s poetry is a reminder addressed to Anglophone consciousness about the need, not to fight themselves, but reason with the divisive sexagenarian Francophone Establishment.},
 year = {2021}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Brother or Broader: Marginalisation in Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s The Oracle of Tears
AU  - Gilda Nicheng Forbang-Looh
AU  - De Noumedem Peter Caleb
Y1  - 2021/03/22
PY  - 2021
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12
T2  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JF  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
JO  - International Journal of Literature and Arts
SP  - 55
EP  - 62
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2331-057X
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijla.20210902.12
AB  - This article seeks to analyse Mbuh Tennu Mbuh’s depiction of the Anglophone problem in Cameroon in his poetry collection, The Oracle of Tears. Mbuh’s poems indicate that this problem is caused by the duplicity of the Francophone leadership in the country. This leadership, from 1961 till date, has not treated the Anglophone as a brother but has instead devised strategies to broaden its power through the erosion of Anglophone identity and the corrosion of Anglophones’ political weight in the state. This state of affairs has nurtured a sentiment of marginalisation in many Anglophone Cameroonians. Marginalisation in this paper is understood as a series of political actions undertaken by Cameroon’s Francophone leadership to stifle effective self-governance in Anglophone regions and reduce the latter’s identity to a varnish for decreed national unity. Though both Francophone and Anglophone identities are admittedly colonial, this article argues that it is biased to use this argument only when the preservation of Anglophone identity in the nation is evoked. Since Francophones gladly use their colonial bequests (French language, educational and judiciary systems), the same freedom ought to be conceded to Anglophones without any attempts at annexation. Hence, this paper underscores the responsibility of Francophone leadership in causing a generalised sentiment of frustration in Anglophones. It also emphasizes the need for Anglophones (like all dominated people) not to miss the target of their struggle. Postcolonialism is used in this paper to discuss the central issue of marginalization with which Anglophone Cameroon poetry grapples for decades. This theory helps analyse the fragmentation of formerly colonised nations like Cameroon – fragmentations which still make perceptible the shadow of French and British colonisation over the country. The study arrives at the conclusion that Mbuh’s poetry is a reminder addressed to Anglophone consciousness about the need, not to fight themselves, but reason with the divisive sexagenarian Francophone Establishment.
VL  - 9
IS  - 2
ER  -

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