The Cameroonian Novel of English Expression. An Introduction: An Introduction

Biographical Notes on the Novelists

Biographical Notes on the Novelists Margaret Afuh Mrs Mba, née Margaret Afuh was born in Batibo, Momo Division, in the North-West Province of Cameroon. She attended PSS Batibo and CCAST Bambili before proceeding to the University of Yaoundé I and Créteil in Paris whence she graduated with a degree in Bilingual Studies in 1982. She worked as a translator in the former National Produce Marketing Board before entering the Higher School of Education (ENS) Yaoundé in 1990. She has been teaching literature in high schools. A multitalented woman, Margaret Afuh doubles as Secretary of the Women’s Writers Association and Vice-Secretary of Anglophone Cameroon Writers’ Association (ACWA). Currently she is the Provincial Pedagogic Inspector for English in the SouthWest Province. Alobwed’Epie Alobwed’Epie was born in Ngomboku in Kupe-Muanenguba Division in the South-West Province of Cameroon. He studied at the Universities of Yaoundé and Leeds. An Associate Professor, he teaches Creative Writing and Sociolinguistics at the University of Yaoundé I where he is also Head of the English Department. Linus T. Asong Born in 1947 in Fotabong in the South-West Province of Cameroon, L.T. Asong attended St Joseph’s College Sasse before proceeding to three Universities from where he obtained the following degrees: a B.A. (Hons) Cape Coast, Ghana; an M.A. English – Creative Writing (Windsor Canada), and an M.A./Ph.D. Comparative Literature (Alberta). Formerly President of Anglophone Creative Writers’ Association (ACWA), he is Associate Professor and teaches literature at ENS Annexe Bambili (University of Yaoundé I). His other publications include Chopchair and two joke books: Laughing Store Volume I and Volume II. Professor Asong has more novels in the pipeline. 206 The Cameroonian Novel of English Expression: An Introduction Tah Asongwed Born in Baforchu, Bamenda, in the North-West Province of Cameroon, Tah Asongwed attended Sacred Heart College Mankon and CCAST Bambili. He then worked briefly for Radio Cameroon, Buea, where he launched a popular nation-wide programme called ‘Variety Show’. He later attended the Universities of Ottawa, Toronto, Massachusetts (Amherst), Paris III (Sorbonne – Nouvelle) and ESTICE, Lille. Tah Asongwed has worked as a full-time lecturer in the School of Translators and Interpreters of Laurentian University (Sudbury, Canada), and as an interpreter – translator for the West Africa Rice Development Association. He later worked as a senior interpreter with the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. He is a member of the International Association of Conference Interpreters (AIIC). Mbella Sonne Dipoko Born in 1936 in Douala in the Littoral Province of (Francophone) Cameroun, Mbella Sonne Dipoko grew up in Anglophone Cameroon and Nigeria. In 1958 he joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation and became a News Reporter. In 1960 he went to live in France, and for some time was on the editorial staff of Présence Africaine. He then read law at the University of Paris. In addition to his two novels treated in this study, Dipoko has published a collection of poems: Black and White in Love (1972). He now lives in Tiko in the South-West Province and continues to write poetry. Nsanda Eba Nsanda Eba was born on September 21, 1936 in Mbo, Meme Division in the South-West Province of Cameroon. He attended St Joseph’s College, Sasse, before proceeding to Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology Enugu, the University of Nigeria Nsukka, and then University of Exeter, England. He has a B.Sc in Mathematics and an M.A. in Education. He has been a Chargé d’Enseignement at the Ecole Normale Supérieure Bambili, and a Provincial Pedagogic Adviser on Mathematics, North-West Province. His other publications include A Revision Course in Pure Mathematics, and The Good Foot (an adolescent novel). 207 Biographical Notes on the Novelists Kenjo Jumbam Kenjo Jumbam was born in Banso, Bui Division, in the North-West Province of Cameroon. He attended Government Teacher Training College, Kumba, College of Arts, Science and Technology (CCAST) Bambili, University of Yaoundé and University of Leeds, England. He had a B.A. and an M.Lit. Formerly a secondary school teacher in Bafia and Mbengwi, he also worked at Centre National Pour l’Education, Yaoundé. He served as Private Secretary to the late Professor Bernard Fonlon when the latter was a Minister in President Ahmadou Ahidjo’s regime. His other published works include Lukong and the Leopard (Heinemann) and ‘Do Me I Do You’ (Mould...