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241 33 Non Dimittis, Domine M an plans and God unplans. I had planned to sing my nunc dimittis about now. You remember Simeon, don’t you? Yes, the Simeon of the New Testament, “the upright and devout man” of Jerusalem who witnessed Jesus’ “presentation in the temple.” You can read that remarkable story in Luke Chapter Two, or don’t you have a bible? God had promised Pa Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. So, when Pa took the Saviour in his arms, he was overwhelmed with joy and praised and thanked God saying: Now, Lord, you may discharge and dismiss your servant, for I don’t mind dying, now that my own eyes have seen the salvation which you promised toyour long suffering people. I had begged God not to let me relax my commitment, not to discharge and release me from my self-imposed duty and not to let me die until I had seen democracy, meritocracy, fair play and justice in Cameroon. I had planned to chant my nunc dimittis about now when we all expected a new and truly democratic parliament would be inaugurated, ending three decades of two successive dictatorships. But who would have imagined that the New Deal dictatorship of His Excellency Paul Beer, and its evil geniuses, surrogates and associates, would demonstrate such Machiavellian cleverness in subverting the democratic struggle and hanging on to power? So, instead of singing my nunc dimittis, I am now forced to sing: NON DIMITTIS, DOMINO. May the Lord not discharge me or allow me to die before the coming of Kabila, before the advent and victorious triumph of him who will deliver us from the strangulating grip of a band of hardened criminals who fear neither man nor God. 242 Road Companion to Democracy and Meritocracy Had we had our democratic breakthrough and had I been able to chant my nunc dimittis. I would have dropped my pen for good and you would not ever read Gobata again on the pages of any newspaper, though you would surely read him between the covers of some books. This is the 33rd edition of IN THE SPIRIT, a sacred number we can respect with a pause. So this will be a pause and not a termination, a comma (,) and not a full stop (.). This column will resume in exactly the same format and under the same rubric in the very foreseeable future. During the interim, if anyone starts telling you that Gobata has gone on exile, know that that is patently false, that your informant is a liar. Gobata is not the exile-going type. Why should I go on exile when those who ought to go on exile for having destroyed this beautiful country are gambolling around cockily with the air of private owners of this rough triangle? Those who were speculating during my last meditative retreat that I had gone on exile have not read Gobata or have read without understanding. During this pause, I will be available, if anyone wants to see me eye to eye. If you reach Djoungolo and ask anybody, even any small pickin, s/he will show you my favourite Off-License where I usually quench my thirst, or even bring you to my domicile. Whenever I will resume this column, even if it is through a different medium, know that I am the one and don’t believe those who will be suggesting that someone else is trying to impersonate Gobata. Those who really know me cannot mistake anyone else for me anywhere or at any time. I have my equals and betters, but no one can successfully impersonate Gobata while I am still breathing, unless and until such a person has received and is thoroughly imbued and suffused with the spirit of Gobata. A daughter of the son of Gobata is in the process of being groomed, but it will take more than a decade before she starts her public ministry. So I will surely be back, sooner than later, to continue crying out for democracy and meritocracy, for justice and fair play. I will be back to continue denouncing, without equivocation, without fear of favour, dictatorship and mediocrity, fraud and thievery, injustice and foul play. Until ... the advent of the Saviour, the coming of Kabila;... until we see salvation. In the interim, I will seize the opportunity to redress certain mundacities connected with this [3.141.41.187] Project MUSE (2024-04...

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