University of Nigeria Research Publications

UGWUEZE, Uche L.T.

PG/MA/90/9228

Title

Iconoclasm in the Novels of Mongo Belt

Facu

lty

Arts

Dep

artm

ent

English

Dat

e August, 1992

Sign

atur

e

ICONOCLASM I N THE NOVELS OF MONGO BETI

UGidUELE , UCHE LYNN-TiJIILSA

( R E G . NO. ~ ~ / ~ ~ / 9 0 / 9 2 2 8 )

DEPARTMLNT OF ENGLISH

U N I V E R S I ' L ' Y Ul.' NIGERIA, NSUKKA

AUGUST, 2992.

0

ICONOCLASM I N THC NOVLLS OF MONGO BGTI

UGVVULLE, UCHE LYNN-TLRCSA

(RLG. NO. PG/Mi i /90 /9228)

A U G U S T , 1992

APPROVAL

This pro jcct r e p o r t 'has been approved f o r

t h e D e p a r t m e n t of L n g l i s h , U n i v e r s i t y of N i g e r i a ,

N s u k k a

CERTIFICATION

UWUEZE , UCHE LYNN-TERIXSA, a p o s t g r a d u a t e

s t u d e n t i n t h e D e p a r t m e n t of E n g l i s h , and w i t h t h e

Reg, No, ~G/Mk/90 /9228 , h a s s a t i s f a c t o r i l y

cornple t e d t h e r e q u i r e m e n t s f o r c o u r s e and r e s e a r c h

work f o r t h e d e g r e e of Ma3;ter o f A r t s i n E n g l i s h ,

The work embodied i n t h i s t h e s i s is o r i g i n a l

and h a s n o t b e e n s u b m i t t e d i n p a r t or f u l l f o r a n y

o t h e r d i p l o m a or d e g r e e of t h i s or a n y o t h e r

U n i v c r s i t y ,

iii

DEDICATION

TO .

Chikky and C h e r r y , t h e t w i n s

of t h e c e n t u r y 1

PREFACE

I c o n o c l a s m as a c o n c e p t i n l i t e r a t u r e r u n s

t h r o u g h t h e n o v e l s of Mongo B e t i . T h e s e n o v e l s re-

f lect B e t i ' s p r e - o c c u p a t i o n i n l i t e r a t u r e , a n

a t t a c k on t h e F r e n c h c o l o n i a l e x e r c i s e a n d a r e j e c t i o n

o f t h e u n d e s i r a b l e a s p e c t s o f o u r A f r i c a n c i v i l i s a t i o n .

H i s f i r s t n o v e l The P o o r C h r i s t o f Bomba ?1956),

i s a t o n g u e - i n - c h e e k satire o f C a t h o l i c i s m a n d

c o i o n i a l e x p l o i t a t i o n i n Africa w h i l e M i s s i o n to ~ a l a ?

h i s s e c o n d n o v e l , g e n e r a l l y d r a r n a t i s e s Mongo B e t i ' s

d e n u n c i a t i o n of t h e F r e n c h E d u c a t i o n a l S y s tern.

Kinq ~ a z a r u s 3 (1970) r i d i c u l e s t h e t r a d i t i o n a l c h i e f -

t a i n c y i n s t i t u t i o n a l b e i t s a t i r i s i n g t h e s u p e r i m p o s i t i o n

of c h r i s t i a n i t y on a p e g p l e . Remember ~ u b e n f (1983) ,

a t t a c k s t h e n e o - c o l o n i a l set u p a n d t h e u n s c r u p u l o u s

i n d i g e n o u s l e a d e r s h i p i n n e w l y i n d e p e n d e n t A f r i c a n

s o c i e t i e s . One c a n t h e r e f o r e , d e s c r i b e h i s work a s

b e l o n g i n g t o t h e p r o t e s t t r a d i t i o n . However, h i s

i s a p r o t e s t - w i t h a d i f f e r e n c e . His w o r k s r e v e a l a

new c o n s c i o u s n e s s , ~ t h a s e x p a n d e d t h e c o n c e p t

from i t s n e g a t i v e d i s p o s i t i o n t o a p o s i t i v e e f f o r t

a t r e j e c t i n g a r a t h e r a u s t e r e s y s t e m , i n a n e f f o r t

t o r e v i v e t h e people% c o n f i d e n c e i n t h e m s e l v e s ,

w i t h t h e aim of c h a n g i n g t h e s o c i e t y . The re i s . t h e

. e x p e c t e d d e s i r e i n t h e p e o p l e t o th row o f f t h e t a g : <

of a d e c u l t u r e d p e o p l e , - T h e r e i s a l s o t h e need fo r .

t h e p e o p l e t o reflect on t h e u n d e s i r a b l e a s p e c t s

of o u r so-called A f r i c a n c i v i li s a t i o n . Mongo

B e t i , t h e r e f o r e j U l a u g h s a t b o t h sides of t h e

ques t i on .115 By so d o i n g h e m a i n t a i n s a . b a l a n c e

which p l a c e s h i s works above p r o t e s t l i t e r a t u r e .

" S i n c e I c o n o c l a s m c a n make a p e o p l e c o n s c i o u s ,

s i n c e i t c a n r e v i v e p e o p l a c o n f i d e n c e i n t h e m s e l v e s ,

and as s u c h p r o d u c e s u c h p o s i t i v e c o n s e q u e n c e s as

r e v o l u t i o n , c r e a t i v i t y , g r ~ w t h o r d i s c o v e r y , i h i s

t h e writer's v iew t h a t i t i s n o t e n t i r e l y a n e g a t i v e

c o n c e p t ; i c o n o c l a s m t h e r e f o r e i s s a n e , f o r w a r d

l o o k i n g and r e s u l t o r i e n t e d .

A l though s e v e r a l c o m m e n t a r i e s abound on t h e

works of Mongo B e t i , no s e r i o u s e x p o s i t i o n h a s

b e e n made on t h e u n d e r l y i n g c o n c e p t o f i c o n o c l a s m

i n h i s works.

The methodology for c a r r y i n g o u t t h i s r e s e a r c h

i s r e a d i n g and a n a l y s i n g t h e t e x t s u n d e r s t u d y .

The main c h a r a c t e r s w i l l be examined a s r e p r e s e n t a -

t i v e s of t h e p o p u l . a t i o n , Minor c h a r a c t a r s who

c j n c e y t w i l l be s t u d i e d .

T h i s s t u d y i s l i m i t e d t o i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e

c o n c e p t of Iconocl.asrn a s i t a f f e c t s t h e s o c i a l ,

p o l i t i c a l and economic l i f e of t h e p e o p l e i n t h e

B e l o w is t h e work ing o u t l i n e t o be a d o p t e d

Zhapter m e : I n t r o d u c t i o n

The C o l o n i a l and O t h e r R o o t s of Mongo B e t i ' s

I conoc l a sm.

of Mongo Beti's Iconoc las rnr A s t u d y of he P o o r

C l ~ r i s t o f Bornha and Kinq Lazarus .

Chapte r ' Three : Mongo D e t i ' s Demyst i f i c a t i o n of The

F rench E d u c a t i o n a l and P o l i t i c a l Sys tems: A

S t u d y o f M i s s i o n To Kala and Remember Ruben.

C h a p t e r Four : Mongo B e t i 1 s N a r r a t i v e Scheme A s

Too l f o r H i s I c o n o c l a s m m

C h a p t e r F i v e : Conc lus ion .

v i i

'Yonqo R e t i , The Poor ? h r i . s t of Romba. t r a n s . ? e r ~ l d Poore , (Lond m: Yeinevann Zduc. Rooks, Ltd . , 1971 ).

2 Mongo P e t i . , Vissi on t o K a l n t r a n s , P e t e r Green. ( ~ o n d n n : Heinemann Educ. Books T,td., l qb4 . j

3~Oni.o P e t i , Kin L a z a r u s t r n n s . F r e d e r i c k M u l l e r . (1,andon: Fleinemann 7F T;: uc. nooks L t d . , 19'/0),

'wongo B e t i , Remember 9uben t r n n s . G e r a l d Moore. ( I b s d a n : New Horn P r e s s , 1983) .

5 , ~ e n n e t t e Mncaulay. "The Idea of A s s i m i l a t i o n : Mon,~o F e t i and C ~ r n 2 r a Layelf i n Cosmos P i e t e r s e . and Donald Yunro eds. P r o t e s t and C o n f l l c t i n .4f'rican L i t e r a t u r e (T,onclm: Heinemann, 19b9) p. @9. ,.;

I e x p r e s s my deep a p p r e c i a t i o n t o my s u p e r v i ~ o r

D r . N.F. Inyama f o r t h e prompt a t t e n t i o n and u s e f u l

suggestions he gave me a t e v e r y s t a g e o f t h i s work. I am,

t o suy the l e a s t , g r a t e f u l .

My l o v e and s i n c e r e r e g a r d s go t o my wonderfu l

husband D r . Godwin Chuka Ugwueze, who s a c r i f i c e d a l o t

t c e n a b l e m e comple t e t h i s work.

I a l s o owe g r a t i t u d e t o Anayo, my p a r e n t s : Mr and

h k s , &.O. Okafox- end my t y p i s t Miss A i d a h N. Nwankwo f o r

And t o my d a r l i n g Chiboy, f o r beinp; a p a t i e n t '

lud t o a met;hcr g lued t o her bookti.

'1'0 *my l o v e l y t w i n s , Chikky and Cher ry , t h a n k s

f o r c r y i n g j u s t a l i t t l e w h i l e 1 was &way.

Nay God b l e s s YOU a l l .

Uc he-Lynn-Teresa Ugwueze.

T h e C o l o n i a l and O t h e r R o o t s of M o n g o Bc ti s I c o n o c l a s m . . .

CI 1 ~ P ' r l ; R 'I'lJO: C u L O I J I A L I S M AN11 C H I I I L T I A N I T Y AS HOOTS OF BETI 1s

TCONUCLASM: A S ' r U D Y OF TIIL PO013 C H R I S T OF BOMUA AT KING L A L A R U S .

Cl IAPTER TtIHdL;: : M 0 1 l G 0 B E T I S U E M Y S T I F I C A T I O N OF TIlE F R E N C H E D U C A T I O N A L AND P O L I T I C A L S Y S T E M S : A S T U D Y OF MISSION TO K A L A AND REMEMULtl R U B E N .

p &?;

i

ii

iii

i v

v i i

v i i i

i x

The O x f o r d E n q l i s h p i c t i o n a r y d e f i n e s

i c o n o c l a s m as " t h e a k t a c k i n g o r o v e r t h r o w o f

v e n e r a t e d i n s t i t u t i c m s a n d c h e r i s h e d beliefs re-

g a r d e d as f a l l a c i o u s o r s u p e r s t i t i o u s u . ' ~ l s o

A.F. S c o t t , i n C u r r e n t L i t e r a r y Terms , d e f i n e s

l l I c o n l l as "an i m a g e or a s t a t u e . . . r e g a r d e d a s

sacredll. He g o e s o n to d e s c r i b e a n i c o n o c l a s t as

loone who a s s a i l s e s t a b l i s h e d . or c h e r i s h e d beliefs." 2

An i c o n o c l a s t q u e s t i o n s w h a t t h e s o c i e t y r e v e r s and

w o n d e r s why i t m u s t r e m a i n . I n t h i s w o r k ,

t h e r e f o r e , w e w i l l s t u d y i c o n o c l a s m a s an a t t a c k on

t h e s t a t u s - q u o . I c o n o c l a s m s h a l l a l so be s t u d i e d a s

a r e j e c t i o n o f some b e l i e f s , i n s t i t u t i o n s and

p h i l o s o p h i e s , w h i c h Mongo B e t i , o n e o f t h e p i o n e e r s

o f t h e West A f r i c a n n o v e l i n F r e n c h c o n s i d e r s

m i s t a k e n and i l l a p p l i e d w i t h i n t h e A f r i c a n wor'ld-

v i e w and i n t h e c o l o n i a l e n c o u n t e r . T h i s s t u d y

s e e k s t o show how t h e n o v e l i s t u s e s c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n ,

i r o n y , s a t i r e and s i t u a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g h i s t o r y

t o r e b e l a g a i n s t t h e c o l o n i a l e n c o u n t e r , t h e

c h i e f t a i n c y i n s t i t u t i o n i n p r e and p o s t c o l o n i a l

A f r i c a , t h e derl igraticl in cf women i f 1 t h e A f r i c a n

s o c i e t y and polygamy, The ~ s s i m i l a t i o n p o l i c y and

above a l l c h r i s t i a n i t y and t h e F rench e d u c a t i o n a l

s y s tem, i n c l u d i n g t h e c o l o n i a l "cercleI1. a s t o o l s

o f c o l o n i a l i s m w i l l b e h i g h l i g h t e d . T h i s w i l l

e x p o s e Mongo B e t i s t o n g u e - i n - c h e e k p r e s e n t a -

t i o n of t h e F r e n c h c o l o n i a l e x e r c i s e i n A f r i c a a s

w e l l a s t h e e x p l o i t a t i o n of ~ f r i c a n s by t h e i r

f e l l o w A f r i c a n s ,

A l e x a n d r e B i y i d i who writes u n d e r t h e pen name

of Mongo B e t i was b o r n i n 1932 i n Mbalmayo n e a r f

y ~ " ~ * ~ a r n e r o o n . He r e c e i v e d a Roman C a t h o l i c

e d u c a t i o n i n p r e p a r a t i o n f o r t h e p r i e s t h o o d b u t

l e f t t h e Seminary a f t e r a m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g w i t h t h e

m i s s i o n a r i e s , tie e v e n t u a l l y e n r o l l e d i n a 1 y c e e

~ a o u n i l e ' where h e took h i s b a c c a l a u r e a t . H e l a t e r

p r o c e e d e d t o Aix-en- P r o v e n c e and t h e So rbonne , b o t h

i n F r a n c e , f o r f u r t h e r s t u d i e s and a f t e r w a r d s h'e

t a u g h t i n a number of l y c e e s i n F rance .

Mongo B e t i h a s had a p r o l o n g e d s o j o u r n i n F r a n c e

b e c a u s e o f h i s p o l i t i c a l d i f f e r e n c e w i t h t h e f i r s t

P r e s i d e n t , of h i s c o u n t r y , Hhmadu Ahid j o , Whi le

i n P a r i s , h e founded t h e r a d i c a l P e u p l e s Noir, P e u p l e s

A f r i c a i n s , a j o u r n a l which p r o v i d e d a fo rum for

C a m e r o o n i a n s i n e x i l e to l a u n c h attacks o n b o t h

t h e n e o - c o l o n i a l s z t u p a t home and t h e e m e r g e n t u n s c r u p u l o u s L . , i n d i g e n o u s l e a d e r s h i p . I n h i s p o l i t i c a l

t reat ise ," The Rape of Cameroonf t , h e ca l l s h h i d jo a

p u p p e t p l a c e d i n power b y F r a n c e w i t h t h e i n t e n t i o n

of m a i n t a i n i n g t h e i r e c o n o m i c i n t e r e s t s b e h i n d

t h e s c r e e n of an q r t i f i c i a l independence . ' T h i s

v i e w h e f u r t h e r dramatises i n Remember Huben, -

A v e r y s t r o n g i n f l u e n c e i n Mongo B e t i ' s n o v e l s

i s h i s close c o n t a c t w i t h C a t h o l i c i s m . H i s ex -

p e r i e n c e as a n a c o l y t e is reflected i n t h e t h e m e s

a n d c h a r a c t e r s o f h i s novels. The w o n t s i n h i s

n o v e l s are p a r t l y b u i l t on c o n f l i c t s a r i s i n g from

e n c o u n t e r s b e t w e e n c h r i s t i a n i t y a n d t h e ~ f r i c a n

t r a d i t i o n , T h e r e i s a l so t h i s soc ia l commitment

i n B e t i , t o reflect a s p e c t s of h i s s o c i e t y , good

o r b a d , w i t h t h e i n t e n t i o n t o b r i n g a b o u t p o s i t i v e

c h a n g e , He f o r c e s h i s c h a r a c t e r s t o c o n s i d e r t h e

r o l e t h e y a r e s u p p o s e d to p l a y i n s o c i e t y , The

c o n s e q u e n c e i s t h a t t h e c h a r a c t e r s rebel a g a i n s t

a l l t h o s e i n f l u e n c e s t h a t h a v e , so f a r moulded t h e i r

l i v s s , We see h i s d e r i s i v e l a u g h t e r , t h e r e f o r e ,

a t c o l o n i a l i s m a n d some a s p e c t s of t h e s o - c a l l e d

~ f r i c a n c i v i l i s a t i o n a n d c u l t u r e ,

H i s career as a c r e a t i v e a ' t i s t , began wikh

V i l l e C1:uell.e ( C r u e l C i t y ) p u b l i s h e d i n 1 9 5 4 undelr

t h e pseudonym E z a Uoto , .There i s , i n t h e n o v e l ,

a n a t t e m p t t o deal w i t h a human s i t u a t i o n a l t h o u g h

t h e v i c i s s i t u d e s o f t h e p r o t a g o n i s t s are i n l a r g e

m e a s u r e d u e t o a d v e r s e e c o n o m i c c i r c u m s t a n c e s

r e s u l t i n g f r o m t h e c o l o n i a ' l r e g i m e a n d t h e b r u t a l i t y

a n d c o r r u p t i o n o f ' t h e w h i t e c o l o n i a l i s t s t h e m s e l v e s ,

~ e i e , h e w a s n o t o n l y c o n c e r n e d w i t h p o l i t i c o -

s o c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s b u t w i t h t h e human - c o n f l i a t s

t h a t r e s u l t from s u c h i n s t i t u t i o n s a n d a c t i v i t i e s .

jif ter C r w l City, t h e o k h c r n o v e l s , f o l l o w e d i n o r d e r

o f p u b l i c a t i o n . T h e s e n o v e l s r e f l e c t H e t i I s

p r e o c c u p a t i o n i n l i t e r a t u r e ; a n a t t a c k o n t h e

F r e n c h c o l o n i a l e x e r c i s e a n d a r e j e c t i o n o f some

s o - c a l l e d a s p e c t s of A f r i c a n c i v i l i s a t i o n . - The

P o o r ~ h r i s - t 0.f Bomba ( 1 9 5 6 ) i s a tongue- in -cheek

s a t i r e o f C a t h o l i c i s m i n A f r i c a w h i l e M i s s i o n To

Kala ( 1 9 5 7) g e n e r a l l y dramatises Mongo B e t i ' s - -

d e n u n c i a t i o n o f t h e F r e n c h L d u c a t i o n a l Sys tem. K i n g

L a z a r u s r . i d i c u l e s t h e t r a d i t i o n a l c h i e f t a i n c y - i n s t i t u t i o n , a l b e i t s a t i r i s i n g t h e s u p e r i m p o s i t i o n

o f c h r i s t i a n i t y on a p e o p l e . Remember Ruben

a t t a c k s t h e n e o - a o l o n i a l set u p , and t h e u n s c r u p u l o u s

i n d i g e n o u s l e a d e r s h i p i n n e w l y i n d e p e n d e n t A f r i c a n

societies, Mongo B e t i *s w o r k s , t h e r e f o r e , r e v e a l

a new c o n s c i o u s n e s s ; t h e desire t o t h r o w o f f t h e

t a g of a d e c u l t u r e d p e o p l e as w e l l a s reject t h e

u n d e s i r a b l e a s p e c t s of o u r c u l t u r e , T h e r e s u l t i s

s a n i t y , a b a l a n c e d c i v i l i s a t i o n a n d p r o g r e s s . ,

I c o n o c l a s m t h e r e f o r e i s saoe, f o r w a r d - l o o k i n g a n d

" r e s u l t - o r i e n t e d ,

Mongo B e t i 1 s n o v e l s ref lect t h e g r i m r ea l i t i e s

of c o l o n i a l i s m a n d t o some e x t e n t t h e p o l i t i c a l

e m a n c i p a t i o n of Cameroon, T h e r e i s a l s o a n u n d e r -

l y i n g r e v o l t a g a i n s t . some t r a d i t i o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s

a s w e l l as a s p e c t s of A f r i c a n c i v i l i s a t i o n w h i c h

B e t i n o t e s d i d n o t h e l p t h e p e o p l e , i n c o m p a r i s o n

w i t h c o l o n i a l i s m , A l l t h e s e are k , n o t t e d t o g e t h e r

a n d d e l i v e r e d i n h i s u s u a l comic a n d s a t i r i c a l t o n e .

T h e c o l o n i a l h i s t o r y of Cameroon da tes t e r r i t o r y

b a c k f r o m 1884 when t h e L i w a s o c c u p i e d b y

tbe Germans . W i t h t h e t r e a t y of Versailles i n 1919,

t h i s o c c u p a t i o n ceased. T h e N o r t h , S o u t h . a n d t h e

East were g i v e n to F r a n c e w h i l e t h e West w e n t t o

6

B r i t a i n , A s a r e s u l t of t h e 1960 p l e b i s c i t e , t h e

N o r t h e r n p a r t o f B r i t i s h Cameroon became p a r t o f

N i g e r i a w h i l e t h e S o u t h e r n s e c t i o n , o p t e d for F r e n c h

Cameroon. F r a n c e g r a n t e d h e r p a r t s i n d e p e n d e n c e i n

1 9 6 1 , Today b o t h t h e Franco-phone a n d t h e Anglo-

p h o n e s e c t i o n s are u n i t e d u n d e r a 1972 p o l i t i c a l

a r r a n g e m e n t w h i c h h a s erased t h e autonomy of t h e

d i f f e r e n t l i n g u i s t i c c o m m u n i t i e s a n d t r a n s f o r m e d

' t h e c o u n t r y i n t o "La R e p u b l i q u e Unie d u Cameroun"

( T h e U n i t e d R e p u b l i c o f Cameroon) , B e t i r e f l e c t s

t h i s p o l i t i c a l h i s t o r y and how i t h a s a f f e c t e d

the social l i v e s of t h e p e o p l e ,

The p o l i t i c a l a r r a n g e m e n t i n F r e n c h Cameroon

reflects F r a n c e ' s c o l o n i a l p o l i c y i n Afr ica a n d

N e s t ~ n i i e s , The b l u e - p r i n t was .drawn u n d e r

G e n e r a l F a i d h e r b e ' s s u p e r v i s i o n f o r t h e c o n t r o l o f

w h a t came t o be known as " F r e n c h b l a c k A f r i c a " ,

By May, 1854, t h i s c o n s t i t u t i o n became a l e g a l

d o c u m e n t u s e d i n F r e n c h A f r i c a n c o u n t r i e s .

P r o m i n e n t among t h e p o l i c i e s o f t h i s document

r e f l e c t e d i n t h e n o v e l s are The A s s i m i l a t i o n P o l i c y ;

u s i n g t h e F r e n c h E d u c a t i o n a l S y s t e m a n d C h r i s t i a n i t y

as t o o l s , t h e c h i e f t a i n c y i n s t i t u t i o n and t h e

c o l o n i a l 'cerclel. I t was by i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of

t h e s e p o l i c i e s t h a t French d o m i n e e r i n g i n f l u e n c e

r e s t e d on t h e A f r i c a n c o n t i n e n t , Mongo B e t i

e x p l o r e s them i n h i s n o v e l s showing t h e r a t i o n a l e

f o r t h e i r a d o p t i o n and s u b s e q u e n t i m p l e m e n t a t i o n .

The A s s i m i l a t i o n P o l i c y was t h e p o l i c y on

which t h e whee l o f F r e n c h c o l o n i a l e x e r c i s e re-

v o l v e d , I t meant a s y s t e m o f a b s o r b i n g t h e A f r i c a n

i n t o F r e n c h na t ionhood . T h e r e were t w o t h e o r i e s

o f a s s i m i l a t i o n : one a d v o c a t e d p e r s o n a l a s s i m i l a t i o n

o f t h e p e o p l e s i n t h e c o l o n i e s ; t h e o t h e r c a l l e d

f o r o n l y a d m i n i s t r a t i v e , p o l i t i c a l o r economic

i d e n t i t y be tween F r a n c e and h e r o v e r s e a s terri t u r i e s .

A l l o f t h e s e , however , aimed a t a s s e r t i n g t h e

e q u a l i t y of a l l men, i r r e s p e c t i v e of r a c e and c u l t u r e ,

I ts p r o p o n e n t s were u n i t e d i n t h e b e l i e f t h a t t h e r e

was no d i f f e r e n c e betwee? men which e d u c a t i o n c o u l d

n o t e l i m i n a t e , . App l i ed s t r i c t l y , i t was e x p e c t e d

t h a t t h e A f r i c a n c o l o n i a l s u b j e c t s h o u l d be a c c o r d e d

a l l t h e r i g h t s , p r i v i l e g e s , and d u t i e s o f a French-

man, . I n i m p l e m e n t a t i o n t h e ~ r e n c h n e g a t e d a l l t h e s e

p r i n c i p l e s . They e n d o r s e d t h e race-myth: t h a t t h e

Negro i s e i t h e r a c l e a n page "wi th no i n h e r i t e d

p e r s o n a l i t y , c u l t u r a l v a l u e s o r i n s t i t u t i o n s o r t h a t

w h a t h e h a d were ' E a r b a r o u s p r i m i t i v e o r p u e r i l e . 11 4

The A f r i c a n , s o o n , d i s c o v e r s t h a t h e c a n n o t become

a F r e n c h c i t i z e n d e s p i t e h i s g e n u i n e p o t e n t i a l s a n d

h i s W e s t e r n e d u c a t i o n . T h i s a p p e a r s t o be t h e

r e a s o n f o r t h e I c o n o c l a s t i c s t a n c e of most West

A f r i c a n n o v e l i s t s o f t h e F r e n c h e x p r e s s i o n , i n c l u d i n g

Mongo B e t i . They h a v e l o s t c o n t a c t w i t h t h e i r r o o t s

h u r r i e d l y p u r s u i n g F r e n c h i d e a l s a n d c i t i z e n s h i p

o n l y t o realise t h a t i t was n o t a t t a i n a b l e ,

C h r i s t i a n i t y a n d c h r i s t i a n - o r i e n t e d e d u c a t i o n w e r e

t h e main t o o l s f o r t h e p r o p a g a t i o n of t h e a s s i m i l a -

t i o n p o l i c y , T h a t a c c o u n t s f o r B e t i ' s d r a m a t i s a t i o n

o f t h e o b n o x i o u s a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e c h r i s t i a n c h u r c h

i n %!he P o o r C h r i s t o f Bomba and t h e i n a d e q u a c y o f

F r e n c h e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m a s reflected i n J e a n -

M a r i e M e d z a ' s h a l f b a k e d e d u c a t i o n i n M i s s i o n to Kala.

~ h e s e c o n s t i t u t e tools e m p l o y e d b y t h e F r e n c h t o

e n t e e n c h t h e m s e l v e s a n d a l s o t o d i s i l l u s i o n t h e

A f r i c a n a b o u t h i m s e l f a n d h i s w o r l d ,

The F r e n c h E d u c a t i o n a l S y s t e m was t h e most

i m p o r t a n t t o o l f o r t h e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n of t h e P o l i c y

of A s s i m i l a t i o n ,

By t h e p o l i c y of a s s i m i l a t i o n , t h e A f r i c a n

s o c i e t y w a s p u t t h r o u g h a t h o r o u g h l y F r e n c h S y s t e m

of e d u c a t i o n w i t h t h e i n t e n t i o n of making them " b l a c k

Frenchmen .It The P r e - s c h o o l i n s t i t u t i o n s of F r a n c e ,

E c o l e m a t e r n e l l e and t h e Ecole P r i m a i r e , w h i c h

p r e p a r e s o n e f o r F r e n c h a d u l t l i f e were i n t r o d u c e d

i n t h e c o l o n i e s , E d u c a t i o n was f a s h i o n e d s o much

a l o n g close l i n e s w i t h F r a n c e t h a t b l a c k b o y s

" s a t o n t h e i r s c h o o l b e n c h e s from Dahomey t o D a k a r ,

from C o n a k r y t o t h e Congo, r e c i t i n g t h e i r l e s s o n s

i n F r e n c h b e g i n n i n g w i t h l l o u r a n c e s t o r s t h e G a u l s

had f a i r h a i r end b l u e e y e . s O t l 5 From h i s f i r s t

d a y i n s c h o o l , t h e , s c h o o l b o y w a s f o r b i d d e n t o

s p e a k h i s n a t i v e l a n g u a g e o r a n y o t h e r l a n g u a g e

t h a n F r e n c h , The s c h o o l s y s t e m f o l l o w e d t h e same D

s y l l a b u s a n d u s e d t h e same t e x t b o o k s as t h o s e i n

F r a n c e , The s u b j e c t s w h i c h were so remote from t h e

A f r i c a n c h i l d k m i l i e u and e x p e r i e n c e are c o m m u n i c a t e d

t o him i n a l a n g u a g e w h i c h i s as , a l i e n as t h e ideas

b e i n g p r o p a g a t e d . T h i s was b e c a u s e t e a c h i n g was

i n F r e n c h a n d t h e a c q u i s i t i o n o f a good k n o w l e d g e

of the l a n g u a g e was t h e f i rs t o b j e c t i v e a n d a n

e s s e n t i a l p a r t of t h e t e a c h i n g programme. Even as

l a t e as 1944, a B r a z z a v i l l e c o n f e r e n c e o n e d u c a t i o n

a d o p t e d t h e f o l l o w i n g r e s o l u t i o n

i n s t r u c t i o n mus t be i n t h e F r e n c h l a n g u a g e ; t h e u s e o f t h e local spoken d i a l e c t s b e i n g a b s o l u t e l y f o r b i d d e n fo r t e a c h i n g p u r p o s e s i n p r i v a t e a s w e l l a s i n p u b l i c s choo l s .6

A l s o , t h e A f r i c a n mus t i m i t a t e F rench b e h a v i o u r ,

Fo r him t o be t h u s a s s i m i l a t e d , h e mus t r e n o u n c e

h i s t r a d i t i o n a l c u s t o m s and a t t i t u d e s , The r e a s o n

for t h e i c o n o c l a s t i c r e v o l t , t h e r e f o r e , resides

on ' t h e f a c t t h a t h a v i n g t h u s s a c r i f i c e d t h e i r

l a n g u a g e , c u l t u r e and a t t i t u d e s i n p u r s u i t of t h e

s t a t u s o f a F r e n c h , t h e A f r i c a n soon d i s c o v e r e d

t h d t h e c o u l d n o t e n j o y t h e r i g h t s and , p r l v i & e g e s

of a F r e n c h c i t i z e n , They were m a r g i n a l i s e d , The

F r e n c h i n e v e r y s e n s e , a c t u a l l y set o u t t o b r a i n -

wash and d i s i l l u s i o n t h e A f r i c a n , making him a n

i d i o t to be m a n i p u l a t e d a t w i l l - F o r i n s t a n c e i n

1944 , a t t h e ' 'Conference d f r i c a i n e d e l ' e n s e i -

gnemen t , a c e r t a i n i n s p e c t o r De lage s t a t e d :

We m u s t remember t h a t t h e aim r o f C o l o n i a l e d u c a t i o n 7 - i s n z t so much t o s a f e g u a r a t h e o r i g i n a l i t y of t h e c o l o n i z e d r a c e s so as t o r a i s e them u p to o u r s e l v e s , 7

T h i s f e a r of r e s u l t of e q u a l i t y i n t h e e d u c a t i o n

o f f e r e d t o t h e i n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e w a s f a i r l y

w i d e s p r e a d among settlers., a n d traders, I n h i s

n o v e l , Our Unknown A f r i c a , set i n t h e Cameroon

j u s t b e f o r e t h e o u t b r e a k o f t h e S e c o n d World War,

B e n j a m i n M a t i p , a n o t h e r a n t i - c o l o n i a l i s t writer,

made h i s ' ~ u r o ~ e a n c h a r a c t e r s a y w h a t was p r o b a b l y

t h e i r common o p i n i o n . T h i s w a s a s c e n e b e t w e e n

Me- Robert, a F r e n c h , a n d t h e l lEvoluelv Sam, s o n

o f t h e l o c a l c h i e f .

" I n a n y case, p e o p l e l i k e f r u i t s for t h e i r v i t a m i n c o n t e n t , I b e l i e v e " "What?" r e t o r t e d R o b e r t , s c a n d a l i s e d , u W h o l s b e e n t e l l i n g y o u a b o u t v i t a m i n s ? ,,, P e o p l e h a v e b e e n s a y i n g f o r a l p n g time t h a t t h e r e s h o u l d be a s p e c i a l t e a c h i n g programme a d o p t e d t o t h e n e e d s of y o u f o l k . I d o n ' t know w h a t t h e h e l l y o u r m o n i t o r s a r e g e t t i n g u p t o , or w h a t t h e Director of E c l u c a t i o n i n . Yaounde i s g e t t i n g a t e i t h e r , f o r t h a t m a t t e r , . . when t h e y ' v e s t u f f e d y o u r h e a d s f u l l of f i n e w o r d s a b o u t v i t a m i n s , e q u a l i t y a n d l i b e r t y , t h e r e I l l be no-one l e f t i n Afr ica e x c e p t d o c tors, l a w y e r s , m a g i s t r a t e s , . . , NO o n e to d i g t h e s o i l or s e r v e tea,, , , I t ' s n o t s u r p r i s i n g t h a t you come to m e w i t h y o u r c h e e k y t a l k , you i g n o r a n t monkey ! 8

Wi th t h i s , o n e c a n s a y t h a t t h e F r e n c h c o l o n i a l

e d u c a t i o n was n o t g e a r e d t o w a r d s g e n u i n e l y e d u c a t i n g

t h e A f r i c a n t o bet ter h i m s e l f a n d h i s s o c i e t y ,

R a t h e r i t was aimed a t f o s t e r i n g , European g r e e d

and e x p l o i t a t i o n , The A f r i c a n was g i v e n u t i l i t a -

r i a n e d u c a t i o n t o e n a b l e him act as i n t e r p r e t e r

and p i o u s t e a c h e r t o t h e c o l o n i a l i s t s , They

were n o t g i v e n t h e t y p e of e d u c a t i o n t h a t c o u l d

" s a f e g u a r d t h e i r o r i g i n a l i t y t 1 or t o h e l p them

become d o c t o r s , l a w y e r s , m a g i s t r a t e s so t h a t t h e r e

w i l l be "no one t o d i g t h e s o i l or s e r v e t e a t t ,

. Mongo B e t i , who usu .a l ly m a i n t a i n s a t o n e o f comic

i r o n y , i n h i s n o v e l Mis s ion t o Kala , f o r i n s t a n c e ,

a l l o w s a n o t e o f p e r s o n a l b i t t e r n e s s t o p e n e t r a t e

t h e words o f h i s h e r o , Mgdza; when he recalls i n

t h e name o f h i s g e n e r a t i o n , t h e s c h o o l s y s t e m i n

Cameroon i n t h e y e a r s be tween t h e wars :

. From t h e v i l l a g e s , d e e p i n t h e b u s h , more t h a n t h i r t y miles away, l i t t l e k i d s were b r o u g h t by t h e i r p a r e n t s t o e n t e r school, any s c h o o l , , , ,

What a m i s e r a b l e crowd,, . u n d e r f e d , s t a r v i n g , t h r a s h e d a l l ' d a y by i g n o r a n t m o n i t o r s s t u p i f i e d b y b o o k s which p r e s e n t e d them w i t h a wor ld which had no r e s e m b l a n c e t o t h e i r own,9

Mongo B e t i r e v o l t s a g a i n s t t h i s . t y p e of e d u c a t i o n

m a i n t a i n i n g t h a t i t h a s u p r o o t e d t h e A f r i c a n from

h i s r o o t s and h a s n o t p r o v i d e d him w i t h a s u b s t i t u t e .

13

C h r i s t i a n i t y was a n o t h e r i m p o r t a n t r o o t o f

Mongo B e t i 's i c o n o c l a s m , The m i s s i o n a r i e s i m p r e s -

s i o n of Afr ica was a l a n d of b a r b a r i a n s a n d

s a v a g e s , They w e r e p r i m i t i v e p e o p l e who m u s t

b e n e f i t from t h e i r m i s s i o n a r y a c t i v i t y d e s i g n e d to

b r i n g l i g h t t o a b e n i g h t e d p e o p l e , They e q u a l l y

b e l i e v e d t h a t c h r i s t i a n w e s t e r n c i v i l i z a t i o n was

best and t h e t t h e y had a d u t y t o s p r e a d i t among

' t h i s s a v a g e r a c e . The r e s u l t o f t h i s m i s s i o n a r y

i m p e r i a l i s t a c t i v i t y was t h a t A f r i c a n i n d i g e n o u s

c u l t u r e was d e v a l u e d , Ngugi r i g h t l y r e v e a l s t h a t

" k h e a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e c h r i s t i a n c h u r c h m e a n t t h e

o u t r i g h t r e j e c t i o n o f a l l t h e A f r i c a n c u s tornsmt' 10

T h i s w a s b e c a u s e t r a d i t i o n a l r e l i g i o n came to be

e q u a t e d ' w i t h p a g a n i s m a n d t h e t r a d i t i o n a l e d u c a t i o n

t h r o u g h t h e tribe's societies w a s r e g a r d e d as

t h e p e r p e t r a t i o n of t h e most b a r b a r o u s , u n h y g e n i c

and i n d e c e n t , p r a c t i c e s , Mongo U e t i rebels

a g a i n s t t h e C h r i s t i a n r e l i g i o n b y e x p o s i n g i t s

i n n e r recesses w i t h t h e aim o f s c a n d a l i s i n g i t ,

By so d o i n g , h e m a i n t a i n s t h a t t h e r e w a s r e a l l y

n o t h i n g i n c h r i s t i a n i t y to recommend i t as a w o r l d

r e l i g i o n , C h r i s t i a n i t y h a s p r o v e d a c l o s e a l l y t o

c o l o n i a l i s m a n d a t o o l o f o p p r e s s i o n . B e t i a t t a c k s

t h e c h r i s t i a n z e a l i n h i s n o v e l s m a i n t a i n i n g

t h a t i t w a s o n l y employed b y t h e c o l o n i a l i s t s to

b r a i n w a s h and d i s i l l u s i o n t h e A f r i c a n . T h i s was

b e c a u s e

w h i l e t h e E u r o p e a n se t t ler r o b b e d p e o p l e o f t h e i r l a n d a n d p r o d u c t s o f t h e i r sweat, t h e m i s s i o n a r y robed p e o p l e o f t h e i r soul , . . .

And a l so ,

The Mubia / - M i s s i o n a r i e s 7 t o l d peoplg t o s h u t t h e i y e y e s i n p r a y e r , a n d when l a t e r t h e y o p e n e d t h e i r e y e s ; t h e l a n d was t a k e n . And t h e Nubia t o ld them n o t to w o r r y a b o u t w o r l d l y t h i n g s w h i c h c o u l d be e a t e n by moth ; a n d t h e y s a n g : ' t h i s w o r l d is n o t my home; I am o n l y a p i l g r i m , ' l l

B e t i reflects i n h i s n o v e l s t h a t t h e m i s s i o n a r y . i m p e r i a l i s t a c t i v i t y and F r e n c h c o l o n i a l e d u c a t i o n

were b o t h g e a r e d t o w a r d s e x p l o i t i n g t h e A f r i c a n ,

The C h i e f t a i n c y i n s t i t u t i o n was o n e o f t h e

~ f r i c a n t r a d i t i o n a l a r r a n g e m e n t s w h i c h B e t i r e v o l t s .. a g a i n s t ,

T h i s i n s t i t u t i o n s y m b o l i s e wisdom and

a u t h o r i t y i n t h e t r a d i t i o n a l A f r i c a n s o c i e t y , I t

i s r e v e r e d . and r e g a r d e d a s ' s a c r e d ; a n i n s t i t u t i o n

h a n d e d o v e r t o u s b y o u r f o r e f a t h e r s . Mongo ~ e t i ,

h o w e v e r , rebels a g a i n s t t h i s sacred a r r a n g e m e n t by

p o r t r a y i n g i ts d e f e c t s w i t h i n t h e A f r i c a n t r a d i t i o n a l

s e t t i n g . The t r a d i t i o n a l . r u l e r s a l s o a i d e d t h e

c o l o n i a l i s t s i n i n t i r n i d a t i n g t h e l o c a l p o p u l a t i o n ,

I n t h e ' t r a d i t i o n a l s o c i e t y , t h e l o c a l c h i e f s

married many w i v e s , A loca l c h i e f c o u l d p o i n t a t

a young g i r l a n d t h a t was e n o u g h t o make h e r h i s

w i f e . T h e s e women f e n d e d f o r t h e m s e l v e s and t h e i r

. , c h i l d r e n w h i l e t h e c h i e f o c c u p i e d h i m s e l f w i t h

d r i n k i n g a n d o n l y came a r o u n d t o g i v e t h e women

a n o t h e r c h i l d when t h e o n e a t hand h a d b e e n weaned,

They were a l so n o t o r i o u s f o r i m p o s i n g h e a v y t a x e s

on t h e p e o p l e a n d i f o n e was u n a b l e t o meet u p ,

h i s p r o p e r t y c o u l d be seized or h i s d a u g h t e r would

be t a k e n . t o become o n e o f t h e c h i e f I s w i v e s . I n

Kinq L a z a r u s , Be t i p o r t r a y s t h e o b n o x i o u s a c t i v i ties

of t h e t r a d i t i o n a l r u l e c s . F o r i n s t a n c e , h e recalls

t h a t :

L e ~ u e n w a s f o l l o w i n g t h e same p a t t e r n of movement as Mekanda /'-the c o l l e c t o r o f Lbazok c l a n s 1 f a x e s 7 p o p p i n g f i r s t i n t o o n e house- then i n t o t h a t a c r o s s t h e road. Mekanda a n d t h e man of God s e n t t o c o n v e r t t h e Essazam h a d much i n common i n c l u d i n g p r e - o c c u p a t i o n w i t h s p e e d a n d e f f i c i e n c y , ~ o t h were r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of t h e i r g e n e r a t i o n , 1 2

by t h i s j u x t a p o s i t i o n B e t i seems to b e s a y i n g t h a t

t h e t r a d i t i o ' n a l r u l e r s a n d t h e c o l o n i a l i s t had much

i n common i n c l u d i n g t h e . ' e x p l o i t a t i o n o f t h e p o o r

masses, A l s o b l a c k s i n c o l o n i s e d territories were

tamed t h r o u g h t h e c h i e f t a i n c y i n s t i t u t i o n , The

c o l o n i a l i s t s employed i t a s a t o o l f o r t h e e f f e c t i v e

m a i n t e n a n c e o f law a n d order i n t h e d i s t r i c t s a n d

v i l l a g e s Robert D e l a f n g n e t t e r i g h t l y a t tes ts

t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n b o t h e r s t h e c h i e f s too much, I t h a r a s s e s them b y p e r p e t u a l l y summoning them f o r m e e t i n g s ; i t h u s t l e s them w i t h r e q u i s i t i o n s , h o l d i n g them r e s p o n s i b l e i n p a i n s of f o r f e i t i n g p r o p e r t y or e v e n t h e i r l i b e r t y f o r c a r r y i n g o u t o f a l l o r d e r s w h i c h i t p o u r s o u t a t r a n d o m - 1 3

T h r o u g h t h e s e c h i e f s t h e m o s t a b h o r r e n t a c t o f

t h e c o l o n i a l s y s t e m - f o r c e d l a b o u r was i m p l e m e n t e d .

The c h i e f s c o n s c r i p t e d men to c o n s t r u c t roads

l i n k i n g t h e F r e n c h a d m i n i s t r a t i v e h e a d q u a r t e r s t o

t h e h i n t e r l a n d , U s u a l l y t h o s e who had d o u b t f u l

o r i g i n s o r r e b e l l i o u s d i s p o s i t i o n s towards t h e

c h i e f were t h e f i r s t and f o r e m o s t v i c t ims of s u c h

c o n s c r i p t i o n s ,

B e t i a lso r i d i c u l e s t h e i n s t i t u t i o n b y e x p o s i n g

t h e u n d e s i r a b l e h a b i t s of c h i e f Essomba Mendouga i n

King L a z a r u s . C h r i s m o t h e r c a l l s him " t h a t d r u n k e n

17

polygamous o1.d p ig . 14 A l s o t h e A f r i c a n D o c t o r

i n s i s t e d , "Heavens , F a t h e r , you o u g h t to see him!

D r i n k i n g and g o r g i n g , The m a n ' s a n a b s o l u t e p i g ! " 15

B e t i p o r t r a y s t h i s t o s c a n d a l i s e t h e c h i e f t a i n c y

i n s t i t u t i o n and t o make u s b e l i e v e t h a t i t was n o t

as s a c r e d a s w e t h o u g h t . A l s o i n t h e same n o v e l ,

M a u r i c e t h e s o n of t h e c h i e f a n d t h e h e i r - a p p a r e n t i s a d r u n k a r d a n d a t h i e f . B e t i h e r e

., p r b jects i n t o t h e f u t u r e . When t h e h e i r a p p a r e n t

h a s t a k e n t o d r i n k i n g too, h i s own e ra may n o t be

better t h a n h i s f a t h e r s . ' w h a t one may ~ e t may be

a p e d i g r e e o f a l c o h o l i c s who a c t o n i m p u l s e l a c . k i n g

i n d e p t h a n d wisdom; t h e s u p p o s e d c h a r a c t e r i s t i c s

o f t h e i n s ti t u t i o n . The C h i e f t a i n c y i n s t i t u t i o n

acc0rd in .g t o B e t i i s n o t h i n g more t h a n a n o t h e r

i n s t r u m e n t u s e d i n m a i n t a i n i n g t h e ' s t a t u s - q u o .

The P1cercle" w a s a s i g n i f i c a n t f e a t u r e o f t h e

F r e n c h c o l o n i a l e x e r c i s e i n A f r i c a . I t was t h e

~ o m ~ a r t m e n t a l i s ' a t i o n of a l l , c o n q u e r e d and

c o l o n i z e d r e g i o n s i n t o 'cercles ' u n d e r t h e c o n t r o l

of w h i t e a d m i n i s t r a t i v e officers. The a i m w a s

t o i m p o s e a s u p r e m a c y o n t h e c o l o n i z e d s u b j e c t s .

A s a t o o l f o r t h e r e a l i s a t i o n o f t h e ~ s s i m i l a t i o n

p o l i c y t h e 'cercles s e v e r e d a n c e s t r a l t ies a n d

18

v a l u e s , The c o l o n i a l a d m i n i s t r a t o r s d i d n o t

t a k e i n t o a c c o u n t t h e e x i s t i n g a n c e s t r a l r o o t s

a n d c l a n a r r a n g e m e n t as t h e y c a r v e d o u t t h e wcerclesll,

The r e s u l t was t h a t p e o p l e l o s t c o n t a c t w i t h t h e i r

l i n e a g e , The h i t h e r to v i l l a g e m e e t i n g s u n d e r t h e

e l d e r s were r e p l a c e d b y h o a r s e o r d e r s f r o m t h e

w h i t e o f f i c e r s , The c o n f u s i o n r e s u l t i n g f r o m t h i s

a r r a n g e m e n t h e l p e d i n n o small m e a s u r e t o t h e

-. d i s i l l u s i o n m e n t o f b l a c k A f r i c a n s ,

The c o l o n i a l s e t t i n g was o n l y a n a s p e c t o f

B e t i I s p r e o c c u p a t i o n i n l i t e r a t u r e . The o t h e r

was t h e p e r i o d o f p o l i t i c a l t r a n s i t i o n o r t h e

p e r i o d i m m e d i a t e l y a f t e r i n d e p e n d e n c e , T h e e v e n t s

o f Remember Ruben a p p e a r t o h a v e t a k e n p l a c e d u r i n g

a p e r i o d o f self g o v e r n m e n t i n Cameroon, The w h i t e s

were s t i l l a t F o r t e Negre a n d t h e a c t i v i t i e s o f

t h e G r e e k c o c o a t r a d e r s seem t o b e i n f u l l swing .

B u t t h e a u t h o r i t y o f t h e F r e n c h was o b s c u r e d b y

. > t h e c o n f l i c t o f p o w e r s b e t w e e n t h e n e o - c o l o n i a l i s t s

a n d t h e n a t i o n a l i s t H u b e n i s t s . T h i s w a s t h e

a r r a n g e m e n t i n most F r e n c h A f r i c a n c o u n t r i e s a t

t h i s p e r i o d , The F r e n c h i n s t a l l e d s t o o g e s l i k e Baba ..

T o u r a i n R e m e m b e r Ruben a s a k i n d of r u b b e r

19

s t amp l e a d e r w h i l e t h e y s t i l l c o n t r o l t h e c o u n t r y

p o l i t i c a l l y a n d e c o n o m i c a l l y . The ~ f r i - c a n s o n t h a

o t h e r h a n d , t u r n e d a g a i n s t t h e m s e l v e s i n an

a t t e m p t t o p r o t e c t o n e i n t e r e s t or t h e o t h e r . The

c o l o n i a l i s t s d e l i g h t e d i n t h e i r s t u p i d i t y a n d

f u e l l e d t h e roo t of t h e a n t a g o n i s m ,

B e t i i n r e v o l t i n g a g a i n s t t h e c o l o n i a l

e n c o u n t e r , t h e c h i e f t a i n c y i n s t i t u t i o n , a n d o t h e r

.- a s p e c t s of o u r t r a d i t i o n a l p a s t e m p l o y e d sa t i re

a n d comic reliefs.

A l s o t h r o u g h t h e u s e of c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n ,

i r o n y and t l i a t o r y , h e was able t o m a i n t a i n h i s

i c o n o c l a s t i c s t a n c e ,

' yhe O x f o r d L n q l i s h D i . c t i o n a r y , V o l . I. (oxfor -d : lar rend on Press 1333 Ir p. 68.

2~.~. Scot t , C u r r e n t L i t e r a r y Terms , A C o n c i s e D i c t i o n a r y o f t h e i r o r i g i n and u s e , ( Lor- don: St . M a r t i n s P r e s s , 1 9 6 5 ) , p. 136 .

3Mongo B e t i , "The Rape o f C a m e r ~ o n ~ ~ ( p a r i s F. Maspero 1 9 6 2 ) a s c i t e d i n D o r o t h y S. B l a i r , ~ f r i c a n L i t e r a t u r e i n F r e n c h (Cambr idge : Cambr idge u n i v e r s i t y p r e s s , 1 9 7 6 I, p. 207.

4 ~ o r o t h y S. B l a i r , A f r i c a n ~ i t e r a t u r e i n F r e n c h . ( C a m b r i d g e : Cambr idge U n i v e r s i t y P r e s s m q p . 11.

5 ~ o r o t h y B l a i r p. 8.

'Dorothy B l a i r p. 9

7 ~ s c i t e d i n D o r o t h y S . B l a i r p. 9.

8 ~ e n j amin M a t i p , Our Unknown A f r i c a . ( P a r i s : F. Maspero 19701,pp. 30-1.

9 ~ O n g 0 B e t i , M i s s i o n t o K a l a t r a n s . Peter Green. (London: Heinemann Educ. Books L td . , 1958), p. 165.

1°Ngugi Wa .Th iongo , Homecominq (London : Heinemann ~ d u c . ~ o o k s ~ t a . , 1 9 7 2 ) ~ p. 32.

l l ~ g u g i Wa T h i o n g o , Homecominq pp. 32-3.

l 2 ~ 0 n g O B e t i , Kinq L a a a t u s t r a n s . ~ r e d e r i c k i ~ l l e r , ~ t d .( London : Xeinemann -1970) p. '14.

I

13k?obcrt L. D e l a i n g n e t t e , Freedom and - , \ u t h o r i t y i r l i s r e r i c h b d t ? s t . A f r i c a -- - ( E n d o n : F r a n k Cass & Co. ~ i ; d . ~ l ~ ~ 74,

1

14#ongo B e t i , Kinq Lazarus, p. 5 7

l5~ongo B e t i , King Lazarus, p. 104.

CHAPTER TWO

COLONIALISM AND CHRISTIANITY A S ROOTS OF B E T I ' S

ICONOCLASM: A STUDY OF THE POOR CHRIST OF BOMBA AND

K I N G LAZARUS,

T h e A f r i c a n n o v e l i s t h a s b e e n i n f l u e n c e d b y c e r t a i n

c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n h i s t o r y w h i c h s h a p e d h i s e n v i r o n m e n t , T h e

c o l o n i a l e n c o u n t e r , u n d e r s t a n d a b l y , i s t h e most o u t s t a n d i n g

h i s t o r i c a l p r e d i c a m e n t w h i c h s h a p e d t h e t h o a h t , a t t i t u d e

a n d i n t e r e s t of e a r l y A f r i c a n w r i t e r s a n d i n d e e d m o d e r n

-. w r i t e r s , T h i s c e r t a i n l y p r o v i d e d t h e m o t i v a t i o n a n d

s u b s e q u e n t l y t h e tools fo r w r i t i n g , T h e m o d e r n A f r i c a n

n o v e l i s t , among o t h e r t h i n g s , t h e r e f o r e ,

w r i t e s p a r t l y t o e x p l a i n t h e soc i a l d i l e m m a of t h e g r o u p t o w h i c h h e b e l o n g s a n d p a r t l y t o p o r t r a y a way of l i f e w h i c h h a s s u r v i v e d t o a n e x t e n t a n d may h a v e s u r v i v e d f u l l y i f t h o s e h i s t o r i c a l e v e n t s h a d n o t so d r a s t i c a l l y affected A f r i c a - 1

I n summary t h e r e f o r e , A f r i c a n w r i t e r s h a v e shown t h a t t h e y

a r e f u l l y c o n s c i o u s of t h e p r o f o u n d a n d i n e v i t a b l e

t r a n s f o r m a t i o n s t h e i r c o u n t r i e s h a v e u n d e r g o n e a s a r e s u l t c

c o l o n i a l i s m , I n d e e d , t h e y h a v e shown t h a t t h e y a r e

f u l l y a w a r e of t h e w o u n d s i n f l i c t e d o n t h e c o n t i n e n t b y

c o l o n i a l i s m . I n some of t h e s e w o r k s , t h e w r i t e r s h a v e

e q u a l l y t r i e d t o s h o w how t h e s e w o u n d s a r e b e i n g

r e k i n d l e d b y E u r o p e ' s n e o - c o l o n i a l i n t e r e s t s i n Africa.

F o r much of A f r i c a , t h o u g h , c o l o n i a l i s m i s a t h i n g

of t h e p a s t b u t i t s c o n s e q u e n c e s w i l l c o n t i n u e t o make

t h e m s e l v e s f e l t o n h e r p e o p l e a n d m u s t t h e r e f o r e a p p e a r

i n h e r l i t e r a t u r e .

The n o v e l i s a p r i v i l e g e d m i r r o r i n w h i c h i s

r e f l e c t e d o n e o f t h e p r i m a r y p r e o c c u p a t i o n s o f A f r i c a n

s o c i e t i e s i n t h e 2 0 t h c e n t u r y , T h i s i s t h e

c o n f l i c t o f c u l t u r e s a n d o t h e r a t t e n d a n t c o n s e q u e n c e s

e m a n a t i n g f r o m t h e c o l o n i a l e n o u n t e r , What e m e r g e s from

t h e s e mirrors ( t h e n o v e l ) i s a p a i n f u l a w a r e n e s s of

t h e c o n f r o n t a t i o n b e t w e e n t r a d i t i o n a n d modern i sm

r e s u l t i n g i n t h e s p i r i t u a l a n d o f t e n p h y s i c a l u p r o o t i n g o f

t h e p r o t a g o n i s t f r o m t h e i r n a t i v e m i l i e u , C o l o n i a l i s m

h a s r e m a i n e d t h e w o r s t h i s t o r i c a l e x p e r i e n c e o f t h e

A f r i c a n , A l t h o u g h t h e s l a v e t r a d e was a n o t h e r

d e v a s t a t i n g i n f l u e n c e o n t h e c o n t i n e n t , i t s c o n s e q u e n c e s

h a d b e e n m i n i m a l c o m p a r e d t o c o l o n i a l i s m , I n e m p l o y i n g

t h e c o l o n i a l s c h o o l , t h e c h u r c h , t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n

o f a money economy a n d c o n s e q u e n t l y t h e e r o s i o n of

t h e power of t h e elders weakened t h e f a b r i c

o f t r a d i t i o n a l , soci,eties. I t t h e r e f o r e made i t

d i f f i c u l t f o r p e o p l e t o c o n t i n u e t o i d e n t i f y with

t h e i r g r o u p of o r i g i n . T h i n g s b e g a n to f a l l

a p a r t . The c e n t r e s c o u l d n o t h o l d and mere a n a r c h y

was loosed upon t h e l a n d .

It w i l l b e r e c a l l e d t h a t t h e F r e n c h c i v i l i s i n g

m i s s i o n w a s a imed a t p r o d u c i n g "black Rrenchmenu.

F r e n c h a t t i t u d e s a n d c u l t u r e - s was s u p e r i m p o s e d o n

" t h e A f r i c a n s who h a v e had t h e i r own o r g a n i s e d set-

up, T h i s , a t best, g a v e u s e t o a c o n f l i c t o f

c u l t u r e s , p r o d u c i n g i n d i v i d u a l s t o r n b e t w e e n t w o

w o r l d u , who c a n n o t w h o l l y e m b r a c e t h e w e s t e r n t"

a t t i t u d e s a n d ways of l i f e a n d a t t h e same t i m e . ,

h a v e l o s t t o u c h w i t h t r a d i t i o n . he r e s u l t is c l l a t w e f i n d

i n d i v i d b a l s who are as i f s u s p e n d e d b e t w e e n two

c u l t u r e s beset by a m b i v e l e n t s e n t i m e n ts p r o d u c i n g

p s y c h o l o g i c a l p r o b l e m s r a n g i n g from a f e e l i n g o f

m i l d d e p r e s s i o n to p r o f o u n d e x i s t e n t i a l a n g u i s h .

The p a i n s of t h e s e a m b i v a l e n c e and c o n t r a d i t i o n h

i n t h e i r l i v e s f o r c e d them t o reject and a t t a c k

t h e s y s t e m w h i c h b r o u g h t a b o u t t h e i r p r e d i c a m e n t .

T h u s i n c o n o c l a s m as r e v o l t i n g and a s s a i l i n g of

t h e s t a t u s - q u o i s a r e f l e c t i o n of a n g u i s h a n d . CJ

a r e a c t i o n a g a i n s t t h e e x a r u c i a t i n g p a i n .

T h i s r e f e r s t o t h e g e n e r a l theme o f C h i n u a A c h e b e ' s T h i n q s F a l l Apar t .

o f c o l o n i a l i s m and the a t t e n d a n t c u l k u r e c o n f l i c t .

C u l t u r a l s e l f - a s s e r t i o n a n d a re j ec t l o n of

t h e F r e n c h " m i s s i o n c i ~ i l i s a t r i c e ~ ~ h a v e r e m a i n e d

a n i m p o r t a n t stream o f t h e 11 t e r a t u r e coming f r o m

F r a n c o p h o n e Africa, Each n o v e l i s t , h e r e , v o i c e s

t h e p r o t e s t a n d c o n f l i c t o f h i s p l a c e and t i m e ,

T h u s , t h e modern A f r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e o f s o c i a l

commi tment c o u l d be s a i d t o h a v e f o u n d a n c h o r

i n l i t e r a t u r e of F r a n c o p h o n e A f r i c a , e s p e c i a l l y

t h e Cameroons , The writers h e r e , dramatize t h e

c o n f l i c t a n d p r o t e s t of t h e A f r i c a n s c e n e a n d i n

A f r i c a n cornmuni t i cs i n t h e i r d i f f e r e n t 2 0 t h c e n t u r y

c o m m u n i t i e s , Mongo B e t i , a n o u t ~ t a n d i n g member

of t h i s . g r o u p is . r e v o l u t i o n a r y , s h a r p a n d

b i t t e r as h e bears a

t r o u b l e d w i t n e s s to t h e d i s r u p t i o n s g e n e r a t e d w i t h i n t r a d i t i o n a l A f r i c a n societies by t h e i m p a c t of w e s t e r n c i v i l i z a t i o n . 2

AS B e t i p o r t r a y s t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s o f t h i s i m p o s i t i o n ,

h e e q u a l l y m a i n t a i n s t h a t

t h e v a l u e s w h i c h d i s t i n g u i s h A f r i c a from o t h e r races w i l l s u r v i v e s i n c e t h e y are t h e t r u l y m e a n i n g f u l o n e for A f r i c a n s . 3

I n c o n d e m n i n g c o l o n i a l i s m a n d

confi rming c e r t a i n a s p e c t s o f tk12 ~ f r i c h n

t r a d i t i o n and v a l u e s , U e t i c o u l d LC 5;;lid to possess

a b a l a n c e d v i e w p o i n t . T h i s i s b e c a u s e h e e q u a l l y

a t t a cks some a s p e c t s o f o u r A f r i c a n c i v i l i s a t i o n .

I n a t t a c k i n g and s c a n d a l i s i n g some o f t h e s e

i n s t i t u t i o n s , B e t i seems to be s a y i n g t h a t i f A f r i c a n

v a l u e s m u s t s u r v i v e , i t m u s t be meaning-

f u l l r e s u l t 4 o r i e n t e d a n d v i s i o n a r y . I t i s

o n l y by so d o i n g t h a t t h e y c a n be s a i d t o be t r u l y

m e a n i n g f u l o n e f o r A f r i c a n s .

The F r e n c h c i v i l i s i n g m i s s i o n i n A f r i c a , a n d

i n d e e d c o l o n i a l i s m as a w h o l e s o u g h t and f o u n d

o n e s u r e way o f r e a c h i n g t h e A f r i c a n c o l o n i a l

s u b j e c t . T h i s w a s t h r o u g h t h e c h r i s t i a n C h u r c h

o f t e n d e s c r i b e d as a close a l l y to c o l o n i a l i s m .

I n o h e r to g a i n a c c e p t a b i li t y a n d p e r p e t u a t i o n

c o l o n i a l i s m e n l i s t e d t h e s e r v i c e s of h i s more s l y

b u t a t t r a c t i v e f irst c o u s i n ' , c h r i s t i a n i t y , whose

d u t y i s to c a p t u r e t h e s o u l a n d t h e mind as w e l l . were

T h u s h i s t o r y a n d v a l u e s . / . dis tor ted a n d r e v e r s e d I

a n d soc ia l order' d i s r u p t e d b e y o n d r e c o g n i t i o n was

r e p l a c e d b y a n o t h e r t h a t L.. b o t h f o r e i g n a n d u n j u s t

B e t i i s p r e o c c u p i e d , t h e r e f ore.#. w i t h

... t h e c o n f u s i o n i n v a l u e s t h a t h a s r e s u l t e d from a dras t ic h i s t o r i c a l c h a n g e i n t h e p o l i t i c a l , e c o n o m i c a n d c u l t u r a l e t h o s ; t h e e f f e c t of s u c h c o n f u s i o n , o n b o t h s o c i e t y a n d t h e i n d i v i d u a l p s y c h e a n d t h e n e e d to r e t a i n w h a t i s o u r s a n d recreate f r o m i t a new set of l i v i n g v a l u e s . 4

Mongo B e t i set t h e s t a g e f o r h i s p r o t e s t i n The Poor

C h r i s t of Momba. T h i s i s a s t o r y o f t h e a t t e m p t a n d

f a i l u r e of Rev, F a t h e r D r u m ~ n . f t o e s t a b l i s h

C a t h o l i 6 i s m a n d C a t h o l i c d o c t r i n e i n Bomba a n d T a l a ,

I t i s also a c h r o n i c l e of c o l o n i a l e x p l o i t a t i o n , i n Afr ica ,

B e t i i n t h e n o v e l , o v e r t l y a n d sometimes s u b t l y

p r o t e s t s ' a g a i n s t t h e c l c s t r u c t i v e a c t i v i t i e s of

M. Vidal a n d t h e g r o s s ' i n s e n s i t i v i t y a n d l a c k of

f o r e s i g h t d i s p l a y e d b y t h e m i s s i o n a r y . ..; F a t h e r ,

U r u m o ~ t . I n h i s b i d to e n t r e n c h c a t h o l i c i s m i n

t h e c o u n t r y , Rev. F a t h e r Drumon t d e c i d e s a f t e r

t h r e e y e a r s to l e a v e Domba m i s s i o n f o r two w e e k s

a n d r e v i s i t t h e p e o p l e of T a l a .

o f f e r i n g them a n o t h e r c h a n c e t o r e p e n t , to a b a n d o n t h e i r v i c e s a n d r e t u r n t o C h r i s t . 5

H e was m e t w i t h s t i f f o p p o s i t i o n . The men i n

p a r . t i c u l a r s t o u t l y resisted c o n v e r s i o n t o C a t h o l i c

f a i t h . I n most s t a t i o n s , o n l y women a n d c h i l d r e n

28

showed any form o f i n t e r e s t i n h i s p r e a c h i n g . No

amount of t h r e a t or e v e n p h y s i c a l . h a r a s s m e n t

( w i t n e s s t h e c a s e of S a n g a B o t o ' p p 73-76) c o u l d I

c o n v i n c e t h e p e o p l e to a c c e p t C a t h o l i c doc t r i n e .

Those. who embrace i t r e l a p s e back to t r a d i t i o n

a f t e r a s h o r t t i m e . A t l a s t t h e F a t h e r r e t u r n s

to Bomba and a f t e r n e a r l y twen ty y e a r s o f f u t i l e

e n d e a v o u r f i n a l l y r e t u r n s to h i s c o u n t r y .

B e t i , i n t h e n o v e l i s i n d i r e c t l y i m p l y i n g

t h a t A f r i c a n s h a v e had a c i v i l i s a t i o n and a

t r a d i t i o n which s u s t a i n e d them. The ' c o n v e r s i o n r , $ ',

t o h im, i s i r r e l e v a n t and u n n e c e s s a r y . NothLng i n

t h e new r e l i g i o n , h e seems t o be s a y i n g , a p p e a l s

t o bhem a s to s u s t a i n t h e i r i n t e r e s t , A few who u as

embrace i t soon f i n d o u t t h a t i t mere d e c e i t

and r e t u r n t o t r a d i t i o n where t h e y f i n d

s u c c o u r and f u l f i l m e n t ,

I n t h e n o v e l a l s o , . ' ~ e t i u t i l i s e s e v e r y

o p p o r t u n i t y t o p u t f o r w a r d h i s p r o t e s t a g a i n s t t h e

F a t h e r s u p e r i o r 5 i n s e n s i t i v i t y ,

F o r t h e F a t h e r , t h e r e are n o h a l f m e a s u r e s , The

b l a c k s mus t abandon t h e i r d a n c e s no m a t t e r how

c r e a t i v e (pp. 55-56). They mus t n o t mar ry more

t h a n o n e w i f e , n o matter how much o n e n e e d e d

a d d i t i o n a l h a n d s to work o n t h e farms, would be

w i v e s m u s t be s e n t to t h e . s i x a f o r t r a i n i n g i n o r d e r

to become good f u t u r e h o u s e w i v e s . The i r o n y of t h e

w h o l e s i t u a t i o n w a s t h a t i n s t e a d o f b r e e d i n g good

f u t u r e w i v e s , t h e S i x a became a ' b r o t h e l . The e n t i r e --.

r e l i g i o u s programme s u g g e s t s a n a t t e m p t t o p r o d u c e

b l a c k F r e n c h m e n . U h e t h e r . < o n e was a b c l i e v e r and

., f o l l o w e r o f C h r i s t and a c c e p t e d a l l men a s e q u a l

d i d n o t m a t t e r . What r e a l l y c o u n t s was i f o n e h a s

i m b i b e d w e s t e r n way o f l i f e a n d s t a n d a r d s a b a n d o n i n g

t h e A f r i c a n way of l i f e . Nyugi r i g h t l y m a i n t a i n s

t h a t

t h e a c c e p t a n c e o f t h e C h r i s t i a n c h u r c h m e a n t t h e o u t r i g h t r e j e c t i o n o f a l l t h e A f r i c a n c u s t o m s . I t m e a n t t h e r e j e c t i o n of a l l t h o s e t h i n g s t h a t h e l d u s t o g e t h e r . 6

The e m p h a s i s w a s i n t h e r e j e c t i o n of t h e A f r i c a n

t r a d i t i o n a l b e l i e f s . I t was n o t i n o n e i m i t a t i n g

t h e l i f e and work o f C h r i s t , w h i c h t h e C h r i s t i a n

c h u r c h was s u p p o s e d t o be p r e a c h i n g . On t h e i s s u e

of c u l t u r a l d a n c e w h i c h F a t h e r Drumont fo rb ids ,

Mongo. B e t i ' s i c o n o c l a s t i c v o i c e retorts,

s u p p o s e t h e w h i t e s were d a n c i n g here t o n i g h t i n s t e a d o f u s a n d y o u were p a s s i n g b y , would you r u s h i n and b r e a k t h e i r t r u m p e t s a n d g u i t a r s . ~ u t how s h o u l d w e l i v e w i t h o u t o u r d a n c i n g ? You w h i t e s h a v e y o u r cars, y o u r a e r o p l a n e s , y o u r t r a i n s . . . . B u t w e h a v e n o t h i n g b u t o u r d a n c i n g , And now you w a n t t o t a k e t h a t f r o m u s w h a t c o u l d w e do i n s t e a d ,

7

Here B e t i i s v e h e m e n t l y p r o t e s t i n g a g a i n s t

c o l o n i a l i s m i n g e n e r a l a n d t h e a s s i m i l a t i o n p o l i c y

., i n F r e n c h West Af r i ca , a p o l i c y t h a t t h r i v e s o n

c o n t i n u e d s u b o r d i n a t i o n of A f r i c a n i n t e r e s t s t o

F r e n c h p o l i c i e s . Any t r a d i t i o n a l c e r e m o n y ,$ha t

does n o t a p p r o x i m a t e t h e F r e n c h c u l t u r e 1s termed .._ -

h e a t h e n a n d t h e Church u s e d a l l i t s power t o

p r e a c h a g a i n s t i t ,

A l s o w h i l e Rev. F a t h e r Drumont d i s c o u r a g e s -

polygamy a n d b r e e d i n g of c h i l d r e n b y women who

are n o t p r o p e r l y ' married, h e e x p l o i t s t h e s i t u a t i o n

by c h a r g i n g h i g h fees d u r i n g t h e b a p t i s m o f s u c h

c h i l d r e n . One would t h i n k t h a t t h i s was a way of : .\

d i s c o u r a g i n g t h e b r e e d i n g of c h i l d r e n o u t s i d e n o r m a l '-&..

wedlock . d h e n t h e F a t h e r i n s i s t s on h i g h e r

fees f 'o r w h a t h e c o n s i d e r s i l l e g i t i m a t e k i d s , h e *, '

was c l e a r l y e m b a r k i n g o n w h a t amounted t o e c o n o m i c ..+

e x p l o i t a t i o n . The c a t e c h i s t a t l3i t i e c o n f i r m s t h i s

e x p l o i t a t i v e t endency o f t h e F a t h e r and c o n s o l e s

h i m s e l f i n t h i s s t a t e m e n t :

B u t i t s n o t a l t o g e t h e r t o 0 bad i f t h e y d o t a k e second w i v e s , a f t e r a t l e a s t g e t t i n g p r o p e r l y m a r r i e d t o t h e f i r s t one, . , . And t h e y d o s e n d t h e i r e x t r a c h i l d r e n f o r b a p t i s m , pay ing a h i g h e r f e e t h a n t h e good c h r i s t i a n s . 8

To make s u r e t h a t h e e x t o r t s t h i s money t h e

F a t h e r a l w a y s writes on t h e

b a p t i s m a l r e c o r d s o f s u c h c h i l d r e n " E x - f o r n i c a t i o n e

o r t u s " meaning t h a t t h e i r f a t h e r s a r e polygamous

and t h a t s why t h e y mus t pay a h i g h e r fee. ~ l s o

the case o f t h e malnourished old woman who was

c o m p e l l e d t o pay c h u r c h d u e s , e v e n when s h e had

no means o f l i v e l i h o o d and had approached t h e

father f o r h e l p f u r t h e r testifies to h i s L n s e n s i -

t i v i t y e v e n to p e o p l e h e h a s g a i n e d f o r C h r i s t , , .. c h u c k l i n g

L a c h a r i a ' s L w i t h . m i s c h i e v o u s g l e e and

and comments a b o u t g r e e d y p r i e s t s i n c o m p e t i t i o n

for money and o f c o u r s e t h e f a t h e r s g e n e r a l

a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s c h u r c h d u e s a l l s u g g e s t ' t h e

m i s s i o n s economic m o t i v e and e x p l o i t a t i o n .

I n p r e s e n t i n g t h e F a t h e r s i n s e n s i t i v i t y

Mongo ~ e t i % p r o t e s t i n c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e S i x a

i s even more i n t e n s e , G i r l s s e n t t o t h e S i x a

are supposed to be t r a i n e d i n C h r i s t i a n b e h a v i o u r

s o a s t o become good wives , I n s t e a d o f ti',

e n p e c t e d c h r i s t i a n b e h a v i o u r and t r a i n i n g , I

t h e r e were i n d i c a t i o n s a l l t h r o u g h t h e nove l ;

t h a t t h e g i r l s were s u b j e c t e d to p h y s i c a l tor-

men t , f o r c e d l a b o u r , s e x u a l e x p l o i t a t i o n and

e x t r e m e l y i n s a n i t a r y c o n d i t i o n s . When Doctor

Arnaud tells t h e F a t h e r o f a n e p i d e m i c i n t h e

camp, twenty-seven c a s e s o f s y p h i l i s , h e e x o n o r a t e s

h i m s e l f .

The l a s t t i m e .I set foot on t h e S i x a , i t had o n l y j u s t been b u i l t , T h a t s almost twen ty y e a r s a g o now, I told o n e o f my C a t e c h i s t s t h e n to make t h e rooms more c o m f o r t a b l e , more h a b i t a b l e , indeed .9

Yet h e founded t h e S i x a and was supposed to be

i n c h a r g e of t h e g i r l s there.The r e a l i t y and

h e i g h t o f p r o m i s c u i t y i n t h e Sixa i s summarised

by c argue rite, o n e o f t h e S i x a g i r l s , who b e i n g

s u b j e c t e d to s e v e r e wh ipp ing p r o t e s t s

Fada, you a r e t o r t u r i n g me u n j u s t l y , You m u s t know t h a t e v e r y g i r l i n t h e S i x a s l e e p s w i t h someone h e r e o r from o u t - s i d e , Why are you p e r s e c u t i n g me. You are un jus t . 10

f N s r y u e r i t& p o l i t e d i s d a i n i s Betis p r o t e s t i n g

v o i c e , H e i s a t t a c k i n g t h e S i x a and t h e e n t i r e

r e l i g i o u s programme,

I n The Poor C h r i s t o f Bomba, B e t i p r o t e s t s

a g a i n s t f o r c e d l a b o u r , a n o b n o x i o u s a s p e c t of

t h e c o l o n i a l e x e r c i s e . M e Vidal, t h e c o l o n i a l

a d m i n i s t r a t o r c o u l d n o t u n d e r s t a n d why t h e

Reverend F a t h e r e v e r s u g g e s t e d t h e u s e o f mach ines

f o r t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n of t h e new road across T a l a

c o u n t r y , T h i s p r o t e s t , a l t h o u g h d i r e c t on t h e

a d m i n i s t r a t o r a l s o e x t e n d s to t h e F a t h e r who

c o m p e l l e d t h e S i x a g i r l s t h r o u g h t h e S i x a admin-

i s t r a t o r s l i k e 'Raphaell to u n d e r t a k e w o r k en t i r e l y

beyond t h e i r a b i l i t i e s , A p a r t from t h e S ixa ,

t h e c o l o n i a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n d e l i g h t s i n e n g a g i n g

t h e l o c a l p o p u l a t i o n i n c h e a p l a b o u r . T h i s was

n o t o n l y p e c u l i a r i n F rench Cameroons. It a l s o

o b t a i n e d i n o t h e r c o l o n i a l ' - d o m a i n s , . l i k e t h e

E n g l i s h West A f r i c a a s documented i n ~ c h e b e l s

I n ' T h e Poor C h r i s t of Bomba, B e t i 'is a l s o

p o i s e d i n d e p i c t i n g t h e f a k e v e r s i o n o f e d u c a t i o n

o f f e r e d to c o l o n i a l s u b j e c t s . C e n n i s , t h e n a i v e

6

n a r r a t c r w o u l d n o t be s e n t t o a f o r m a l s c h o o l ,

H i s pater11a.l f a t h e r k e e p s o n c o m p l a i n i n g a b o u t t h e

s l o w p r o g r e s s h e i s making i n s c h o o l b u t c o n s o l e s

h i m s e l f w i t h t h e e x c u s e t h a t as a m i s s i o n b o y , h e

i s better off . H e m a i n t a i n s t h a t

to see t h e w h i t e ' p r i e s t s a t c l o s e q u a r t e r s would be t h e 10 bes t e d u c a t i o n I c o u l d h a v e ,

B e t i seems to be s a y i n g h e r e t h a t t h e m i s s i o n a r y

.. i n t e n t i o n i n A f r i c a i s d e c e i t f u l . The.churc l .1 h i d

u n d e r t h e g u i s e of e v a n g e l i s a t i o n t o d e c e i v e t h e

popu1.at io1-1 and would n o t s p e a k o u t a g a i n s t a n y

g l d r i n g o p p r e s s i o n , Ngugi r i g h t l y asserts,

I n face of a c o l o u r b a r and d i s c r i m i n a t i o n a g a i n s t t h e black race t h e c h u r c l ~ o n l y p r e a c h e d a b o u t h e a v e n a n d l i f e t o come.11

One w o n d e r s why a young boy l i k e D e n n i s would n o t

b e e n c o u r a g e d by F a t h e r t o y o t o s c h o o l , R a t h e r

h e k e e p s h i m , e x p l o i t i n g him a s h i s mass s e r v e r ,

The F a t h e r , a r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f C h r i s t s h o u l d h a v e

known t h a t t h a t ac t i s i n h u m a n , e s p e c i a l l y a s o n e

would t h i n k t h a t h e knows t h e v a l u e of e d u c a t i o n ,

This f u r t h e r t e s t i f ies t o t h e f a c t t h a t t h e

c o l o n i a l i s t s were r e l u c t a n t t o g i v e f u n c t i o n a l

e d u c a t i o n t o b l a c k A f r i c a n s . And by t h i s , t h e

F a t h e r ' s b r a n d of r e l i g i o n e x p o s e s him a s b e i n g b a s i c a l l y

u n - c h r i s t i a n . The c o n c e p t s of l o v e and mercy a r e com-

p l e t e l y l a c k i n g from h i s c r e e d and h e i s a b s o l u t e l y

l a c k i n g i n c o m p a s . s i o n , a b s o l u t e l y i n f l e x i b l e and v e r y

u n y i e l d i n g . H e emerges a s a r a t h e r h a r s h , o b s t i n a t e ,

u n f e e l i n g and c o n c e i t e d a u t h o r i t a r i an . Indeed i t i s t h i s

marked d i f f e r e n c e be tween F a t h e r Drumont and J e s u s C h r i s t

t h a t s t r i k e s us . A l s o t h e f a c t t h a t i t is Drumont

h i m s e l f who d raws a t t e n t i o n to h i s s i m i l a r i t y w i t h C h r i s t

f u r t h e r b u t t t e s s e s h i s a r r o g a n c e , c o n c e i t and c o n t e m p t f o r

Mongo B e t i I s i n t e n t i o n i s to e x p o s e n o t j u s t t h e

F a t h e r , b u t t h e Roman C a t h o l i c Church a s a whole ;

e rnphas i s ing i t s l a c k o f a p p e a l f o r t h e people . T h e r e

a r e s e v e r a l r e a s o n s f o r t h e d i s t r u s t . One o f t h i s i s

t h a t i t f a i l s t o come t o terms w i t h i n d i g e n o u s law

and custom. The m i s s i o n a r i e s f a i l t o see t h a t i t i s

b o t h u n n e c e s s a r y and u n d e s i r a b l e t o a t t e m p t to s m o t h e r

b e n e a t h t h e s u p e r f i c i a l t r a p p i n g s of Roman C a t h o l i c i s m or

any o t h e r r e l i g i o n f o r t h a t m a t t e r , t h e a g e l o n g

c u l t u r e o f a p e o p l e f rom which t h e y d e r i v e t h e i r

v i t a l i t y a n d t h e i r s e n s e of i d e n t i t y ,

A n o t h e r r e a s c ~ n for t h e church% l a c k o f

a p p e a l i s t h a t c h r i s t i a n i t y t u r n s o u t to be a n

e x t r e m e l y e x p e n s i v e and c o m m e r c i a l i z e d r e l i g i o n

demanding much f r o m i Ls a d h e r e n t s and i m p o s i n g

s e v e r a l u n r e a s o n a b l e t a s k s a n d o b l i g a t i o n s , I t

i s a l s o a r e l i g i o n t h a t i m p o s e s i t s e l f b y means of

t e r r o r , C h r i s t i a n i t y h e r e i s a n e x t r e m e l y n a i v e

r e l i g i o n t h a t d e p e n d s on a s imple - -minded a n d un-

c r i t i c a l a c c e p t a n c e o f i t s d o c t r i n e s , t h u s s u g g e s t i n g

i ts u n d e r a s t i m a t i o n of the n a t i v e i n t e l l . i g e n c e of

L t l e ~f ricdri p e o p l e s . fi.lso, t h e i d e n t i f i c c 3 t i o n of

C h r i s t i a n i t y k; i t h a w h i t e c i v i l i z a t i o n i s a n o t h e r

o b s t a c l e t o i t s a c c e p t a n c e i n t h e s e p a r t s . S i n c e

t h e w h i t e p r i e s t s are a l w a y s ' i n a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h

whi te a d m i n i s t r a t o r s , t h e p e o p l e q u i t e r i g h t l y

r e g a r d t h e c h u r c h a s t h e a l l y of an o p p r e s s i v e

i m p e r i a l i s t a n d . t h e f a c t t h a t J e s u s C h r i s t i s

a l w a y s r e p r e s e n t e d a s w h i t e f u r t h e r i n t e n s i f ies

t h e f e e l i n g t h a t C h r i s t i a n i t y i s a w h i t e m a n ' s

r e l i g i o n c o m p l e t e l y u n s u i t e d t o i i f r i c a n c o n d i t i o n s .

'Th i s p o i n t s tu t h e g e n e r a l c u l t u r a l i m p e r i a l i s m

w h i c h i s t h e r o o t of Mongo B e t i ' s i c o n o c l a s m .

e i f o r t a t p r o t e s t i n g t h e d e h u m a n i s i n g e f f e c t s of

c o l o n i a l i s m a n d t h e i m p o s i t i o n of a n a l i e n c u l t u r e

o n t h e A f r i c a n p o p u l a t i o n . It i s a l s o a n o v e l ,

where U e t i ,

r e a s s e r t s t h e A f r i c a n w o r l d v i e w , A f r i c a n v a l u e s , d e n u n c i a t e s c o l o n i a l i s m w i t h i t s c r u e l t y of man to man, i t s o p p r e s s i o n , i t s h umi li. a t i n g a r r o g a n c e , g r e e d a n d e x p l o i t a t i o n , i t s t h o u g h t l e s s n e s s a n d h y p o c r i s y . 1 2

T h i s time, t h e a t t a c k i s on t h e f o l l i e s o f b o t h '

t h e Roman C a t h o l i c C h u r c h and t h e C i v i l a d m i n i s t r a -

t i o n . I t d ~ a l s s p e c i f i c a l l y with t h e c o n v e r s i o n

o f t h e c h i e f c j f Essazam t o C h r i s t i a n i t y . U e ti's

r e L e l l i o u s v o i c e e x p o s e s how t h e c h i e f s new way o f

l i f e c l i g s h e s s t r v n y l y w i t h t r a d i t i o n a l b e l i e f s

and p r a c t i c s s and d i s r u p t s t h e l i f e of t h e communi ty .

Rev. F a t h e r Le Guen, t h e faceless a s s i s t a n t t o

F a t h e r Drumont i n T h e P o o r C h r i s t of Bomba, h e r e

i s o u s t i n a t e and i n s e n s i t i v e and i s u l t i m a t c l y m o r e

d i s r u p t i v e uf t r a d i t i o n a l ways. The n o v e l t h e m a t i -

c a l l y i s c o n c e r n e d s t i l l w i t h

t h e e x p o s u r e of t h e p r e t e n t i o u s - n e s s of a n a l i e n c u l t u r a l a n d i m p e r i a l i s t s y s t e m w h i c h shows l i t t - l c r e s p e c t f o r t h e t r a d i t i o n a l l i f e and d i g n i t y o f the p e o p l e . 1 3

T o a c h i s v 2 t h i s aim, Le Guen a n d h i s g r o u p employ

s e v e r a l s t r a t e g i e s . is s i m p l e n a i v e t e a c h i n g

i l l u s t r a t e s t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l b a n k r u p c y o f t h e .-...

c h u r c h and i t s c o n t e m p t f o r t h e i n t e l l i g e n c e o f

t h e p e o p l e i t s e e k s t o w i n i n t o i t s f o l d . I n t h e

p r o c e s s o f f o r c e f u l l y c o n v e r t i n g t h e c h i e f , h e

t h r e a t e n e d d i v i n e w r a t h ,

Fanning t h e f l a m e s of e t e r n a l h e l l f i r e u n d e r h i s n o s e , f o r e w a r n i n g him a g a i n s t the c o u n t l e s s ways i n w h i c h the D e v i l was l i a b l e to t e m p t i n t o s i n a s o u l a s p i r i n g t o w a r d s God. 14

LC ( h e n cornplrtely f a i l s to c o n s i d e r t h c e f f e c t s

o f h i s a d v i c e o n t h e l i v e s o f t h e p e o p l e .

I n s t e a d of w i n n i n g t h e c h i e f by g r a d u a l l y c o n v i n c i n g ,

him, h e g o e s a b o u t i t f o r c e f u l l y , When h e a d v i s e s

h i m to p u t away a l l h i s w i v e s b u t o n e h e d i d n o t

b o t h e r t o t h i n k of t h e c o n s e q u e n c e s a n d t h e i n -

c o n v e n i e n c e s w h i c h s u c h a s t e p c o u l d p r o d u c e . H e

i s c o m p l e t e l y unmoved t h a t s u c h a n a r r a n g e m e n t

c u t s r i g h t a c r o s s a t r a d i t i o n w h i c h t h e c h i e f as

t r a d i t i o n a l r u l e r and c u s t o d i a n o f t r a d i t i o n i s

s u p p o s e d t o p r o t e c t and propagat%. H e i s a lso

u n c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t h e human a s p e c t s o f t h e

p rob lem. H e i s n o t c o n c e r n e d a b o u t t h e f a c t t h a t

- 39

scmc o f the c h i e f s w i v e s h a v e b e e n married t o t h e

c h i e f f u r y e a r s and know n o o t h e r home. T h a t s u c h

a s t e p a l s o i s b o u n d t o breed c o r r u p t i o n a n d

n e p o t i s m s i n c e thc? women are forced t o l e a v e

w i t h o u t t h e i r c h i l d r e n who a r e now d e p r i v e d of

p a r e n t a l l o v e a n d care. R a t h e r Le Guen i s q u i c k

t o f o r m u l a t e t h i s b e a u t i f u l p o l i c y t h a t t h e c h i l d -

r e n be b u n d l e d u n t o

r e s p e c t a b l e h o u s e y i v e s a r o u n d t h e v i l l a g e w i t h i n s t r u c t i o n s t o feed a n d b r i n g them up.15

d c t i I s i c o n o c l a s t i c v o i c e rises a g a i n s t t h i s a c t i o n

,ind i n his c h a r , i c t c r i s t i c m a n n e r , h e eXJ)C)>j(.!S ttle

, s l ) s u r d i t y and consequences of s u c h a n a t t empt ; . I n

h i s bid to e n f o r c e monogamy o n t h e C h i e f , Le Guen

c o r r ~ p l e t e l y d i s r u p t s the k i n g d o m , s e t t i n g h u s b a n d

a g a i n s t w i f e , c l a n a g a i n s t c l a n a n d p l u n g i n g t h e

Whole tribe i n t o a c i v i l w a r . I t i s a t t h i s p o i n t

t h a t he c l a s h e s w i t h t h e c i v i l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n who

now f ee l s L h a t c i v i l un r , e s t : w i l l d i s r u p t t h e

p e r p e t r a t i o n of t h e i r own a t r o c i t i e s . I n a b i d

to c o n v i n c e h i m t o s t o p t h i s c o n v e r s i o n of t h e

c h i e f ' i n their own i n t e r e s t , they t e l l h im

;AS i n t h e p a s t , w e s t l a l l c o n t i n u e t o s t a n d f i r m l y b e h i n d y o u a n d t o c o n s i d e r y o u r aims a n d o u r s as one... r e a f f i r m a s w e do , t h e f u n d a - m e n t a l u n i t y o f t h e m i s s i o n f o r w h i c h t o g e t h e r w e h a v e b e e n made r e s ~ o n s i b l e by o u r d e a r m o t h e r l a n d , F r a n c e , i n t h e mids t of t h e s e s a v a g e p e o p l e s , 16

T h i s s t a t e m e n t f u r t h e r i . l l u m i n a t e s t h e i d e a t h a t

c h r i s t i a n i t y was a c l o s e a l l y t o c o l o n i a l i s m , Ci

The c o l o n i a l i s t s h i d u n d e r Lhe cloak-i o f c h r i s t i a n i t y

to e n f o r c e t h e i r e x p l o i t a t i v e m i s s i o n i n A f r i c a .

S o t h a t i n Kenya f-and i n d e e d i n a l l ~ f r i c i l n c o u n t r i e s 7 w h i l e the E u r o p e a n set t ler T o b b e d p e o p l e at t h e i r l a n d , the p r o d u c t s of t h e i r s w e a t , t h e m i s s i o n a r i e s pea le a &

t n e i r s o u l i n p r o m i s e ol) an E u r o p e a n heaven .17

be ti t o u c h i n g l y a n d c a r e f u l l y evokes t h e r n i s e r y

I w h i c n Le Guens a c t i o n s p r e c i p i t a t e s a n d e x p o s e s

h i s i n s e n s i v i t y to a l l t h e s e .

Be ti 1 s ' r e b e l l i o u s v o i c e a g a i n s t c o l o n i a l i s m

and i t s r e l i g i o u s a l l y - t h e c n u r c i l i n t h e n o v e l i s

f u r t h e r s t r e n g t h e n e d by t h e f a c t t h a t d e s p i t e Le

Wen's z e a l i n e n f o r c i n g c h r i s t i a n i t y o n t h e c h i e f ,

h e ( t h e c h i e f ) d i d n o t become a better man. T h i s

c o n v e r s i o n sezrns t o l iberate t h e m o s t r e p u l s i v e

41

i i r i p u l s e s i n him. Cjne e x p e c t e d t h a t t h e c a l l o u s

a n d p l e a s u r e l o v i n g c h i e f c o u l d h a v e ' r e p e n t e d '

a n d l ed a better l i fe , B e t i seems to be s a y i n g

i n t h i s r e s p e c t t h a t t h e w h o l e aim of

c h r i s t i a n i t y i n Afr ica was a mere time - c o n s u m i n g

v e n t u r e s i n c e t h e p e o p l e c o u l d n o t b e n e f i t p o s i t i v e l y

f r o m i t , A 1 t h o u g h B e t i , i n c o n d e m n i n g c h r i s t i a n i t y

d i d n o t e x t o l t h e t r a d i t i o n a l A f r i c a n v a l u e s , h e

seems to i m p l y t h a t t h e c h i e f a n d i n d e e d t h e p e o p l e

were h a p p i e r i n t h e age l o n g t r a d i t i o n from w h i c h

t11c.y d e r i v e tluir v i tiili Ly and f u l f i l r w r l t. A 1 t h o u g h

the c h i e f w a s c a l l o u s , h e was h a p p y a n d f u l f i l l e d

a s a t r a d i t i o n a l r u l e r , C h r i s t i a n i t y a n d t h e .

i m p o s i t i o n of W e s t e r n i n f l u e n c e o n him d i d n o t -make

hirn better, B e t i seems t o be a s k i n g , w h a t t h e n i s t h e

b i g idea? Would i t be. better i f h e h a d b e e n l e f t :

a l o n e ? . .

I n t h e . n o v e l a l s o , Beti i s p r o t e s t i n g a g a i n s t

t h e F r e n c h a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . Here t h e a d m i n i s t r a t o r s

d e m o n s t r a t e a c e r t a i n l e v e l of e f f i c i e n c y b u t a l l

t h e s e a r e i n t h c i n t e r e s t o f p e r p e t u a t i n g t h e i r

c o r r u p t a n d u n j u s t s y s t e m , Lequeux h i m s e l f i s a

r a c i s t from a l l e v i d e n c e s i n t h e n o v e l a n d t h e

o t h e r whi t - s arc e i t h e r e g o i s t i c and c o n c e i t e d

l i k e him. F o r s u p p o s e d l y i n s u l t i n g b e h a v i o u r to

o n e of h i s masters, t h e young s c l ~ o o l b o y C h r i s

i s d e p r i v e d of h . i s b o a r d i n g - r i g h t s w i t h o u t b e i n g

a l l o w e d t o d e f e n d h i m s e l f . Also M a u r i c e ' s s e n t e n c e

o f t h r e e m o n t h s ' i m p r i s o n m e n t would h a v e b e e n a t

l e a s t t e n y e a r s f o r c e d l a b o u r i f t h e b u r g l a r y h a d

bcien c o m m i t t e d on t h e p r e m i s e s of a F r e n c h

b u s i n e s s m a n .

I t m u s t n o t be s u p p o s e d h o w e v e r , t h a t U e t i

i d e a l i z ~ s t r a d i t i o n a l s o c i e t y i n t h i s n o v e l .

'rilis .is a s i g n . l f i c m t d e p a r t u r e f r o m I-)is u s u a l

p r a c t i c e o f s h o w i n g t r e m e n d o u s r e s p o r l s i v e n e s s t o

t h e d i g n i t y a n d b e a u t y of t r a d i t i o n a l l i f e .

King L a z a r u s p r e s e n t s a v e r y ~ n f l a t t e r i n g p i c t u r e

of i n d i g e n o u s A f r i c a n s o c i e t y , The h i s t o r i c a l

b a c k g r o u n d w i t h w h i c h t h e n o v e l starts shows t h a t

owing to t h e i m p a c t of o u t s i d e forces o n t h e

Lssazam, t h e y h a v e become i n c r e a s i n g l y d e c a d e n t i n t h e

sense t h a t

t h e y h a v e b e e n r a c k e d i n i n Lernal f e u d s and v e n d e t t a s : v e n e r e a l disc+es, a l c o h o l i s m a n d o t h e r ' s c o u r g e s of modern c i v i l i s a t i o n h a v e made p r o - q r e s s i v e i n r o a d s i n to t h e i r s o c i e t y . 18

experience. A l l t h e s e s c o u r g e s of m o ~ . ~ e r n c i v i l i s a -

t i o n w h i c h h a v e c a u g h t u p w i t h t h e Essazarn may

n e v e r have b e e n i f m o d e r n c i v i l i s a t i o n ; t h e

i n f l u e n c e of c o l o n i a l i s ~ n and c h r i s t i a n i t y , w a s

n o t b r o u \ j h t a t t h e d o o r s t e p s of t h e p e o p l e .

B e t i ' s mood i n t h e n o v e l s , t h e P o o r C h r i s t

o f 13ornba a n d Kjnq L a z a r u s , seems to be o n e o f

p r o f o u n d c y n i c i s m . he' i r o n i c t h r u s t of The P o o r

C:llri..;t of Dornba r e g i s t e r s most p r o f o u n d l y i n t h e

char& tcr Lactidria. Z a c h a r i a w h o s e i r r c s p o n s i b i l i t y

s l iou lc l n o t b l i n d u s t o his r a n a r k a b l e s a n i t y a n d

realism, p l a y s a c r u c i a l role i n t h e s t m y . He i s ,

u s e d b y Mongo D e t i a s a k i n d of p e r m a n e n t : c h e c k

.- o n t h e n a r r a t o r * ~ n a i v e t y a n d t h e F a t h e r s i l l u s i o n s

a b o u t h i s m i s s i o n . T h e a u t h o r n e e d s Z a c h a r i a o n

t h i s j o u r n e y t o act a s a u s c f u l c o r r e c t i v e a n d t o

be t h e s p o k e s m a n f o r t h e r a d i c a l A f r i c a n p o i n t of

v i e w . L a c h a r i a i s a b l e t o p l a y t h i s ro le e f f e c t i v e l y ,

n o t just b e c a u s e of h i s i n t e l l i g e n c e , b u t b e c a u s e

he i s a p e r c e p t i v e man of t h e world who knows h i s

p e o p l e a n d i s p r o u d of them. H e knows t h a t t h e s e

:;mart peop le h a v e rea l ized the i m p o r t a n c e of money

i n rr,o<-lern i i f e and a r e g o i n g to c h a s e i t n o less

e a g e r l y 1;hm the p r i e s t s t h e m s e l v e s , I-lis c o r r e c t i v e

r o l e i s d e m o n s t r a t e d a g a i n a n d a g a i n . On o n e '

o c c a s i o n h e b l u n t l y t e l l s t h e F a t h e r t h a t t h e

A f r i c a n d i d n o t f i r s t h e a r of God f r o m t h e w h i t e m a n ;

i f h e a g r e e d t o embrace t h e r e l i g i o n o f t h e l a t t e r

L t was b e c a u s e h e h o p e d t h a t s u c h a n a s s o c i a t i o n

would g i v e him t h e secret o f t h o w h i t e m a n ' s power

., a@ knowledge. Z a c h a r ' i a c a n see t h r o u g h t h e F a t h e r

d n d t h e o t h e r w h i t e s , h e knows t h e i r secrets, t h e i r

i l l u s i o n s arrd t h e i r r e a l d e s i r e s and h e is s e n s i t i v e

enoucjh t o know t h e e f f e c t t h e p a t h e r i s p r o d u c i n g :

ori t;12 p e o p l e . H e ti u n d o u b t e d l y e n d o r s e s c y n i c i s m

L a c h a r i a s v i e w s , Z a c h a r i a 9 s . L e x a c t l y m a t c h e s

t h a t o f ' t h e young c h r i s who o f a l l t h e c h a r a c t e r s

i n King 1,azarus seems most t o a p p r o x i m a t e t h e

a u t h o r s v i e w p o i n t ,

I t was Chinua Achebe who t o l d a c o n f e r e n c e

o n <omrnonwealth L i t e r a t u r e a t Leeds i n 1965, t h a t

p a r t of h i s b u s i n e s s as a n o v e l i s t w a s . t o " t e a c h ,

to r e - e d u c a t e h i s s o c i e t y o u t of t h e a c c e p t a n c e

o f r a c i a l i n f e r i o r i t y . I t H e c o n t i n u e d by s a y i n g

t h a t he w i l l h e l p h i s s o c i e t y r e g a i n i t s belief

.in i tr;r:lf arid t o p u t aLJay 'the cornplexcs o f t h e

y c d r s c;E d e n i g r a t i o n and s e l f - . a b a s e m e n t

I t i s t h e writers v iew t h a t Mongo U e t i had

these and more i n mind w h i l e w r i t i n g The Poor

C h r j s t of Bornba and Kinq Laza rus . H e h a s been

a b l e to correct t h e bias by r e c r e a t i n g h i s s o c i e t y ;

i t s t r e r i g t h s , weaknesses and f a i l u r e s . I n t h i s

r e c r e a t i o n of h i s s o c i e t y , h e h a s b e s n a b l e t o

e x p o s e t k e f f e c t s o f t h e most o u t s t a n d i n g h i s t o r i c a l

p r e d i c a m e n t of the A f r i c a n c o n t i . n u n t ; c o l o n i a l i s m

and c h r i s t i a n i t y . H e h a s b e n a b l e t o

,., t a l k , n o t a b o u t the g l o r y of the hf r i c a n p a s t , b u t a b o u t

r r ~ i n i s t e r i a l inconrpe t e n c e , n e p o t i s m , s o c i a l and p o l i t i c a l c o r r u p t i o n , s p c i a l i n e q ~ a l i ties) o p p r e s s i o n and pover ty -20

One r o b l d t h e n say t h a t B e t i i s a commi t t ed writer

s i n c e he h a s been able to do a l l t h e s e , T h i s i s

b e c a u s e

A writer r e s p o n d s w i t h h i s t o t a l p e r s o n a l i t y , t o a s o c i ~ l e n v i r o n m e n t which changes a l l t h e t i m e , Being a k i n d o f s e n s i t i v e n e e d l e h e r e g i s t e r s w i t h v a r y i r ~ g cirii: 2t.s of a c c u r a c y and success, t h e c o n f l i c t s and tensions i n h i s c h a n g i n g s o c i e t y . 2 1

46

Mongo B a k i ' h a s been able to examine c r i t i c a l l y

a l l those t e n d e n c i e s which h a s l e d to a debase-

m e n t of standards and v a l u e s i n c o n t e m p o r a r y

r2f r i ca .

NOTES

l o l a d e l e T a i w o , C u l t u r e a n d t h e N i q e r i a n Novel (London : Macmi 1 l a n 1 9 9

2 F r i e d e r i c Mi&elman, " C u l t u r a l c o n f l i c k i n F r a n c o p h o n e Novel" Ph .Do D i s s e r t a t i o n , U n i v e r s i t y o f C a l i f o r n i a , ( L o s A n g e l e s , 1973) ,p. 8.

30 .~ . D a t h o r n e , A f r i c a n L i t e r a t u r e i n t h e 2 0 t h C e n t u r v ( L o n d o n : Ne inemann 19741, p. 297.

4 ~ g u g i Wa T h i o n g o , Homecominq (London : Heinemann l 9 7 2 ) , p. x i i .

' ~ o n c ~ o B e t i , T h e P o o r C h r i s t of Bomba t r a n s . G e r a l d Moore, ( L o n d o n : He inemann 1 9 7 1 1 , p. 5 -

7 ~ h e P o o r C h r i s t ,pp. 55-56.

8 ~ h e P o o r C h r i s t , p. 40.

he P o o r C h r i s t , p. 204.

' O ~ h e P o o r C h r i s t , p. 9.

1 2 ~ u l i e t Okonkwo,"The M i s s i n g L i n k i n A f r i c a n L i t e r a t u r e " A f r i c a n L i t e r a t u r e T o d a y N o . 10, pp86-105.

1 3 ~ u s t a c e P a l m e r , T h e G r o w t h of t h e A f r i c a n Novel ( L o n d o n : He inemann 1 9 7 9 1 , p. 152 .

I 14Mongo B e t i Kinq Lazarus la on don: Hrinemann , 1 9 7 0 ) ~ ~ . 101.

1 7 N g u g i , Homecominq, p. 24.

1 8 ~ u s tace P a l m e r p J 157.

.I.

"chinua Achebe, Paper p r e s e n t e d at a . .L

. . ';. ~ o r i f e r e n c e on CommonweaI t h L i t e r a t u r e . L e e d s , 1 9 6 4 as ci t . 4 1 n C h i n u a . Achebe Morning Y e t on .Creation d (London: Heinernann l h 1 , 4X.

MbNGO BETI'S DEMYSTIFICATION OF THL FRENCH . - EUUCATIGNAL AND POLITICAL SYSTEM r :A S'I'UDY

OF MISSION ~d KALA AND REMLMBER RUBEN.

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era was i n t h e h a n d s o f t h e m i s s i o n a r i e s who were i n

c l o s e a l l i a n c e w i t h t h e c i v i l a u t h o r i t i e s , u p t o

t h e e n d o f t h e 1 9 t h c e n t u r y d u r i n g t h e w h o l e p e r i o d o f

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e d u c a t i o n w i t h

o n l y a f e w s c h o o l s b e i n g e s t a b l i s h e d i n S e n e g a l , G u i n e a , I v o r y C o a s t , Dahomey and ~ o n g o . ' l

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more s e c u r e i n t h e i r A f r i c a n t e r r i t o r i e s . The

p e r i o d of c o n q u e s t was o v e r a n d a n era of c o l o n i a l

d e v e l o p m e n t b e g a n . A p a r t f r o m t h e s u p e r f i c i a l

c o m m o d i t i e s o f w e s t e r n l i v i n g , t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t

c h a n g e s e f f e c t e d d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d o f c o l o n i z a t i o n

were d u e t o t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n of t h e F r e n c h

L d u c a t i . o n a 1 System. D o r o t h y B l a i r , i n t h L s

r e s p e c t , o b s e r v e s ,

I n 1 9 0 3 , a c o m p l e t e .lay e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m w a s i n - s t i t u t e d i n West A f r i c a r a n g i n g f r o m p r i m a r y a n d s e c o n d a r y s c h o o l s t o n o r m a l c o l l e g e s . 2

A s a r e s u l t of t h i s , i n 1 8 2 7 , S e n e g a l o b t a i n e d

p e r m i s s i o n f r o m t h e F r e n c h M i n i s t r y o f e d u c a t i o n

f o r a l l u r b a n s c h o o l s t o f o l l o w t h e same s y l l d ~ u s

as i n F r a n c e u s i n g t h e same-- textbooks . T h i s was -..-- *.-

e v e n t u a l l y a p p l i e d t o a1. l - - the m a j o r s c h o o l s i n . - ."

a n y o f t h e F r e n c h colmies, w i t h t h e r e s u l t t h a t .. ,

b l a c k b o y s s a t o n t h e i r b e n c h e s r e c i t i n g t h a t I1our a n c e s t o r s t h e G a u l s h a d f a i r h a i r a n d b l u e r y e s 2 ,

T e a c h e r s a n d i n s p e c t o r s f o r t h e s e s c h o o l s were

r e c r u i t e d f r o m France. I n some v i l l a g e p r i m a r y

s c h o o l s t h o u g h , t h e t e a c h i n g w a s i n t h e h a n d s o f

moni t d r s o r s t u d e n t t e a c h e r s , s u p p l e m e n t i n g by

t h e rod w h a t t h e y l a c k e d i n p e d a g o g i c c o m p e t e n c e ,

I n t h e p r i m a r y s c h o o l s , t h e s y l l a b u s was b a s e d o n

a s o l i d t r a i n i n g i n F r e n c h and t h e a c q u i s i t i o n

o f a g o o d k n o w l e d g e of t h e l a n g u a g e was t h e

f i r s t o b j e c t i v e a n d a n e s s e n t i a l p a r t o f t h e

t e a c h i n g programme, The main i d e a b e i n g t h a t

s u c h e d u c a t e d A f r i c a n s s h o u l d s e r v e a s i n t e r m e d i a r i e s

i n t e r p r e t e r s a n d c l e r i c a l a s s i s t a n t s t o t h e c o l o n i a l

a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ,

A s a c h i l d v e n t u r e s i n t o s c h o o l , h e i s

f o r b i d d e n t o s p e a k h i s n a t i v e l a n g u a g e o r a n y o t h e r

l a n g u a g e o t h e r t h a n F r e n c h . S i n c e classes w e r e

c o n d u c t e d i n F r e n c h a n d d e a l t l a r g e l y w i t h non-

A f r i c a n s u b j e c t s a n d s i t u a t i o n s , s c h o o l e r e c t e d

a ba r r i e r b e t w e e n e d u c a t i o n and r e a l l i f e , The

F r e n c h l a n g u a g e t h e r e f o r e became a weapon o f c o n q u e s t ,

The A f r i c a n c h i l d , e q u a l l y became a n i n s t r u m e n t f o r

E u r o p e a n g r e e d a n d o c c u p a t i o n , The r e s u l t was

c o n f u s i o n and a m b i v a l e n c e i n h i s p s y c h e , H e i s t o r n

b e t w e e n F r e n c h ; a l a n g u a g e o f a n a b s t r a c t u n i v e r s e

w h i c h h a s no r e l a t i o n t o h i s own and h i s n a t i v e l a n g u a g e ;

t h e l a n g u a g e o f e x p e r i e n c e and f e e l i n g , I n a d i s c u s s i o n

o n g e n e r a l t r e n d s i n c o l o n i a l e d u c a t i o n , Ayi K w e i ~ r r n a h

o b s e r v e s ,

t h e u n d e r l y i n g p r o c e s s o f c o l o n i a l e d u c a t i o n was e v e r y w h e r e t h e same: to s u p p r e s s t h e n a t u r a l man, t a k i n g t h e n a t i v e o u t o f t h e A f r i c a n , a l i e n a t i n g him from h i s b a c k g r o u n d ; h i s r o o t s , a s s i m i l a t i o n i f p o s s i b l e , a c a r b o n a p p r o x i m a t i o n i f t h a t p r o v e s too d i f f i c u l t ,

T h e s e a s s i m i l a t i o n i s t aims were p r o m o t e d b y two

f e a t u r e s i n h e r e n t i n t h e c o l o n i a l s c h o o l s : t h e

e x c l u s i v e u s e o f F r e n c h f r o m t h e f i r s t d a y a n d a

c u r r i c u l u m s t r o n g l y o r i e n t e d t o w a r d s F r e n c h

c i v i l i s a t i o n i g n o r i n g A f r i c a n s o c i a l , p 0 l i t i c a l ,

e c o n o m i c a n d g e o g r a p h i c a l phenomena . A s a r e s u l t

o f t h i s , a m a j o r i t y o f A f r i c a n n o v e l s w r i t t e n i n

Fkerlch d e p i c t s o c i e t i e s w h o s e t r a d i t i o n s h a v e a l r e a d y

" b e e n u n d e r m i n e d b y c o l o n i a l p r e s e n c e a n d p r o t a g o n i s t s

w h o s e a l i e n a t i o n f r o m t h e i r n a t i v e m i l i e u r u n s v e r y ,

d e e p .

'l'he c o n s e q u e n c u s of t h e " F r e n c h c i v i l i v i n g

m i s s i o n u , a n d p a r t i c u l a r l y F r e n c h e d u c a t i o n w e r e

of c o n s i derable li t e r a r y i m p o r t a n c e . 'l 'he

e l i m i n i t i o n of A f r i c a n l a n g u a g e s a n d t h e i m p o s i t i o n

of F r e n c h i n d o l o n i a l s c h o o l s r e s u l t e d i n t h e

a l m o s t t o t a l a b s e n c e of w r i t i n g s i n i n d i g e n o u s

l a n g u a g e s a n d t h e r e l a t i v e l y e a r l y a p p e a r a n c e of

l i t e r a t u r e i n t h e l a n g u a g e of t h e c o l o n i z e r .

Many F r a n c o C p h o n e n o v e l i s t s w r i t e i n a s t y l e w h i c h w i t h o u t

i s coreect b u t - / o r i g i n a l i t y . T h a t F ' ranco-

p h o n e l i t e r a t u r e i s l i n k e d w i t h p o l i t i c a l s t r u g g l e

is t h e r e f o r e u n q u e s t i o n a b l e s i n c e most writers

h e r e , p r o t e s t t h e i n j u s t i c e s and g r o s s

i n s e n s i t i v i t y o n t h e p a r t o f t h e c o l o n i z e r add

a t the same t ime, c e l e b r a t e t h e ~ f r i c a n c u l t u r a l

v a l u e s . T h u s t h e an t i - c o l o n i a l i s t n o v e l s o f B e t i

i s among t h e s e v e r a l ways i n w h i c h t h e F r a n c o -

p h o n e n o v e l i s t r e g i s t e r s t h e d i s r u p t i o n s g e n e r a t e d

i n h i s t r a d i t i o n a l s o c i t k t y . Mongo b e t i , known f o r

h i s c y n i c a l sat ires of t h e c o l o n i a l r e g i m e e m p l o y e d

f e r o c i o u s i r o n y and bawdy h u m o u r - t o t r a n s p o r t

h i s s i t u a t i o n t o a c r e a t i v e p e r ~ ; j ? c : l . i . v ~

I n P l i s s i o n t o ~ a l a , U e k i dahoundb~ the lli2c?hc:h

c t l u c a t i o n a l s y s k m . II-. i s , i n d e e d a s a t i r i c a l

:;l;uciy o f ti112 e f f e c t s and inadequacies o f t h e

t h e P ' r ench e u u c a t i o n a l system. 'The F r e t - ~ c h c o l o n i a l

system, w l ~ i c 1 1 D e t i po t e s t s a g a i n s t i n t h e n o v e l ,

produces h a l f ' b a k e d m i s f i t s who a r e a l i c t n r l t e d - f r o m t h e i r roots , They w e r e t a u g h t t o c o n s i d e r

t h e i r i i f r i ~ a n v a l u e s i n f e r i o r . k t t h e same t i m e ,

t h e s u p e r f i c i a l e d u c a t i o n w a s n o t i n t e l . l e c t u a l . l y

e q u i p p i n g t o p r e p a r e t l i e r n fo r t h e life t h e y

a r e s u p p o s e d t o l e a d . Tile p l o t : i s t t l a t o f a young

s k u d e n t Jean - M a r i e lvledza who h a s l o s t c o n t a c k

~ 4 . i th t r a d i t i o n a l v i l l a g e l i l e a n d t h e a n c e s t r a l

v o i c e o f h i s race which ' t h e w e s t e r n i a e d

e d u c a t i o n h a s made him i n c a p a b l e o f u n d e r s t a n d i n g .

M i s s i o n t o Kala i s n o t s i m p l y a n a t t a c k oa A f r i c a n

r u r a l l i f e a n d t h e s u p e r i m p o s i t i o n of a f o r e i g n

e d u c a t i o n a l s y s t e m , n o r a p l e a for a r e t u r n to

v i l l a g e l i f e and t r a d i t i o n a l v a l u e s , I t i s a

u r i l l i a n t a n d c l e v e r p i e c e of l i t e r a r y s a t i r e i n

w h i c h Mongo B e t i r a i s e s h i s v o i c e t o d e c r y a

s y s t e m of s u p e r f i c i a l e d u c a t i o n a imed a t d e s t r o y i n g

t h e A f r i c a n p s y c h e , B e t i t s a u t h o r i a l a im i n t h e

n o v e l is t l l a t of r i d i c u l i n g k ' r ench educ-ir Lion.

T h i s h e d i d b y e x p o s i n g i t s i n a d e q u a c i e s a n d

g l a r i n g l o o p h o l e s . The F r e n c h h a d b r a i n w a s h e d t h e

$ , f r i c a n i n to b e l i e v i n g t h a t F r e n c h e d u c a t i o n was

the b e s t t h i n g t h a t c a n h a p p e n to a n y o f them, It

' would l e a d them t o a f u l f i l l e d l i f e , I t would

o p e n u p d o o r s fo r them. The A f r i c a n s o n t h e i r

p a r t s w a l l o w e d t h i s . a n d s t m v e ; t o w a r d s .

g e t t i n g t h i s ' e d u c a t i o n f o r l i fe ' . U e t i i n t h e

n o v e l d e m y s t i f i e d t h e myth i n t h e F r e n c h e d u c a t i o n a l

S y s t e m b y s h o w i n g t h e p o r o u s . n a t u r e o f i t s

p r o d u c t s . J e a n M a r i e I s e d u c a t i o n . . i n s t e a d

of b e i n g t h e best t h i n g t h a t h a s h a p p e n e d t o h i m ,

o n l y r u i n e d h i s l i f e . B e t i seems t o

be a s k i n g ttWllat i s t h e b i g i d e a a b o u t t h i s

e d u c a t i o n ? Would i t n o t ' h a v e b e e n better t o a l l o w

J e a n M a r i e s t a y b a c k i n h i s v i l l a g e i n s t e a d o f

r a i s i n g him u p o n l y t o t h r o w him down i n t h e mud?

A c c o r d i n g t o J u l i e t Okonkwo i n a n a r t i c le " M i s s i o n

O k i k e E d u c a t i o n a l S u p p l e m e n t ,

J e a n Marie Medza I s e d u c a t i o n a t t h e F r e n c h c o l o n i a l s c h o o l h a s b e e n assumed b y t h e F r e n c h a u t h o r i t ies, h i s f a t h e r , and h i m s e l f t o make h im s u p e r i o e t o h i s u n e d u c a t e d c o m p a t r i o t s . Du t J e a n - M a r i e d i s c o v e r s t h a t , a p a r t from a c e r t a i n awe and c u r i o s i t y w h i c h t h e v i l l a g e r s f e e l t o w a r d s h im b e c a u s e of h i s k n o w l e d g e o f t h e "whi ternan I s

secretst t , t h e y n e v e r t h e l e s s c o n s i d e r him u n q u a l i f i e d t o g r a p p l e w i t h t h e r e a l i s s u e s o f l i f e . 5

I n p r o t e s t i n g t h e n a r r o w - m i n d e d n e s s a n d p e r v e r s . i t y

of M e d z a l s t y p e , B e t i i s c r i t i c i z i n g t h e i n s t i t u t i o n s

w h i c h p r o d u c e d him. I t i s a s t o r y of g r o w t h a n d

d i s c o v e r y d u r i n g w h i c h t h e h e r o i e f o r c e d

t o a c k n o w l e d g e many t r u t h s a b o u t h i m s e l f a n d

h i s e d u c a t i o n .

I n t h e n o v e l , d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d of Jean-

M a r i e ' s e d u c a t i o n , h e was c o m p l e t e l y u p r o o t e d from

t h e t r a d i t i o n a l l i f e , H e c o n f e s s e s t h a t :

I t was a l o n g time s i n c e I h a d s p e n t t h r e e m o n t h s on e n d i n t h e v i l l a g e - 6

T h i s i s a l s o e c h o e d b y o n e of M e i z a ' s u n c l e s

He i s away a t s c h o o l a l l t h e t i m e . H e o n l y comes home o c c a s s i o n a l l y . 7

B e t i i n r i d i c u l i n g F r e n c h e d u c a t i o n s h o w s i n t h e

n o v e l t h a t o n e of t h e ways w i t h w h i c h t h e s y s t e m

e n s u r e d t h e d e s t r u c t i o n of t h e A f r i c a n p s y c h e , was

by r e m o t e l y r e m o v i n g h im f r u m t r a d i t i o n a l l i f e .

J e a n - M a r i e Medza ' h a r d l y s p e n d s t h r e e m o n t h s on e n d

i n t h e v i l l a y e ' . ' H e i s a l w a y s away a t s c h o o l a l l

t h e t i m e ' , H e was b y t h i s r emoved from t r a d i t i o n a l

l ife. ' cjne t h e n e x p e c t s t h e c o l o n i a l i s t s t o

f o r m u l a t e a n e d u c a t i o n a l p o l i c y t h a t w i l l f i l l u p

t h e vacuum, a n d . maybe, g r o u n d him b e t t e r , compared

to ~ v h a t h e would h a v e o t h e r w i s e b e e n a s a t r a d i t i o n a l i s t ,

T h a t was n o t t o be.. . I n s t e a d , ~ b , e see them m e r e l y

g i v i n g h im K a n g a r o o k i n d of e d u c a t i o n w h i c h w i l l

t h e n e n a b l e h im to a c t a s a n i n t e r p r e t e r o r a c l e rk

to them. Jean-lvlarie Ivledz a d i s c o v e r e d d u r i n g h i s

5 7

t r i p t o T a l a t h a t h e w a s o t h e r w i s e empty , H e was

n o t a v e r s e i n t r a d i t i o n l i k e Lambo, y e t h e c o u l d n o t

e v e n d e f i n e g e o g r a p h y when h e was a s k e d t o d o so.

Mongo Be t i p r e s e n t s him h e r e , i r o n i c a l l y s u b j c c t i n g

h i s v i e w s and a c t i o n s t o t h e most c r i t i ca l s c r u t i n y .

J e a n - M a r i e i s s t u p i d , c o n d e s c e n d i n g and u n t r u t h f u l ,

M o r ~ , ~ 3et i d i s t a n c e s h i m s e l f f r o m him t o e x p o s e

t h e s e u n d e s i r a b l e q a l i ties. ~ c c o r d i n g l ~ , J e a n -

M a r i e becomes n o t so much a s p o k e s m a n , a s a p e r s o n a

" or mask , t o b e m a n i p u l a t e d a t w i l l , t o b e d e l i b e r a t e l y

p u t i n a number o f e m b a r r a s s i n g s i t u a t i o n s and

l a u g h e d a t ; a t t i m e s h e h i m s e l f a c t u a l l y j o i n s i n

Ll 14.: 1 au( jh tcr k i)is own ex1)en;;c. Moncjo U c t i i s

l o o k i n g a t J e a n r l a r i e w i t h a c r i ' t i c a l e y e , and so

s h o u l d L i e . T h a t is why i t i s i m p o r t a n t t o e s t a b l i s h

t h a t J e a n - M a r i e 's j u d g e m e n t s s h o u l d n o t be a c c e p t e d

a t f a c e v a l u e . B e t i i s a b l e t o d r i v e home h i s corn-

p a r i s o n b e t w e e n l i f e s e e n f r o m t h e newly i n t r o d u c e d

F r e n c h p a t t e r n and t h a t o f t r a d i t i o n a l l i f e b y u s e of

c o n t r a s t , hurnsur and i r o n y . C o n t r a s t i s p l a y e d w i t h

t h e v a l u e s y s t e m s o f t h e two o p p o s i n g c u l t u r e s , t h e

r e p r e s s i v e a r t i f i c i a l i t y o f o n e a g a i n s t t h e n a t u r a l

s p o n t ' a n e i t y o f t h e o t h e r , bdhile t h e

educational. p a t t e r n o f t h e c o 1 o r ~ i a l i s t ; s i s f o r m a l ,

r i g i d and demanding , t r a d i t i o n a l ' e d u c a t i o n i s

i n f o r m a l , f r e e and e f f o r t l e s s ,

Jean-Mar ie r e t u r n s to h i s v i l l a g e a f t e r f a i l i n g

h i s b a c c a l a u r e a t , ~t home h e i s s e n t on a m i s s i o n

t o b r i n g back Niams w i f e who had l e f t f o r h e r

f a t h e r s house , A t t h i s s t a r t , Jean-Marie i s u n d e r

n o i l l u s i o n s a b o u t h i s a c t u a l p o s i t i o n and a c h i e v e -

ment , H i s f u l l c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f h i s f a i l u r e i s t h e

r e a s o n f o r h i s d e p r e s s i o n . I t i s h i s f e l l o w

v i r n i l i a n s who p e r s i s t i n r e g a r d i n g him a s an

e d u c a t e d man; who p o s s e s s e s knowledge and c e r t i f i c a t e s . .

B i k o k o l o t h e v i l l a g e s a g e - o b s e r v e ?

You a r e t h a t f o r m i d a b l e man You s p e a k w i t h v o i c e of t h e t h u n d e r . S h a l l I t e l l 'you wha t y o u r s p e c i a l t h u n d e r i s ? y o u r certificates, y o u r l e a r n i n g , y o u r knowledge o f w h i t e m a n ' s secrets, Hav,e you a n i d e a wha t t h e s e u p c o u n t r y bushmen w i l l b e l i e v e a b o u t you? T h a t you o n l y h a v e t o w r i t e a l e t t e r i n F rench o r s p e a k F rench t o t h e n e a r e s t District o f f i c e r t o h a v e anyone you l i k e i m p r i s o n e d , 8

A s i x t e e n - y e a r - o l d boy i s s e n t on a n e r r a n d to

r e c o v e r t h e w i f e of a t h i r t y - f i v e - y e a r o l d man

j u s t b e c a u s e h e p o s s e s s e s C e r t i f i c a t e s and o n l y

" h a s t o make t h e t r i p t h e r e t o p u t t h e f e a r o f God

i n t o t h o s e s avages . " Mongo B e t i rises t o t h i s

o c c a s i o n and e x p l o i t s the t r emendous comic p o t e n t i a l

t o t h e f u l l . lit t h i s s t a g e , t h e r e a r e o n l y t w o

sane p e o p l e : R u n t Amou, t h a t s e l f - e f f a c i n g b u t

p c r c e 1 ) t i v e w i d o w , i s t h e v o i c e o f r c b a s o n and s a n i t y ,

s e e i n g w i t h arnazinq c l a r i t y t h a t t h e V i r n i l i a n s a r c

a t t r i l n u t i n g t o Jean-Mar ie a w h o l e s c a l e o f v a l u e s

t h a t h e q u i t e p a t e n t l y does n o t p o s s e s s , Ile

o b s e r v e s ,

A r e n ' t you ashamzd to d r a g t h i s p o o r boy i n t o y o u r d i r t y l ies? iie i s j u s t a c h i l d . 9

'i'hc s e c o n d s a n e p e r s o n i s J e a n - M a r i e , who i s y u i t e

p r o p e r l y a p p a l l e d a t the nal :ure of t h e t a s k ,

L 2 t e r a chanqe o c c u r s i n J e a n - M a r i e a s s o o n a s i t

i i i m on I:hct m i :;:;im. ilc becomcs i n f e c t e d b y thc . i r

dn e a s y advet? t u r e among corn- p a r a t i v e l y simp1.e p e o p l e . ... when you come t o t l i i n k of it, t h e v e r y e x i s t e n c e of a d v e n t u r e r s i s o n l y made p o s s i b l e by thc s u r v i v a l oi p r i m i t i v e minded pcol . lc-

0 1 ) s e r v e s .kh ; i t , 11e now,

b e g i n s t o h a v e d e l u s i o n s o f g r a n d e u r r e g a r d i n g h i m s e l f n o t j u s t a s a m i s s i o n a r y t a k i n g l i g h t t o t h i s b a r b a r o u s p e o p l e o f K a l a , b u t a s a c o n q u i s t a d o r , a b o u t . . to e n g a g e o n a m i s s i o n of c o n q u e s t . He t h i n k s of a means o f t r a n s p o r t i n terms o f a r i c h l y c a p a r i s o n e d h o r s e , a n d h e refers t o h i s b i c y c l e as a " s p l e n d i d m a c h i n e " a n " ' a r i s t o ~ ~ ~ t among b i c y c l e s . 10

Du t J e a n - M a r i e i s to be t h o r o u g h l y d i s a b u s e d of

h i s n o t i o n s a b o u t t h e s e p e o p l e . I n t h e f i r s t p l a c e

., h i s a r r i v a l i s u n n o t i c e d s i n c e t h e v i l l a g e i s

o c c u p i e d w i t h i t s own p a s t i m e s , A s s u c h h e f a i l s

to g e t a c o n q u i s t a d o r ' s welcome. H i s d i s d a i n f o r

the p e o p l e o f K a l a reflects i n h i s v i e w of t h e garne

h e f i n d s i n p r o g r e s s on h i s a r r i v a l . To h i m , t h e

p e o p l e of Kala are a t t h e e m o t i o n a l a n d m e n t a l

l e v e l . of c h i l d r e n of " s i x or so".

Cven a t t h a t , h e b e g i n s t o d i s c o v e r h i s

i n f e r i o r i t y i n many r e s p e c t s . H e i s s u r p r i s e d a t whom

t h e c o u r t e s y of Lambo f , h e h a d t h o u g h t a s a v a g e .

He d i s c o v e r s t h e s t r e n g t h a n d warmth o f p e r s o n n e l

r e l n t i o n s l - l i p s arnong t h e s e p e o p l e . H e i s forced t o

ca rnpare t t ~ e c o r d i a l r e l a t i o n s h i p e x i s t i n g b e t w e e n

Lambo a n d h i s f a t h e r t o t h a t of h i m s e l f a n d Medza

s e n i o r who r u l e s his h o u s e h o l d w i t h a f i s t a n d

t l a r d l y c o r n n w n i c a t e s w i t h h i s s o n s .

A l t h o u g h Jean-Marie t h i n k s o f h i m s e l f as a

c o n q u i s t a d o r , t h e r e i s h a r d l y a n y t h i n g h e d o e s i n

K a l a on h i s own i n i t i a t i v e . When h e i s w i t h t h e

.young p e o p l e whom h e l o o k s down o n , h e f i n d s h imssr l f

d o i n g a n y t h i n g t h e y s u g g e s t . A r t h u r Gakwandi i n

The Novel and t h e c o n t e m D o r a r y Expec . \ ence i n Af r i ca

i n t h i s r e s p e c t asserts:

M e d z a s l o n l y claim to social d i s t i n c t i o n i s h i s monopoly of w e s t e r n e d u c a t i o n i n t h e v i l l a g e . B u t when t h e p e o p l e o f Kala make .: c a s u a l i n q u i r i e s a b o u t s c h o o l s , t h e s u p e r f i c i a l n a t u r e o f h i s e d u c a t i o n i s e x p o s e d , I n o r d e r to d e f i n e g e o g r a p h y t o t h e p e o p l e o f Kala, Medza has t o t a l k a b o u t R u s s i a a n d N e w York w h i c h to them, as much as to h i m , c a n o n l y s o u n d m y t h i c a l . l l

T h i s e x p e r i e n c e makes Medza b e g i n t o q u e s t i o n t h e

a d e q u a c y of h i s e d u c a t i o n , H e b e g i n s t o a p p r e c i a t e

t h e r e l a t i v e a d e q u a c y o f t h e e x p e r i e n c e w h i c h t h e

K a l a n s a c q u i r e a u t o m a t i c a l l y a s p a r t o f t h e i r

u p b r i n g i n g , They seem to be more a t ease i n t h e i r

environment and a s Medza comes t o a n i n c r e a s i n g I

r e a l i z a t i o n o f t h i s f a c t , h i s a t t i t u d e of c o n d e s c e n s i o n

slo~ly c h a n g e s u n t i l h e f i n d s h i m s e l f a d m i r i n g t h e

s i n l r i l c v i l l a g e r s , H e s a y s :

If o n l y t h e y wouldnl t t r e a t m e just a s a ' s c h o l a r ' and n o t h i n g e l s e ? I ' d h a v e g i v e n a l l t h e d i p l o m a s i n t h e w o r l d t o s w i m l i k e Ouckfoo t Johnny or d a n c e l i k e t h e B o n e l e s s Wonder o r have t h e s e x u a l e x p e r i e n c e o f P e t r u s son-of-God , or throw a s s e g a i l i k e Xambo, I wanted d e s p e r a t e l y t o e a t , d r i n k and be happy w i t h o u t

h a v i n y t o bo t , he r , my head a b o u t n e x t term o r . s u c h d e p r e s s i n g t h i n g s a s r e v i s i o n work and o r a l s , l 2

F a r f rom e d u c a t i n g t h e K a l a n s , t h e y e d u c a t e

Jean-Mar ie i n s u c h m a t t e r s a s v i l l a g e economics

and t r i b a l cus toms . On many occas20na , , we n o t i c e

t h a t h e i s h a r d l y what o n e may c a l l a b r i g h t s t u d e n t .

' t h e r e i s n o w o n t ~ e r t l ~ e n t h a t

on many o c c a s i o n s s - : La~nbo and

h i s f a t l ~ e r are alrrlost i n d e s p a i r a t . t h e i m p e n e t r a b l e s t u p i d i t y of t h e boy.13

!.le e x i h i b i t s t h i s i g n o r a n c e i n s e v e r a l ways i n c l u d i n g

d u r i n g a d i s c ~ s s i o n on b l o o d r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h his

u n c l e , Xmbo whomhe had i n i t i a l l y r e g a r d e d as

mule h e a d e d , , s t u p i d and u n c r i t i c a l p r o v e s t o b e f a r

more q u i c k - w i t t e d and p e r c e p t i v e t h a n h i s

' e d u c a t e d 1 c o u s i n . Jean-b la r ie i s e v e r d e p e n d e n t

on him f o r s e c u r i t y and s u p p o r t .

A l t h o u g h J e a n - M a r i e i s t r e a t e d a s . a s u p e r i o r . .

i n Kala, a t l eas t when h e a r r i v e d , w e f i n d t h e

s u p p o s e d 'bushmen 1 e x p l o i t i n g him, Zarnbo - '

u s e s h i m to b o l s t e r h i s p r e s t i g e . H i s u n c l e Mzma,

e x p l o i t s h im to t h e . f u l l e s t . Lven t h e n o t i o n of

J e a n - M a r i e as a c o m p e t e n t n e g o t i a t o r who c o u l d

i n t i m i d a t e t l ~ e K a l a n s and r t e c o v e r Niams w i f e d i s -

a p p e a r s . The n e g o t i a t i o n s a r e c a r r i e d o u t b y

Lambo a n d h i s f a t h e r w i t h t h e real emissary h a r d l y

p l a y i n g a n y s i g n i f i c a n t role. The c l i m a x of t h e i n t o

w h o l e v i s i t i s h i s b e i n g t r i c k e d L . m a r r y i n g t h e

C h i e f s d a u t ~ h t c r , I idima, f o r t h c C h i e f ' s S e l f i s h

i n t e r e s t s . Palrnur i n t h i s r e s p e c t s a y s :

The s u p r e m e i r o n y i s t h a t . t h e '

e d u c a t o c h a s become t h e e d u c a t e d and t h e c o n q u i s t a d o r h a s become t h e ' c o n q u e r e d I . 1 4

J e a n - M a r i e i s now f u l l y aware of h i s c i r c u m s t a n c e s .

Uul l i e d , e x p l o i t e d , t r i c k e d , e x p o s e d a n d corlf r o n t e d

w i t t ) t h e s u p e r i o r i t y of t h e K a l a n s , h e r e b e l s a g a i n s t

a l l t h e i n f l . u e n c e s o f / ) i s l i f e ; h i s f a t h k r , h i s

e d u c a t i o n . Mongo U e t i h e r e i s the i c o n o c l a s t

1 - dugking . a t the a s s u m p t i o n s a n d c e r t a i n t ies of

L l ~ c k o l o n i a l e d u c a t o r s and a d m i n i s t r a t o r s . B u t w e

cm see t h a t j e a n M a r i e ' s judgt:rnent i s u n r e l i a b l e .

p a r t l y b e c a u s e o f h i s d i s c o m f i t u r e , J e a n - M a r i e

comes to r e g a r d Kala s o c i e t y as i d e a l , H e is 4

t h e r e f o r e , t o o r e a d y t o . . a c c e p t o t h e r p e o p l e s o p i n i o n

u n c r i t i c a l l y , We m u s t t h e r e f o r e q u e s t i o n t h e ,

u t o p i a n v a l u e s t h a t h e a t t r i b u t e s t o K a l a . F i r s t l y

t h e m a r v e l l o u s K a l a n f r e e d o m c a n eas i l y , d e g e n e r a t e

i n t o l i c e n t i o u s n e s s , as i n t h e c a s e of Zambo h i m s e l f

who c a n n o t g o t o s l e e p a s l o n g as t h e r e i s a g i r l to

s l e e p w i t h somewhere i n t h e world. J e a n M a r i e

r e g a r d s t h o s e i l l s i n K a l a as t h e i d e a l , t h e y are

v u l g a r , l i k e P e t r u s son-of-God or t h e g i r l s who

watch t h e b o y s b a t h i n g i n t h e r i v e r , p e t t y l i k e

tile c h i e f , mean a n d c a l c u l a t i n g l i k e ~ambos f a t h e r ,

f l i r t a t i o u s l i k e Edima a n d s l u k t i s h l i k e N i a m ' s

w i f e . J e a n - M a r i e m i s t a k e n l y r e g a r d s a l l t h e s e as t h e

i d e a l . rir t h u r Gakwandi i n t h i s r e s p e c t o b s e r v e s :

M e d z a l s m i s s i o n to Kala exercises a p r o f o u n d i n f l u e n c e upon h i s l i f e . I t a f f o r d s him a n e x t r a d i m e n s i o n o f s o c i a l e x p e r i e n c e a n d leads h i m to ' t h a t p o s i t i o n o f s o c i a l d e t a c h - m e n t f rom w h i c h he i s able t o v i e w e v e r y t h i n g i n p e r s p e c t i v e .

This i s h i s c r i t i c a l p e r i o d o f m a t u r i t y f r o m h i s

d i s o r i e n t a t i o n . The c o n f l i c t b e t w e e n d i f f c r e n t se t s

of e x p a i e n c e s l e a d s Medza i n t o q u e s t i o n i n g a l l

1 ~ ; ~ v e s h i m gropinij f o r answers w t ~ i c t ~ a r e d i f f i c u l t

t o firrd, :+?re Ueti e x p o s e s the ner ja t ive r o l e s p l ayed

b y t h e m i s s i o n a r i e s a n d W e s t e r n e d u c a t i o n . H e

i s able t o d o t h i s . t h r o u g h J e a n - M a r i e

a n d i n h i s u s u a l i r o n i c s t a n c e . By a d o p t i n g t h e

m o c k - h e r o i c t o n e a b o u t h i m s e l f , t h e h e r o - n a r r a t o r ;

Mcdza, s u g g e s t s a s e l f c r i t i c a l a t t i t u d e a b o u t

h i m s e l f . B u t t h e tone a l so i m p l i e s a d e g r e e o f .

c y n i c i s m w h i c h w i l l n o t p e r m i t h im t o make a n I

o b j e c t i v e a p p r a i s a l o f h i s c i r c u m s t a n c e s . H e

c o k l u d e s h i s s t o r y i n u n d e r s t a t e m e n t s a n d

e x a g g e r a t i o n s so t h a t i t a p p e a r s to be t o l d from

a h i g h l y s u b j e c t i v e s t a n d p o i n t . J e a n - M a r i e Medzals

s t i l t e d v i e w o f h i m s e l f c o u l d be s a i d to stem f r o m

t h e n o t i o n o f s u p e r i o r i t y w h i c h h e h a s a c q u i r e d $, ,

a f t e r h i s h a l f e x p o s u r e to w e s t e r n c d u c a t : i o n , ~ i s s i o n

to Kala is t h e r e f o r e , a . b r i l l i a n t sa t i re d i r e c t e d - a g a i n s t a l l t h o s e h a l f - b a k e d young men who f e e l ...

t h a t a p a r t i a l e x p o s u r e t o W e s t e r n ways makes them s t i l l

s u p e r i o r to t h e i r c o u n t r y m e n who / l i v e t h e t r i b a l - l ife. IJlonyo B e t i s u b j e c t s ~ e a n - ~ a r i e k p e r s o n a l

w e a k n e s s e s - h i s c o n d e s c e n s i o n , a r r o g a n c e a n d s t u p i d i t y

t o r i g o r o u s criticism b y means o f h i s comic a r t .

EJcL-i, i n so f a r as h e rebels a g a i n s t F r e n c h

4 u c t r t i 0 n a l s o e x p o s e s the f o i b l e s of t r a d i t i o n a l

h f r . i c a r ~ i n s t i t u L ions . His cr i t ic ism i.s e ~ l u a l l y

;<.,

d i r e c t . - . d a g a i n s t t h e s e l f i s h n e s s a n d t y r a n n y ofl , , .

t h e o lde r g e n e r a t i o n who seem t o see t h e y o u n g e r

g e n e r a t i o n as ex t e n s i o n s of t h e m s c l v e s , 'I'he

f a m i l y a p p e a r s t o be some form of i n s t i t u t i o n a l i s e d

e x p l o i t a t i o n of women a n d c h i l d r e n b y men, J e a n -

~ a r i c ' s moLher i s b u l l i e d b y h e r h u s b a n d . S h e h a s

n o say in t h e f a m i l y a f f a i r s . 14er h u s b a n d e v e n

h a s a c a n e f o r h e r . A t K a l a , t h e wornen a r e n o

better t h a n beasts of b u r d e n . M a r r i a g e a p p e a r s to

be more of a s o c i a l o b l i g a t i o n t h a n a r e l a t i o n s h i p

between t w o human b e i n g s , IJe see how t h e c h i e f or

1;,11~= f o r c e s h i 3 d a u g h k e r a t J e a n - M a r i c so as to

e s t a b l i s h a b u s i n e s s l i n k i n V i m i l i , 'I'he power of . .

t h e c h i e f s i s a l so shown to be subject to a b u s e .

,They h a v e been n o m i n a t e d b y t h e c o l o n i a l a d m i n i s t r a -

L ion . Altlloucj1-1 Lhky a r e f e a r e d , t h e y are h e l d i n

s u s p i c i o n . 'The c h i e f of V i m i l i ca r r ies o u t t h e '

orders of tile c o l o n i a l i s t s e v e n when t h e y a-e

~ 7 y a i n s t t ' h d ' i n t e r e s t s of h i s p e o p l e , Lie l i v e s i n

0 s t c n t a t i o u s l u x u r y a n d q a C h . x s t:hu p r e t t i e s t g i r l s

i : 7 h i s ha re r r~ . ' T h e C h i e f i s t h e c e f o re v e r y u n p o p u l i l r .

. U c t i a l so rebels a g a i n s t t h e .society's a c q u i s i -

t i o n o f f oi-eicj~-i m a k e r i a l i s t i c v a l u e , A1 t h o u ( ~ h k lhe

2.3tt1 c e n t u r y i s n o t an age i n w h i c h conformity t o

cor.~vi.!n tiorid1 vi11ui.s i s h i y l . ~ l y r e g a r d e d , and a 1 t h o u g h ,

6 7

i t i s a n a g e i n w h i c h much g r e a t e r r e s p e c t i s p a i d

t o i n d i v i d u a l c o n v i c t i o n . , r a t h e r t h a n t h e w o r s h i p

of d o c t r i n e s a n d c o n v e n t i o n s , a n y s o c i e t y w o r t h

i t s s a l t m u s t r e c o y n i s e c e r t a i n ideals , T h e s e

i d e a l s a r e l a c k i n g i n t h e w o r l d v i e w o f - M i s s i o n t o

Kala, A p p a r e n t l y , B e t i , h a s s u c c e e d e d i n p r e s e n t i n g - a 2 0 t h c e n t u r y A f r i c a n set u p w i t h t h e a t t e n d a n t

c o l o n i a l h a n g o v e r s . The c o l o n i a l g o v e r n m e n t h a s

n o t d o n e much i n d e v e l o p i n g t h e t e r r i b o r y . T h e

r o a d s are i n t e r r ib le s t a t e o f d i s r e p a i r w h i c h

p r o v o k e s t h i s s t a t e m e n t b y K r i t i k o , t h e G r e e k -

b u s - d r i v e r .

, ,, t h e F r e n c h h e r e . .. t h e y o n l y work t h e p l a c e f o r w h a t t h e y c a n g e t o u t o f i t . 1 5

S h a t to G a k w a n d i a p t l y s u m m a r i e s

D e t i I s sat ires show, c o n f u s e d ~ f r i c a n comrnuni t ies e n ~ e r y i n y from s o c i a l a n d e c o n o m i c b a c k w a r d n e s s a n d e m b r a c i n g v a l u e s w h i c h r e s u l t i n t h e s o c i a l d i s i n t e g r a t i o n of t h e c o m m u n i t i e s so t h a t the s e c u r i t y p r o v i d e d b y t r a d i t i o n a l cdmmuni ty s t r u c t u r e i s t a l cen away ~ d i thou t a n y .clubs t i t u te b e i n g p r o v i d e d . 1 6

Mongo Ue t i I s r e v o l t a g a i n s t t h e F r e n c l l

p o l i t i c a l s y s tern i s docunren t e d i n R e m e m b e r Kuhcn.

I n t h e n . , z : , a ncw d i m e l i s i o n h d s been added to I

c c j l o n i ~ l G r u t a l i k y : t h e . c ~ l o n i a l i s ts now erilploy

..., . .+ -

b l a c k m a i l i n t h e i r d e a l i n g s w i t h A f ; r i c a n s . The II' ..

i n s t a l l a t i o n of t h e i n e f f e c t u a l Baba T o u r a a n d t h e ... :.I

e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a terrbrist g a n g o p e r a t i n g from ...

I n s ti t u t e of 18 J u n e are c l e a r l y u n o r t h o d o x m e t h o d s

of t r a m p l i n g o n t h e c i v i c r i g h t s o f t h e A f r i c a n s

i n t h e c h o i c e of who w i l l l e a d them.

The e v e n t s i n t h e n o v e l , a p p e a r t o h a v e t a k e n

p la -ce d u r i n g t h e p o s t i n d e p e n d e n c e p e r i o d . From a l l

-. e v i d e n c e s i n t h e n o v e l , t h e w h i t e s are s t i l l i n

F o r t e Negre. The a c t i v i t i e s o f t h e G r e e k c o c o a

t r a d e r s a p p e a r 1 t o be i n f u l l s w i n g . However , t h e

i n f l u e n c e . and a u t h o r i t y o f the F r e n c h . a r e o v e r l y

o b s c u r e d by t h e c o n f l i c t i n g p o w e r s b e t w e e n t h e

b l a c k i m p e r i a l i s t s a n d t h e n a t i o n a l i s t R u b e n i s t s .

C o n c e i v e d by U e t i i n h i s known mood of p o s t -

i n d e p e n d e n c e c y n i c i s m , R e m e m b e r Ruben c o v e r s t h e

p e r i o d f r o m b e f o r e t h e s e c o n d w o r l d war t o t h e

p r o c l a m a t i o n o f i n d e p e n d e n c e and a f te r .

A c c o r d i n g t o G e r a l d Moore i n h i s I n t r o d u c t i o n

to t h e book, iien~2ml)cr Ruben i s Lhe most i m p o r t a n t

c o n t r i b ~ t i o n y e t made to tne c p i c t r a d i t i o n . He

c o n t i n u e d by sayin9 t h d t i t i s a c o m p r e h e n s i v e a c c o u n t

o f t h e Carner;r';nian s o c i e t y , t h r o u i ~ h a l l t h e u p h c a v e a l

' ; 69

t h e n e o - c o l o n i a l t r a n s f e r of power i n 1960 a n d i t s

a c c o m p a n y i n g c i v i l war - a w a r w h i c h r e v e a l e d w i t h

p a r t i c u l a r c l a r i t y t h e a1 t e r n a t i v e p a t h s l y i n g

b e f o r e t h e n a t i o n i n t h a t moment and t h e r e v o l u t i o n a r y

p a t h i n d i c a t e d by ~ d b e n . 18

The n o v e l p r e s e n t s a maze o f i n k e r c o n n e c t e d

s tories w e l d e d t o g e t h e r by a n a r r a t i v e w h i c h i s l i k e

a t a l e t o l d b y a v i l l a g e r from Ekoumdoum. The e n t i t l e d

s e c o n d s e c t i o n of t h e book ' L..r .. ' F u g i t i v e a n d

t o r m e n t e d 1 i s of p a r t i c u l a r i m p o r t a n c e , I t d e p i c t s

t h e f i g h t f o r i n d e p e n d e n c e i n a n A f r i c a n S t a t e . T h i s ,; .:.

scc t i o n dwel. 1s on t h e theme o f r e v o l u t:ion , r e v o l u t i o n ;

w i t h t h e a im of s e t t i n g the p e o p l e f r e e f r o m c o l o n i a l

r u l e . T h e r e a r e two r e v o l u t i o n a r y movements h e r e ,

The f i r s t is l ed b y t h e c h a m p i o n Ruben from whom we

( jet t h e t i t l e . He i s t a k e n f r o m a r e a l c h a r a c t e r

t h a t e x i s t e d a n d f o u g h t f o r C a m e r o o n i a n i n d e p e n d e n c e ,

Ruben a s a t r a d e u n i o n i s t f o c u s e s o n t h e p o h e r of

t r a d e u n i o n s . Under Ruben I s l e a d e r s h i p , C a m e r o o n i a n s

were u n i t e d and f o r m e d a s t r c , n g bond a s b r o t h e r s

f i ' j h t i n y fo r t h e same p u r p o s e . T h i s movernent g a i n e d 1 li

i m p e t u s as Huben t r i e d t o a n a l y s e the r e v o l u t i o n a r y

zeiil i n people t h r o u g h r n o b i l i s ; t i o n , t h e c i r c u l a t i o n

of pro pag and a l e a f l e t s and by m a k i n g s t r o n g

p o l i t i c a l s p e e c h e s . I n t h e s e ways h e s u c c e e d e d

i n g a l v a n i s i n g t h e p e o p l e i n t o p o l i t i c a l a c t i o n .

The c o l u n i a l g o v e r n m e n t p u s h e d t o t h e W a l l , a' ,-

a f t e r e x h a u s t i n g t h e i r i n t i m i d a t i n g s t r a t e g i e s o f

i m p o s i t i o n o f c u r f e w , a r r d s t a n d i m p r i s o n m e n t o f

p e o p l e , a r r a n g e d an e l e c t i o n t o p a v e way f o r

i n d e p e n d e n c e , They named Baba T o u r a , t h e l e a d e r .

A 1 t h o u g h a C a m e r o o n i a n , Baba. T o u r a i s a n a g e n t o f

i m p e r i a l i s m . H e i s a s t o o g e a t t h e s e r v i c e o f t h e

F r e n c h g o v e r n m e n t , Ruben a n d h i s g r o u p d i d n o t

l i k e him, H i s i n s t a l l a t i o n t h e r e f o r e s p a r k e d o f f

~r r l c w r e v o l t . I n conden~ninc j h i s .election a n d

i m p o s i t i o n on t h e p e o p l e , Ruben s a y s :

w i t h n a b a T o u r a , i n d e p e n d e n c e w i l l be t h e p u r s u i t o f c o l o n i s a t i o n w i t h ' t h e same means. 19

To f u r b h e r b u t t r e s s t h i s f a c t and t o e x p o s e t h e

e m p t + n c s s of tl- is new l e a d e r and Iris c o m p l e t e d e p e n -

d e n c e on t h e c o l o n i a l a d r n i n i s t r a t i o n , w i t r r e s s w h a t

h e d i d a t the s w e a r i n g i n ceremony. Ln w i s h i n 9 t o

a c k n o w l e d g e t h e h o n o u r ~t'lich h i s peers hrid done him

i n e l e c t i n g him p r e s i d e n t , Baba T o u r a had maundered

throua.]h a l o n g speech p r e p a r e d by t h e ~ u v e r n o r ' s

ctfice. ;it the end, u n a b l e t o c o n t a . i n h i s j o y ,

Uaba T o u r a h a d f o r g o t t e n w h a t was o n t h e t e x t a n d

cried o u t e x c i t e d l y , 'Thank you F r a n c e , t h a n k you , , , Thank y o u , y e t a g a i n , t h a n k y o u y e t a g a i n , Thank you F r a n c e , t h i n k o f u s p o o r l i t t l e A f r i c a n s F r a n c e , t h i n k o f us.20

irJitl.1 M. S a n d r i n e l l i , t h e p r o p r i e t o r o f t h e I n s t i t u t e

o f 18 J u n e a n d t h e c o l o n i a l p o w e r - b r o k e r i n t h e

n o v e l , Ruben a n d h i s S a p a k s f o u n d t h i n g s r a t h e r

d i f f i c u l t . S a u n d r i n e l l i i s a h a r d l i n e c o l o n i a l who

i s p r e p a r e d to g o t o a n y l e n g t h , e v e n i f i t means

w i p i n g o u t a w h o l e race t o a c h i e v e s u c c e s s .

g r o u p a n d d e f i e d t h e c u r f e w , . Liecause t h e y were

Itgrlorarll;, careless a n d 'were n o t p r o p e r l y o r y a n i s e d ,

Rubens r e v o l u t i o n f a i l s . tie i s c a p t u r e d a n d k i l l e d .

I lowever , j u s t as 13uben i s b e i n g k i l l e d , Abena r e t u r n s

w i t h guns , U n c o m p r o m i s i n g a n d r e v o l u t i o n a r y , h e

n t a r ts w h e r e Ruben s h o p p e d , He r e - o r c j a n i s c d tile

S a p a k s f o r better e f f e c t i v e n e s s a n d even L r i e d to

tion to s u c c e e d , o n e rnu:;t i n v o l v e the o r d i n a r y

na:; thi;. i d e o l o g y arid a l s o the p l a n f o r a c t i o r . ~ . Liasing

h e c o n f r o n t s Baba T o u r a a n d t h e i m p e r i a l i s t s .

To fiuben d n d t h e g r o u p i n c l u d i n g Abena, a r e v o l u t i o n

d o c s n o t e n d i n a d a y , I t i s a s t r u ( j g l e , The

t i t l e o f t h e b o o k , Remember Ruben i s an i n s p i r a t i o n a l

i d e o l o g y m a k i n g p e o p l e remember t h a t i t w a s Ruben

who s t a r t ed t h e r e v o l u t i o n . I t i s a l so a t y p e of

r n o b i l i s i n y t h e p e o p l e .

. The e v e n t s i n Remember Ruben a re / p o l i t i c a l l y - ., e x p e d i e n t a n d c o n n e c t e d w i t h B e t i ' s known mood of

p o s t - i n d e p e n d e n c e c y n i c i s m t h a t i t g i v e s t h e

i m p r e s s i o n t h a t h i s d e e p i n v o l v e m e n t w i t h t h e p o l i -

L i c d l l s s u c s d i d n o t al low him s u f f i c i e n t d i s t a n c e

f r o m h i s s u b j e c t t o compose a work o f a r t . The

p o l e m i c a l c o n t i n g e n c i e s h a v e o v e r s h a d o w e d i m a g i n a t i v e

c r e a t i v i t y as , i n p a r t t w o , we are c o n t i n u a l l y

r e m i n d e d o f his p a m p h l e t , "Main b a s e s u r l e Carnerounf

(The Rape of Cameroon) p u b l i s h e d two y e a r s p r e v i o u s l y ,

i n w h i c h h e v i t u p e r a t e s a g a i n s t P r e s i d e n t Ahid jo,

p r e s u m h b l y t h e model f o r Uaba T o c r a , t h e p u p p e t

c h i e f o f s t a t e of t h e nov t? l , I n . "'She Rape of

.. ..,- , ,

T h i s s u g g e s t s t h a t t h e e v e n t s of Reinember Ruben

may h a v e b e e n w h a t h a p p e n e d i n C a m e r o o n , of w h i c h

b e t i , was a k e y actor. I t a l s o s u g g e s t s t h a t i t

m i g h t be U e t i ls own way of p r e p a r i n g w o r k s of

f i c t i o n i n w h i c h h e w o u l d i n c o r p o r a t e , l i k e o t h e r

r e c e n t A f r i c a n n o v e l i s t s , h i s i n d i c t m e n t of local

p o s t i n d e p e n d e n c e p o l i tics.

A 1 t h o u q h t h e ' a u t h o r p r e c e d e s h i s s t o r y w i t h

t h e t r a d i t i o n a l disclaimer t h a t " any r e s e m b l a n c e

t o p a s t e v e n t s , r e a l c h a r a c t e r s o r known c o u n t r i e s

i s o n l y a p p a r e n t a n d e v e n t o some e x t e n t r e g r e t t a b l e u ,

this i s d i s c o u n t e d b y h i s d e d i c a t i o n "'1'0 D i o p

U l o n d i n , t h a t p r o u d b l a c k y o u t i ) , my b r o t h e r ,

a s s a s s i n a t e d i n t h e i n f a r n o u s g o a l s o f a n A f r i c a n

r u l e r . Afr ica , u n n a t u r a l m o t h e r who h a s g i v e n b i r t h

t o too many m e r c e n a r y t y r a n t s 1 I t . T h e f i rst p a r t

of t h e b o o k i s i n t h e form of an a f f i d a v i t from w h i c h

t h e wor ld wou ld . l e a r n w i t h h o r r o r a n d s t u p e f a c t i o n

of the d a i l y p r a c t i c e s c u r r e n t i n t h e c o l o n i e s , t h e

c r u e l t y of b l a c k m e r c e n a r i e s , r a c i a l d i s c r i m i n a t i o n

i n e v e r y f i e l d a n d a l l t h e e x c e s s e s f o r w h i c h l i f e

i n t h e c o l o n i e s was c u r s e d . T h e s e c o n d p a r t c y n i c a l l y

e x p r e s s e s t h e l i t t l e h o p e t h a t c a n be n o u r i s h e d w i t h

74

t h e corn ing of i n d e p e n d e n c e f o r a n y i m p r o v e m e n t i n

c o n d i t i o n s . T h e a c t u a l words of t h a t t r a c t

p r i n t e d a n d c i r c u l a t e d b y U b e n a , a f t e r t h e assasi-

n a t i o n of Kuben , e x h o r t i n g t h e members of t h e P o p u l a r

Progressive P a r t y t o c o n t i n u e t h e s t r u y y le, best

sum u p t h e m e s s a g e of t h e novel,

NOTES

' ~ o r o t h y S. B l a i r , A f r i c a n L i t e r a t u r e i n F r e n c h ( C a m b r i d g e : ~ a r n b f l d g e u n i v e r s i t y press 1976 1,

3 0 0 r o t h y B l a i r ) p. 8.

4 ~ y i K w f i Arrneh, l l A f r i c a n Scocialism: U t o p i a o r S c i e n t i f i c " P r e s e n c e A f r i c a i n e , 64, ('1767) , Ppw 3.b - 32,

b M o r l ( j 0 U e t i , M i s s i o n to K a l a ( L o n d o n :

Huinumann 1964)) p. 7.

7 M i a s i o n t o Ksla p. 15. 1

8 i q i s s i o n to Kala p. 15 ) .

9 M i s s i o n t o 1;ala p. 19

10 E u s t a c e P a l m e r , An I n t r o d u c t i o n t o t h e A f r i c a n N o v e l ( L o n d o n : Meinemarm 19 7 - 2)) p. 146.

t h u r Gakwand i , The N o v e l a n d t h e C o n k e m p o r a r l E x p e r i e n c e i n A f r i c a . ( L o n d o n : H e i n e m a n n , 13'/4), p. 39.

1 2 n i s s i o n to K a l a pp. 58-9. )

13 i i u s t a c e P a l m e r , p, 150. .

1 4 E u s tace Palmer, I n t r o d u c t i o n , p. 1 5 1

l S M i s s i o n t o Kala p. 3 1

1 7 ~ a k w a n d i , p. 42.

1 8 ~ o n g o B e t i , Remember Ruben ( I b a d a n : N e w i-iorn P r e s s 19741, p. v.

211*longo B e t i , "The Rape of Caa.rounB' ( P a r i s : F- M a s p e r o , 1972), p. 207.

CI-IAPr.FLII FOUR

MOiKiO UETI ' S NAR R i i ' I ' I V Z SCI-IEM13 AS TOOL

FOR HIS ICONOCLASM

Mongo B e t i t s w o r k s h a s o f t e n b e e n referred t o

cis a l i t e r a t u r e of r e v 0 1 t ; r e v o l t against ' co lon ia l i sm and

a l s o r e v 0 1 t a c j a i n s t some ~f r i c a n t r a c l i t : l . o n a l i n s t i t u t i o n s

w h i c h r a t l ) e r t h a n h e l p , h a v e slowed down p r o g r e s s

i n f , f r i c a n c i v i l i s a t i o n , T i l rough a s k i l l f u l u s e

o f - w i t , i r o n y , s h a r p s e n s e o f humour a n d s u p e r b

c i - l a r a c t e r i s a t i o n , h e i s a b l e t o a c h i e v e t h i s .

I n h i s n o v e I . s , a p r o f o u n d s o c i a l c o n s c i o u s n e s s

d o n ~ i n a t e s . T h i s f i r m s o c i a l comrni t m e r ~ t d i c t a t e s h i s

themes a n d t h e d e s i r e t o c a l l i n t o q u e s t i o n t h e e n t i r e

i t l e u l o ( j i c a 1 s t r u c t u r e of t h e c o l o n i a l s y s tern i s

p e r h a p s b e h i n d t h e c h o i c e of t h e human s i t u a t i o n s i n

his w o r k s , lie d i r e c t s h i s a t t e n t i o n m a i n l y t o t h e

c o n f l i c t s of t h e c o l o n i a l s i t u a t i o n seer) i n t h e

b r o a d e r s o c i a l a n d p o l i t i c a l r e s p e c t s . The r e a c t i o n

of i n d i v i d u d s to c o l o n i a l r u l e forms a n i n s e p a r a b l e

p d r t of his n a r r a t i v e s c h e m e . It; h a s b e e n s u g g e s t e d

t h a t t h i s s l l a r p c r i t ica l s e n s e of u e t i may h a v e b e e n

t h e c o n s e q u e n c e of a m o r e v a r i e d a n d i n t e n s e c h a r a c t e r

wl l ich t h e c o l o n i a l e x p e r i e n c e t o o k ' i n t h e C a m e r o o n s ,

d y b e i n g a b l e t o p o r t r a y t h e c h i e f t a i n c y

i n s t i t u t i o n s h o w i n g i t s e x c e s s e s ,

e x p o s i n g t h e e v i l s of polygamy and s h o w i n g t h e

c o m p l a c e n c y a n d c o m p l e t e l a c k o f w i l l o n t h e p a r t

o f t h e ~ f r i c a n s i n h i s n o v e l s , B e t i rebels a g a i n s t

c e r t a i n a s p e c t s o f h i s ~ f r i c a n b a c k g r o u n d , i n

c o m b i n a t i o n w i t h h i s a n k i - c o l o n i a l i s t c a u s e ,

U e t i a t t e m p t s t o e x p l o r e t h e p s y c h o l o g y o f

h i s c h a r a c t e r s f u l l y and t h e s i t u a t i o n s h e p r e s e n t s

a r e o f c o m p l e x n a t u r e . I n The Poor C h r i s t of . Uomba, t h s p r i n c i p a l c h a r a c t e r , t h e F r e n c h m i s s i o n a r y

F a t h e r Urumont g o e s t h r o u g h a p r o c e s s of self-

a w a r e n e s s a t t h e e n d , I n M i s s i o n to K a l a , J e a n -

~ a r i e ' s r r ~ i s s i o n i n t o t he h i n t e r l a n d t u r n s o u t f o r ,

h i m a means t o the r e v e l a t i o n of h i s own n a t u r e and

t h e ex t e n t o f h i s s h o r t c o m i n g s c a u s e d by h i s F r e n c h .*'

e d u c a k i o n , The j o u r n e y a c q u i r e s h e r e t h e v a l u e

o f a q u e s t r e s u l k i n g i n s e l f - a w a r e n e s s , The o n l y

k i n d o f 1 i S e r a t i o n which J e a n - M a r i e o b t a i n s i n t h e

c i r c u m s t a n c e i s o n e t h a t c a n l e a d ha w h e r e a n d h i s

e n d i n g u p as an aimless v a g r a n t s u s t a i n s t h i s c l a i m , c h a r a c t e r s

T h a t Beti's L *:L' c o n t i n u a l l y e n d u p i n m o r a l

d e f e a t i s a f a c t w h i c h r e v e a l s h i s v i e w o f t h e ~ f r i c a n

s i t u a t i o n d u r i n g t h e c o l o n i a l p e r i o d . The a im of t h e

n f r i c a n c o n d i t i o n as p r e s e n t e d i n t h e n o v e l s resides

i n h i s belief i n s p i r i t u a l c o n f u s i o n a t t h i s

p e r i o d , The n a t i v e s t e n d e d t o w a r d s d e g e n e r a t i o n ,

m o r a l i s o l a t i o n c o n s e y u e n ' t u p o n t h e c o l l a p s e o f

t h e t r a d i t i o n a l order u n d e r t h e i m p a c t of c o l o n i a l i s m ,

T h e c o l o n i a l i s o l a t i o n a n d a 1 i e n a t i i . 1 1 ; J p r e s e n t e d

b y B e t i g i v e s n o h o p e , I t i s m a r k e d b y t h e moral

c o r r u p t i o n of A f r i c a n s o c i e t y , b y a s y s t e m w h i c h

d r a g s men away f r o m t h e i r t r a d i t i o n a n d i s i n -

'. c a p a b l e of m a k i n g them better o r o f g i v i n g them a

f o u n d a t i o n o n w h i c h to base t h e i r b e h a v i o u r a n d

t h e i r r e l a t i o n s t o o t h e r s , *The r e s u l t c a n a t best be

f n u s t r , ~ l i o n , t Jcsp , l i r a n d the rcoul t,111 t icurlocl~rsn\

by t h o s e who are s t i l l i n t e l l e c t u a l l y s o u n d d e s p i t e

t h e o v e r w l - ~ e l m i n r j d i s t o r t i o n ,

A 1 T t h e w h i t e c o l o n i a l administrators i n t h e

n o v e l s f o r i n s t a n c e c a n be c o n s i d e r e d s i m p l e - o n e

d . i r n c n s i o n a 1 c h a r a c t e r s , A s O.H. D a t h o r n e r i g h t l y

s a y s , t h e y are p r e s e n t e d a s m e a n s of e x p o s i n g " t h e

h y p o c r i s y of t h e c o l o n i a l a d r n i n i s t r a to rs . "l

G e n e r a l l y , t h e y are c h a r a c t e r t y p e s associa ted a n d

e i c l l i n f o r m e d w i t h t h e machinery of c o n q u e s t a n d

s u b j u j a t i o n . T h e i r i m p r e s s i o n s of A f r i c a a re f i x e d

a n d unchangeab1 .e . ~ o n s i e u r v i d a l of T h e Poor C h r i s t

o f Romba c u L s t h e p i c t u r e of a robot p o l i c e man f e d

w i t h t h c d u t y t o a p p r e h e n d a n d p u t away rebels, t h o s e

who c o n s t i t u t e t h r e a t s t o t h e w h i t e race.

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a b o u t h i m , h i s p o s t u r e , ' l a u g h t e r o r j o k e s are

m e c h a n i c d l a n d l ifeless. I n Kinq L a z a r u s Lequeux

i s described a s a " s h r i m p o n e who i s e x t r e r n c l y

2 n a t t y - i n h i s dress a n d t o i l e t . H e h o w e v e r d o c s

n o t e x ! l i ! ) i t t h e same v i r t u e i n d e a l i n g w i t h t h e

, , f r i c a n s . In s p i t e of a n o u t w a r d show of s y m p a t h y

f o r t he d r i c a n , h e r e m a i n s a t h o r o u g h b r e d

c o l o n i a l m a s t e r , Ilis f e i g n e d s y m p a t h y w i t h c h i e f

~ s s o m b a Mendouga i n h i s sick bed i s o n l y n m t i v a t e d

by ~ h c p e r v a s i v e desire to s u c c e e d i n h i s c o l o n i a l

e n t e r p r i s e , His c o n c e r n a b o u t Lssornba a r i s e s from

t h e ~ i i f F i c u l t y o f s e l e c t i n r ; ] a s u i t a b l e cl~lief s l ~ o u l c l

the i n c u m b e n t d i e , The s a m e a s s e s s m e n t may be

rn;.~de of 1<i, s a n d r i n e l l i , t h e p r o p r i e t o r of t h e

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i n :icmcrnber k u h e n . S a n d r i n e l l i i s a h a r d l i n e

c o l o n i a l w i l o i s p r e p a r e d to go to a n y l e n g t h , e v e n

ii , i t means w i p i n g o u t a n e n t i r e race t o a c h i e v e I

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the w h o l e t i l i n g a m u s i n g i s t h e i r t ' i m p e r i e c t u n d e r s t a n d i n g

of ~ f r i c a n a t t i t u d e s . ll5 1;'ron-i t h e v e r y s t a r t , t h e y

are i g n o r a n t o f ~ f r i c a n s i t u a t i o n s a n d preferred to

r e m a i n s o to t h e e n d . T h e o n l y l i t t l e s u c c e s s t h e y

were a b l e t o record were t h o s e b r o u g h t a b o u t b y

force of arms. S u c h w i ~ i t e c h a r a c t e r s r e p r e s e n t t h e

c o l o n i a l v i e w p o i n t a n d p r o v i d e tlle b a c k d r o p f o r

t h e a c t i o n s o f t h e n o v e l s .

Among t h e ~ f r i c a n b a c k g r o u n d c h a r a c t e r s , t h e r e

.. are t h o s e who e m e r g e a s ' c l e a r p o r t r a i t s . D e n i s t h e

n a i v e n a r r a t o r i n T h e LJoor C h r i s t o f B o m b a , s t a n d s o u t

a n d a l o n e i n h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h t h e w h i t e m e n ,

tle r e p r e s e n t s the c l a s s o f A f r i c a n s w h i c h I?, M i c h e l r r ~ a n

c l e s c r i b e s a s " t h e u p r o o t e d h e r o i r r e s i s t i b l y d r a w n t o

t h e c i t y a n d b e y o n d to the m a r v e l s a n d d i s a p p o i n t m e n t s

4 .. . of E u r o p e . L i k e O y o n o l s p r o t a g o n i s t s , L len is b e g i n s

h i s j o u r n e y w i t l ~ a n o t i o n of t h e ~ f r l c a n s g l a r i n g

i n f e r i o r i t y . H e a s s e r t s

He o n l y a b a n d o n e d t h e m f o r t h e i r 0w.n g o o d ; so t h a t t h e y w o u l d r e c o v e r t h e m s e l v e s a n d become better a n d r e t u r n t o t h e t r u e f a i t h . . . . t l o w c o u l d i t be o t h e r w i s e i n t h i s T a l a c o u n t r y , t h i s k i n g d o m o f S a t a n , t h i s Sodclrn a n d G o m o r r a h ? 5

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r e d e m p t i o n , 111 i m p r e s s i o n s h a r e d amony Z u r o p e a n s . By t h i s a l so , h e h a s c o n d e m n e d h i s own p e o p l e , h i s own

r a c e . Denin , s t i l l t h o r o u g h l y i n f e r i o r s t r i c k e n ,

b e g i n s t o see h i s A f r i c a n e n v i r o n m e n t i n t h e e y e s

of t h e w h i t e m a n , " t h e e n d l e s s f o r e s t , w i t h i t s

h o w l i n y c h i m p a n z e z s , it3 owls who s c r e e c h e v e n i n

i n D e n i s t h e r e f o r e w e see t h a t

c h a r a c t e r w h i c h D a t h o r n e describes as

The w i l l i n g c o m p l i a n c e o f t h e c o l o n i z e d v i c t i m who t o o r e a d i l y -, absorbed t h e l e s s o n of h i s master.

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. mas ter. H e ' sees Zacharia's e f f r o n t e r y a s s a c r i E e g i o u s . i n c a p a b l e

tie i s L o f s e l f - a w a r e n e s s . F a t h e r ~ r u m o n t ' s

numerous l a p s e s would n o t e x p o s e to him t h e

On t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e r e a r e c h a r a c t e r s who

p r e s e n t t h e A f r i c a n v i e w p o i n t . Z a c h a r i a F a t h e r

Drurnonts c o o k i s a g o o d e x a m p l e . I n h im w e see t h e

i, n o n - c h a l l a n c e , a r r o g a n c e and d e c e i t m a r ~ i f e s t c d by

( somz A f r i c a n s i n t h e i r d e a l i n g s w i t h t h e whi teman .

~t t h e very f i rs t s t o p d u r i n g t h e t o u r , Z a c h a r i a

e x h i b i t s a l l t h e s e t endenc ics .When U e n i s e n t e r s

the k i t c h e n t o arlnounce t h a t . t h e F a t h e r w a n t s h i s

d i n n e r a f t e r t h e i r v i s i t , t o t h e w a r d s , w e see

.<;l ichsri a ' s engagernen t a t t h e t i m e ,

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E a c h a r i a was l y i n g on a bambo bed a n d o n e of h i s f e e t was r e s t i n g on t h e g r o u n d , With t h i s f oo t , h e b e a t o u t a g e n t l e m e a s u r e w h i l e h i s l i p s were r o u n d c d w i t h a s o n g . 8

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m e a l t o the c a t e c h i s t ' s . e n t h u s i a s t i c s o n s , Even when

G e n n i s g a v e t h e m e s s a g e Z a c h a r i a was u n p e t u r b e d

a n d was n o t i n a h u r r y t o p r e s e n t t h e food, R a t h e r ,

f i lm.119 H e i s a r o u s e d o n l y by the p r o s p e c t of

f i n d i n g o u t f r o m U e n i s w h a t new i l l - l u c k F a t h e r

I J ~ U I I I O ~ I t h a s encourl tered d u r i n g t;he v i s i t ;s. vJ!len

to ld t h a t ; t h e p e o p l e a r e i m p i o u s , L a c h a r i a c u t s

i n t o e d u c a t e D e n i s o n how t h e p e o p l e fee l , The

p e o p l e b e s a y s h a v e good r e a s o n t o show . i m p i e t y t o

the gricst. /if ter a l l w h a t does a l l t h e f u s s a b o u t

c o n f e s s i o n and t h e communion mean t o then1 when t h e y

o u g h t t o be v e r y b u s y a c c u m u l a t i n g w e a l t h from t h e

c o c o a t r a d e , H e c o n t i n u e s :

,, , t h a t ' s t h e g r e a t t h i n g i n l i f e , man1 J u s t o p e n y o u r e y e s and l o o k a r o u n d y o u , Y o u ' r e s t i l l w , @ k : b e h i n d t h e ears, Uut s i n c e y o u l o v e r e l i g i o n so much, p e r h a p s y o u ' l l g row u p

t o b e a F a t h e r y o u r s e l f o n e d a y , Then y o u ' l l know w h a t money is. Then you 111 know why w e a l l r u n a f t e r i t , t h e p r i e s t s j u s t a s f a s t a s a n y o n e else, maybe f a s t e r . 1 0

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o f t h o s e ~ f r i c a n s who d o no t c o n s i d e r t h e w h i t e m a n

m o r a l l y s u p e r i o r t o t h e b l a c k s . Bo th races are

i n s e a r c h o f w e a l t h , t h e g u i s e o f c i v i l i s i n g m i s s i o n

n o t w i t h s t a n d i n g . T h u s Z a c h a r i a i s n o t u n d e r a n y

i l l u s i o n as t o t h e w h i t e p i e t y . The ,:: 1:-

A f r i c a n L a c h a r i a s e x p l o i t t h e i r w h i t e masters a t .

t h e s l i s h test o p p o r t u n i t y , W h i l e B e t i r e v o l t s a g a i n s t I

c o l o n i a l i s m h e a lso p o r ' t r a y s A f r i c a n s who c a u g h t

t h e t u n e t h e y are p l a y i n g a n d a r e d a n c i n g i t w i t h

them, I n t h e same v e i n , c h i e f Essomba Mendouga

i n ~ i h q I ' a z a r l ~ e x p l o i t s h i s close r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h

F a t h e r L e Guen, The C h i e f u s e s t h e F a t h e r to

a t L r a c t a t t e r l t i o n to h i m s e l f . Far a l o n g w h i l e , a l l

t h e c l a n s i n Essaznm c o n v e r g e a r o u n d t h e c h i e f and

t h i s i s b e c a u s e h e m o m e n t a r i l y d e c i d e s t o humoyr L e

G u e n by d e c l a r i n g h i s ' c o n v e r s i o n t o c h c i s t i a n i t y

and h i s i n t e n t i o n to s e n d away a l l h i s w i v e s b u t

o n e . AS s o o n a s h e h a s a t t r a c t e d e n o u g h a t t e n t i o n ,

he r e d i s c o v e r s

t h e j o y s of: po lygarny a n d a s t r ic t o b e d i e n c e t o t r i b a l e t h i c s . 11

T h u s h e d e c e i v e s Le Guen a n d g e t s w h a t h e w a n t s .

Mongo I3etits i c o n o c l a s m a l s o stems from t h e

f a c t t h a t h e p o r t r a y s i n h i s s a t i r e s c h a r a c t e r s , who

s e r v e t h e p u r p o s e of d r a m a t i s i n g t h e w h i t e m a n t s

i g n o r a n c e of t h e t r a d i t i o n . A p a r t from h i s

.. v i o l e n t r e s i s h a n c e t o t h e r e g u l a r f e a s t i n g i n c h i e f s '

p a l a c e s , Urumon t d e m o n s t r a t e s i g n o r a n c e o f t h e p e o p l e &

t r a d i t i o n b y t a k i n g s i d e s w i t h C l e r n e n t i n e ( Z a c h a r i a l s

wife) i n t h a t s c a n d a l i n v o l v i n g Z a c h a r i a a n d a S i x a

cji'rl C a t h e r i n e . C l e r n e n t i n e a t t a c k s C a t h e r i n e o p e n l y

before a c h u r c h g a t h e r i n g . L a c h a r i a d i s a p p e a r s o n l y

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from t h e faceless crowd o f c h a r a c t e r s t o e d u c a t e

e v e r y o n e as r e g a r d s t h e i s s u e ;

l n my t i m e , t h e w i f e h a d n o c a u s e t o f i g h t u n l e s s t h e woman 1.1 er h u s b a n d was e n j o y i n g LV as a l so married. 'But s h e ' d , h a v e b e e n q u i t e i n t h e w r o n g t o f i g h t i f h e r h u s b a n d ' s l i t t l e f r i e n d w a s 12 j u s t a n u n m a r r i e d g i r l l i k e t h i s one .

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wrong. D u t F a t h e r Drurnount i s h e r e u s i n g a n

a l i e n s t a n d a r d i n a s s e s s i n y a p u r e l y A f r i c a n s i t u a t i o n ,

L a c h a r i a when h e r e a p p e a r s s t a t e s ,

I d o n ' t know how t h e w h i t e s m a n a y e s u c h t h i n g s b u t w e b l a c k s when o u r w i v e s h a v e g i v e n b i r t l ~ l e a v e

them a l o n e f o r a g o o d y e a r T h a t s how i t i s w i t h u s a n d 1 c a n 1 t d o o t h e r w i s e . 1 3

iiete U e t i u s e s Z a c h a r i a i n i r o n i c p e r s p e c t i v e .

iie u s e s L a c h a r i a as a m e a n s of e x p o s i n g t h e f a k e

f s a c r e d n e s s of E u r o p e a n c e r . t a i n ties of r e l i g i o n

and cr11 t u r d 1 p c r c c p t i o n . Ile i s 13eti1s [nost e f f e c t i v e

i c o n o c l a s t i c t oo l w h i l e D e n i s is u s e d to s t a t e t h e

o p i n i o n s ( e c h o e s ) of t h e p r i e s t a n d h i s m i s s i o n .

oe t i , i n t h e n o v e l h a s b r o u g h t i n a n i m p o r t a n t

wedpon - f e r o c i s u s i r o n y a n d bawdy humour. T h e I'oor s u b t l e

C h r i s t i s a L n o v e l w h o s e c o n s t r u c t i o n r e v o l v e s

a r d u n d t w o a p p a r e n t l y a n t a g o n i s t i c a x e s , t h u s

i n c r e a s i n g t h e i m p a c t of i r o n y . T h e s e , l i k e t h e

n e < j a t i v e and p o s i t i v e p o l e s of a m a g n e t a r e

r e s p o n s i b l e f o r the movemen t a n d p a t t e r n of t h e

m a g n e t i c f i e l d b e t w e e n them. A t t h e o n e p o l e , w e

h a v e t h e y o u n g b l a c k b o y , D e n i s , s c a r c e l y more t h a n

a c h i l d , i g n o r a n t i n e v e r y s e n s e ) a c o l y t e a n d

s e d u l o u s a d m i r e r of h i s nas ter t h e p r i e s t , w h o s e

8 7

e v e r y word i s l i t e r a l l y h i s g o s p e l . 'The t r u e

i n n o c e n t , whose e d u c a t i o n i n c o r r u p t i o n dnd

advancernen t i n to i n c r e d u l i t y a n d f i n a l d i s i l l u s i o n m e n t

f o r m s o n e of t h e two m a i n t h r e a d s of t h e r l a r r a t i v e .

A t t h e o t h e r p o l e , w e h a v e t h e a u s t e r e ' Revererid

F a t h e r S u p e r i o r , Drumant i : :who i n s p i t e o f h i s y e a r s

s t i l l r e m a i n s a n i n n o c e n t too, i n h i s c ~ e d u l i t y , ., ..

b e l i e v i n g i n h i s p r o s e l y t i z i n g p o w e r s a n d i n - s e e i n g

c a p a b l e of e i t h e r t h a t h i s m i s s i o n i s a s c h o o l - f o r l u b r i c i t y a n d l e c h e r y r a t h e r t h a n o f c h r i s t i a n

c o n d u c t , o r t h a t h e h i m s e l f i s a tool o f t h e

c o l o n i a l a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . T h e s t o r y i s t o l d b y t h e

i n g e n u o u s h e n i s , t h u s d e l i b e r a t e l y dis to r k ing t h e

a n g l e of v i s i o n i n the i n t e r e s t s o f i r o n y . Drumont

w a s c o m p l e t e l y u n a w a r e t h a t h i s S i x a had become a

b r o t h e l , t h a t h i s c a t e c h i s t p i m p s , h i s A f r i c a n

s t a f f c o r r u p t o p p o r t u n i t is ts , h i s c o n v e r t s s i m p l y

f u g i t i v e s f r o m f o r c e d l a b o u r . D e n i s o n t h e o t h e r

h m d , who n a r r a t e s t h e s t o r y of t h i s s h o c k i n g

s t a t e o f d f f a i r s was q u i t e s i m p l y i g n o r a n t of t h e i r

t r u e i m p l i c a t i o n s . I n s t e a d of e i t h e r a n omf s c i e n t

a u t h o r r e l a t i n g a series of e v e n t s and ~ r u r n o n t ? ~

r e a c t i o n s , o r e v e n a f i r s t A p e r s o n a c c o u n t b y

t h e i ieverencl F a t h e r h i m s e l f , u s i n g d i a r i e s and

88

lc . t ters , h e r e a c h i l d n a r r a t e s a n a c c o u n t .of w h a t

h e o b s e r v e s b u t c a n n o t c o m p r e h e n d . T h e n o v e l i s

a b o u t a l l t h e s e g o i n g on' b e h i n d F a t h e r b r u m o n t t s

back a n d how h e reacts i n h i s g r o w i n g . f r u s t r a -

t i o n , a n g e r a n d d i s i l l u s i o n m e n t w i t h t h e f a i l u r e

of t w e n t y - f i v e y e a r s d k d i c a t i o n t o a n i d e a l . T h e

m o s t s i g r l i f i c a n t a s p e c t of t h i s i r o n y i s sarcasm.

I n M i s s i o n to Kala, B e t i d i s p l a y s h i s t a l e n t

" f o r c a r i c a t u r e . T h e m a i n f e a t u r e s h e i s i n t e r e s t e d

i n a r e t h e b u r l e s q u e , t h e l u d i c r o u s a n d t h e e x a g g e r a t e d .

i?: c h o u g h t h e two m a i n c h a r a c t e r s C h i e f E s s o m b a a n d

LL: I;uc:n ,~rc sc:~rce'L y t l e s c r i b ~ . v l , t:lle ~jro t e s c l u c

d e s c r i p t i o n s o f t h e o ld c r o n e Yosifa j u s t i f i e s h i s

i n t e r c : s t i n c a r i c a t u r e a n d i r o n y . One may a l l u d e

t n s t by t h i s d e s c r i p t i o n , Y o s i f a s t a n d s f o r ~ f r i c a ,

e x p l o i t e d a r ~ d sapped b y c o l o n i a l i s m a n d B e t i uses i t

as a s y m b o l d e p i c t i n g t h e e x t e n t of c o l o n i a l

e x p l o i t a t i o n a n d s u b j u g a t i o n i n Af r ica .

I n Kinq L a z a r u s , t h e i r o n y d e r i v e s from t h e

e p i s t o l a r y c o n v e n t i o n . I n a l o n g let ter w h i c h F a t h e r

ie Guen h o p e s t o d e s p a t c h t o h i s m o t h e r , h i s i n -

s e n s i t i v i t y t o t h e p l i g h t of h i s avowed f r i e n d ,

c h i e f Lssomba i s r e v e a l e d . I n t h i s l e t te r , t h e r e

i s e v i c i e n c e t h a t h e does n o t r e c o g n i s e c h i e f

89

L s s o m b a ' s p r i n c e l y s t a t u s . He i s . Ivladame L e Q u e n ' s

"t3.dntu Kingr1 beti . h e r e s h o w s t h a t n o matter how

e l eva ted a n A f r i c a n i s , t h e w h i t e c o n s i d e r s h im

i n f e r i a r . T h i s f u r t h e r r e i n f o r c e s t h e race m y t h

w h i c h p l a c e s t h e ~ f r i c a n below t h e w h i t e m a n . A l s o

Le Guen seems t o d e r i v e some p l e a s u r e from t h e

9 p r o s p e c t of t h e c h i e f s d e a t h . T h e r e a r e two

r e a s o n s f o r t h i s a s s u m p t i o n . L e Guen c o n s i c j e r s t h e

., c i ~ i c f s a i l i n g s i t u a t i o n a game i n w h i c h h e a n d h i s

m i s s i o n :Ire p a i r e d a g a i n s t ' t r a d i t i o n . , s y m P o l i z e d

by c h i e f Lssomba. V i c t o r y f o r L e Guen lies i n t h e

chl.c-;ls <lc,~tli, t h c c l ed th o f Lrctdi t i o n . tlere k L i

r e i n f o r c e s h i s v i e w t l ~ a t t h e c o l o n i a l i s t s ' i m p r e s -

s i v n of n f r i c a i s f i x e d a n d c o n s t a n t : E v e r y o t h e r

t h i n g b o i l s clown t o a f i g h t b e t w e e n t h 2 i r m i s s i o n

a n d A f r i c a n t rac i . i t i o n . T h a t t h i s t h e i r u n c h a n g i n g

a t t i t u d e t o w a r d s A f r i c a n s e r u p t s . even when some t h i n g

a s p r e c i o u s a s l i f e i s i n v o l v e d i s u n f o r t u n a t e and

c ju i te d i s h e a r t e n i n g . T h e p r i e s t ' s i n s e n s i t i v i t y

a n d h y y o c r i c y i r o n i c a l l y c o n t r a s t w i t h h i s m i s s i o n

a s Gods r f 2 p r e s e n t . a t i v e .

iiemi:fill~er Ruben was c o n c e i v e d b y B e t i i n h i s

known mood of p o s t i ~ d e p e n d e n c e c y n i c i s m . H e

p r e s e n t s i n the n o v e l , t h e srnart c o l o n i a l . i s t s who

., ,. hand o v e r power to s t o o g e s a n d b l a c k i m p e r i a l i s t s .

I n s t e a d o f t r y i n g t o s a l v a g e t h e i r c o u n t r y f r o m

the s h a c k l e s o f colonialism, t h e s e i m p e r i a l i s t s

f i g h t t h e i r b r e t h r e n w i t h v i s i o n for t h e s a l v a t i o n

of t n e i r n a t i o n . Daba T o u r a , t h e s t o o g e p l a n t e d

b y the c o l o n i a l i s t s t o p r o t e c t t h e i r n e o - c o l o n i a l

i n t e r e s t s , t o o k i t as h i s m i s s i o n t o f i g h t t h e

r e v o l u t i o n a r y R u b e n i s t s . The i r o n y o f t h i s

u g l y s i t u a t i o n i s t h a t t h e c o l o n i a l i s t s w a t c h t h e <. . s c e n e w i t h m i s c h e v i o u s g l e e , o n l y t o r e a p p e a r as

u m p i r e s w h e n e v e r t h e y s u s p e c t t h a t t h e i r i n t e r e s t s

a r c n o t p r o p e r l y r e p r e s e n t e d o r t h a t t h e i r own

p a r t y i s l o s i n g . By t h i s i r o n i c a l . p ~ ~ ~ s z n t a t i o n ,

D c t i p l e a d s c a u t i o n o n t h e p a r t o f A f r i c a n lsaders

and ~ u b t l y p l e a d s u r g e n c y t o r e v e r t t h i s s t a t e of

affairs.

' r h rough c h a r a c t e r i s a t i o n , B e t i i s able to '

rebel a g a i n s t c o l o n i a l e d u c a t i o n i n M i s s i o n t o Kala . I

Cjut of the crowd i n o n e ' o f t h e s e e v e n i n g d i s c u s s i o n s

o r g a n i s e d by Mama, a n e l d e r l y woman e m e r g e s a s k i n g

r j u e s t i o n s which cast d o u b t s o r t h e a p p r o p r i a t e n e s s

o f . ~ e a n - M a r i e ' s F r e n c h e d u c a t i o n :

s h a l l w e be a b l e t o set f o o t i n y o u r h o u s e a s f r e e l y as w e d o i n t h o s e o f o u r c h i l d r e n . 1 4

I n o t h e r w o r d s , t h o s e A f r i c a n s who h a v e a c q u i r e d

i d e s t e r n v a l u e s a r e n o , l o n g e r c o n s i d e r e d as b e l o n g -

i n g to t h e c o ~ n m u n i t y . The i m p l i c a t i o n of t h i s i s

thi l t t h e a c q u i s i t i o n of t h e whiteman's e d u c a t i o n

f u r t h e r r e m o v e s o n e from h i s p e o p l e . A s a r e s u l t

of h i s remote c o n t a c t w i t h them h e loses t h e g r i p

a n d i n t e n s i t y of t h e i r p r o b l e m s . Though t h e p e o p l e

adore them a n d r e s p e c t t h e i r l e a r n i n g , t h e y s i n c e r e l y

feel t h a t t h e r e i s a g a p b e t w e e n them, t h d t vacuum

crctc, Led b y tlreir evenkud i r e m o v a l f r u m kke

t r a d i t i o n i l l e n v i r o n m e n t . Thaouyh t h e

e x c e l l e n t c h a r a c t e r p o r t r a y a l , B e t i i s a b l e to

p r o t e g t coloriial i n j u s t i c e a n d s u b j u g a t i o n , GJe are

equal l y e d u c a t e d o n w h a t a p p e a r s t o b e t h e n o t i p n

among most r u r a l A f r i c a n s a b o u t t h e p r o d u c t s o f

t h 2 i r Frerlch e d u c a t e d b r e t h r e n .

A f r i c a n c h a r a c t e r s a t times are p r e s e n t e d n o t

as c r i t ics t o b h e c o l o n i & l i s t s b u t t o e x p o s e some

t r a d i t i o n a l v a l u e s w h i c h B e t i c o n s i d e r s m i s t a k e n .

The. V i r n i l i e p i s o d e f u n c t i o n s t o e x p o s e t h e people%

s u b j u g a t i o n o f women dnc~' t h e i r p r e - o c c u p a t i o n w i t h

t h e ferrrale i s s u e . N i a m s t a n d s f o r t h e A f r i c h . ~ male

92

who p r o f e s s e s s u p e r i o r i t y o v e r t h e female w i t h o u t

much to j u s t i f y h i s c la ims. A f t e r s i x m o n t h s o f

h i s w i f e ' s d e p a r t u r e , h e c o n f e s s e s h i s d e p e n d e n c e

o n h e r . Lespi te h i s p r i d e h e c o n f e s s e d t h a t h e

n e e d e d h e r to r u n t h e h o u s e f o r h im," 1 4 A l s o

a l l t h o s e who g a t h e r t o p e r s u a d e J e a n - M a r i e t o

u n d e r t a k e t h e t r i p to Kala a re o n l y l i n k e d b y a

cmrnon c o n c e r n f o r a woman who deserts h e r h u s b a n d .

T h e y w o u l d n o t c o n c e r n t h e m s e l v e s w i t h w h e t h e r o r

n o t t h e woman w a s b e i n g i l l - t r e a t e d before s h e

e f t . T h e y w e r e a l l c l a m o u r i n g f o r h e r r e t u r n n o

iila t t er w h a t s o c i a l o r e m o t i o n a l a t m o s p h e r e t h a t

I x c v a i l s i n h e r h u s b a n d l s h o u s e . I n Ivl iss ion t o

Kala a l s o , w e s o o n d i s c o v e r t h a t f o r t h e p e o y ) l e , - w i s d o m i s s y n o n y m o u s w i t h s m a r t n e s s . O ld B i k o k o l o

i s c a l l e d Lhe v i l l a g e 9010m0n b e c a u s e h e g u i l e s

J e a n - M a r i e i n t o u n d e r t a k i n g t h ? t r i p t o K a l a . He

Lried o p e n c o n f r o n t a t i o n d u r i n g a k i n d r e d

m c t e t . i : l ; j c a l l e d b y N i a m , n e x t he a p p e a l s to t h e b a y s

splse of p r i d e by r e m i n d i n g h i m o f h i s g r e a t

'Lccirr l ing a n d a r o u s i n g h i s a d v e n t u r o u s skdrit.

,ubsc(;uen t l y , Uikoko l o resorts to blackrnai 1,

i \ l i am himself roams t h e v i l l d y e mal t i r~y l o u d d e c l a m a t i o n s

of J c a n - M a r i e ' s r e f u s a l to h e l p a r e l a t i v e i n distress.

93

.:e dre 3 1 ~ 0 exposed b y U e t i t o t h e w a n t o n s e x u a l

L a : n h , s o n of Plarna, Abraham, t h e b o n e l e s s w o n d e r ,

U u c k f o o t ; J o h n n y and L'e t r u s , t h c s o n of God.

L(~C t i , h e r e , conclemns t h e peoples i m m o r a l soci a 1

a k t i t u d e .

c l ~ ~ r r i c ters a re a l s o p r e - d o m i n a n t l y d r a w n , ~ l r l

d:.icji.~;~ib;~ ~ t n d Lhe o l d widower r e a d i l y s u r f a c e s . B e t i

t h e y s a y , i s the: s o u l o f s a t i r e . O l d i inyamba

i s p r e t e n t i o u s a n d r e p r e s e n t s a l l t h o s e who make

a show. a t b e i n g h o s p i t a b l e . I-lc is i n t h e t r a d i t i o n

o f chj.ef Nanqa i n C h i n u a ,:,thebe's A man o f tlle

w o p l e . The k i n d of h o s p i t a l i t y w h i c h chief Tianlja

c x i;eni;ed t o G d i l i c a n b;le l i l c e n e d t o t h e t w h i c i ~ o l d

~ , i l l l n l ; t o iic e x p l o i t e d . :.dhen i t appc'trs t h a t Nor-

,- ' .4cirnLr: was ~ ' L ' O V ~ . I ~ I ( J d i l . f i c u l t t o be u s e d , i;_:ngmnba I s

on:;' m d S tc.r~~lir~(.is h i s c o n s c r i - p t i o n i n Lo t h e f o r c e d

I d h o u r b ~ t t n l i o n . '1'0 e f f e c t i v e l y a c h i e v e t h i s ,

tile a s s i s t a n c e of tilt: v i l l a g e c h i e f is e n l i s t e d .

this a m o u n t s t o the b r u t a l i t y of A f r i c a n b y fe l low

i i : ' r icans . I n k h i s r e q a r t i , Be t i I s p r o t e s t a g a i n s t

tile c h i e f t a i n c y i n s t i t u t i o n i s clear. By a l l o w i n g

l ~ i m s e l f to be u s e d b y Engamba a n d h i s g r o u p t o

setLle a p r i v a t e s c o r e , be t i r i d i c u l e s t h e c h i e f -

t a i n c y i n s t i t u t i o n . T h e c h i e f b y t h i s a c t ,

r i d i c u l e s h i m s e l f a n d w h a t e v e r h i s o f f i c e s t a n d s fo r .

I n s t a a d o f s e t t l i n g a m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n y b e t w e e n t w o

l o y a l c i t i z e n s , a p o r t i o o ' i n y blames w h e r e n e c e s s a r y ,

o r e v e n i m p o s i n g f i n e w h e r e i t a p p l i e s , t h e c h i e f

f a v o u r s a p a r t y t h a t a p p a r e n t l y w o u l d o f f e r h i m g i f t s ,

Monc;o U e t i i n h i s d o c u m e n t a t i o n o f t h e a c t i v i t i e s

ul Ll IL. rr~it;s.ionarit-.s i n some of l l i v movul s h c ~ ~ ~ \ o r o u s 1 y

r e a c L s c l y a i n s t t h e i r n p o s i t i o n of w e s t e r n c u l ture o n

thc r,i r i c m s u l ) jec ts. I-lis s a t i r i c a l a t t a c k s o n Lhe

m i s s i o n a r i e s g i v e t h e most e l a b o r a t e e x p o s u r e o n

the s Lupic i i t y and i n s i n c e r i t y of t h e i m p e r i a l i s t s

i n deva lu . inc> t h e t r a d i t i o n a l se t u p a n d r e p l a c i n g h y p o c r i t i c a l

tl~ern w i t t l Laus t e r n / r e l i g i o n t h a t i s b o t h

u n j u s t a n d i n s i n c e r e . T h i s i s a n a c t of d e l i b e r a t e

2nd c o n s c i o u s b r a i n w a s t l i n g a n d t h e h e i g h t of m e n t a l

r a p e .

T h e s t o r y of t h e e v o l u t i o n of t h e F r e n c h -

; , f r i c a n n o v e l i s l i n k e d t o t h e p o l i t i c a l and

c u l t u r a l a w a k e n i n g of F r e n c h - t i . ~ z k i n g A f r i c a .

U e c a u s e t h e b l a c k writer b e l o n g e d t o t h e e l i t e of

h i s g e n e r a t i o n and h i s p e o p l e , tie was a d j u r e d t o

a c o l l e c t i v e commitment . T h i s i n v o l v e d e x p l a i n i n g

to t h e masses t h e s o c i a l a n d p o l i t i c a l o b s t a c l e s

i n t h e way of t h e i r p r o g r e s s , s u g g e s t i n y t h e means

of t h e i r l i b e r a t i o n and t h e s o l u t i o n s to t h e i r

problew. Mongo Be t i , i n e m p l o y i n g the u s u a l l y

.. s u c c e s s f u l f o r m u l a fo r d i d a c t i c l i t e r a t u r e , r i u i c u l e , b u r l e s q u e . h u m o u r a n d i r o n y was a b l e t o

t r a n s m i t h i s rnt:ssage most e f f e c t i v e l y , i n t h e

we s h a l l b u i l d a new c o u n t r y a n d s i n g a new s o n g . 16

'0.R. D a t h o r n e , A f r i c a n L i t e r a t u r e i n t h e 2 0 t h C c ~ t u r y (London : t-lein,ernann 1 9 7 5 )1 p. 297.

21qongo U e t i , King L a z a r u s - (London: H e i n e q a n n 19513) p. 82 .

1 3 ~ h i o l a Irele, The A f r i c a n L x p e r i e n c e i n

L i t e r a t u r e a n d I d e o l o g y (London : Heinemann 1 9 8 1 )) p. 154 .

4 ~ . Michelrnan l l C u l t u r a l C o n f l i c t i n t h e F ranco-phone Nove l" (Ph.D. D i s s e r t a t i o n , U n i v e r s i t y

-of C a l i f o r n i a l 9 7 3 ) , p. 12.

J Mongo B e t i , The P o o r C h r i s t of Bornba t r a n s , G e r a l d Moore, ( I n n d o n : Heinemann 1971),

'Tile Poor C h r i s t , p. 31.

'The P o o r C h r i s t , p. 19 .

3~.t'tie Poor C l l r i s t , p. 19.

l l ~ i n g L a z a f u s , p. 189 .

1231'he P o o r C h r i s t , p . 129.

1 3 ~ h e Poor C h r i s t , p. 132 .

1 4 ~ i s s i - o n to Kala, p. 8 2

4 c I J ~ i s s i o n to Kala, p. 82.

l G ~ y u y i ka T h i o n g u , Homecm. inq. (London: Heinemann 1972)) p. i x .

The b e g i n n i n g of modern ill r i c a n l i t e r a t u r e i s

a r e s p o n s e . . t h e b l a c k m a n ' s d e f i a n t r e s p o n s e to

y e a r s of o p p r e s s i o n a n d d e n i g r a t i o n . C r e a t i v e

l.,iri t i n y h a s , t h e r e f o r e , b e e n e m p l o y e d by F r e n c h

s p e a k i n g ~ - \ l - r i c a n i n t e l l e c t u a l s to e x p r e s s t h e i r

i n n e r c J o n s c i o u s n c s s and to g i v e p e r s u a s i v e f o r m and

torcc t o t he i r i c . l e o l o g i c a 1 p o s i t i o n s . I t owes i t s

o r i g i n a 1 i . t ~ t o b e i n g a r e f l e c t i o n of the A f r i c a n

c o n t i n e n t a n d t h e A f r i c a n mind. The Cameroon, h a s

tile m i s f o r t u n e of e m b r a c i n g t h r e e E u r o p e a n

c u 1 k u r c s , t h e F r e n c h , t h e B r i t i s h and t h e German

, ~ n d this n a s r e s u l t e d i n t h e f r a g m e n t a t i o n o f t h e

I ) e o p l e . I t h a s u n d o u b t e d l y , h e l p e d i n t h e d i s i l -

l u s i o n m e n t of t h e A f r i c a n mind of t h e F 'rench

s p e a k i n g kf rica.

The n o v e l has p r o v e d t h e m b s t amorphous of a l l

li t e r a r y c o n v e n t i o n s , t h e most a d a p t a b l e t o e o n t i n u a l l y

c h a n g i n g s o c i a l and p o l i t i c a l c l i m a t e s . I t i s a l s o

t h e most accesible o f a l l l i t e r a r y f o r m s f o r r e a d e r s

b ~ h o s e men t a l a n d L m a y i n a t i v e f a c u l t i e s are a d e q u a t e

to follow a writer i n t h e e s c a p i s t w o r l d o f f i c t i o n

or e v e n t o d e d u c e i t s d i d a t i c o r p o l e m i c a l m e s s a g e .

Mongo B e t i h a s , t h e r e f o r e , made a c o n t r i b u t i o n

to a n a t i o n a l l i t e r a r y r e v o l u t i o n o f a s s e r t i n g t h e

h f r i c a n s e l f , t h r o u g h t h e n o v e l f o r n ~ . The '

c h a r a c t e r s i n h i s n o v e l s are a t t h e cross-roads

of t h e i r own e x i s t e n c e , r e f l e c t i n g t h e c o n f r o n t a t i o n

o f t w o opposing ' c u l t u r e s and t r a d i t i o n s . I-iis .was

a d i s r u p t e d s o c i e t y f o r c e d to I tabandon i t s own

f p u n d a t i o n s a n d fol low t h e l e a d o f 2 0 t h c e n t u r y

Europe," ' Mongo B e t i , i n c o n d e n m i n g t h e c o l o n i a l

e n c o u n t e r e q u a l l y reflects t h e p r o b l e m s o f po lygamy,

L t ~ t . c h i e f t s i n c y i n s t i t u t l o n and olsller u n i l e s i r a b l e

a s p e c t s o f o u r s o - c a l l e d A f r i c a n ' t r a d i t i o n . I n fact.

I%ncjo B ~ t i ' s m a s t e r y and effectiveness stems from

-Lhe f a c t t J l a t h e I t l a u g h s a t both s i d e s o f t h e

clues t i o n . 112

c t l a r a c k e r s ,

~yjocs b e y o n d

Ide satirises Hf r i c a n and E u r o p e a n

e x p o s i n g t h e i r w e a k n e s s e s . T h u s B e t i ,

" r e - e d u c a t i n g h i s s o c i e t y o u t o f t h e i r

a c c e p t a n c e of r a c i a l i n f e e i o r i t y . l t 3 H e r e g i s t e r s a

new c o n s c i o u s n e s s ; w h i l e t h e r i f r i c a n larnen t s t h e

u o e s of c o l o n i a l i s m , h e s h o u l d l o o k a t h i m s e l f , H e

s h o u l d see how h e h a s a ided colonialism. H e s h o u l d

a l s o n o t e h i s own weak p o i n t s . Upon r e f l e c t i n g o n

a l l t h e s e , t h e A f r i c a n c a n , t h e r e f o r e e v o l v e a n c w

100.

o u t - l o o k to l i f e , a new c u l t u r e a n d o r i e n t a t i o n .

Mongo ~ e t i , t h e r e f o r e &pars t o s u p p o r t t h e f a c t

t h a t " w e m u s t s t r i v e f o r a f o r m o f s o c i a l o r g a n i s a t i o n

t h a t w i l l f r e e t h e m a n a c l e d s p i r i t and e n e r g y

of our p e o p l e so t h d t w e cat? b u i l d a new c o u n t r y and

s i n g a new s a l l y . 4

I n t h e n o v e l s , t h e r e f o r e , t h e c h a r a c t e r irom

w t l o m w e d r a w t h e m o r a l l e s s o n s , a r e t h o s e who a t t a i n

s e l f , c l i s c o v c r y ; F a t h e r Drumont , L e Guen, J e a n - ,

Marie-Medza, Plor-Lamba a n d Abena, I n h i s satires

i'he l'oor C h r i s t of Uomba, l i inq L,azarus and M i s s i o n

L o l : , 1 1 , 1 , L l ~ c s a t i r e I.s , .~1~1~:vc3d L ~ I ~ W ~ I ~ J ~ I ; I scrlc*:,

of i r o n i e s . , 4 t t h e b c q i ~ l n i n g o f e a c l ~ s t r u c t u r e , we

a r e p r e s e n t e d w i t h a n a s p e c t o f t h e p r o t d g o n i s t s f

i n f l a t e d eyo y h i c r l i s u s u a l l y d e f l a t e d , Urumont

. s t a r t s t h e t o u r of T a l a w i t h a c h r i s t - l i k e image .

tie e n d s i t s h e d d e d o f his i l l u s i o n s , a b r o k e n man

c f m p c l l c d to l e d v e v o l u n t a r i l y a f t e r d i s c o v e r i n g

t h e t h e i s i n a c t u a l ' f a c t , a c u l o n i a l i a t d i s g u i s e d

i n t h e g a r b o f a p r i c s t . Le Guen makes t h e same

c l i s c o v 2 r y b u t i s i ncapab le of relriovi:?t~ hinscl. ,f .

ti ?OLI o p i n i m of t h e K a l a n s h a v i n g a r r i v e d f u l l of

'Dorothy S. Blai? African Li terature i n Drench (London: Heinamann 1 9 7 6 ) ~ p . 207..

2 ~ e a a e t t e Maceulay, Y h e Idea o f ~ s s i m i l a t i o n : Mongo Bet i and Camara Lays" i n Protest* . . and Conflictg is ~ f r i c a n Li terature ed. Cosmos P i e t e r s e and Donald Munro, (London: Htrinrinirnn 1969) p.,56.

1 .

'chinua ~ c h e b e , Cunf erence on Common-ilealth L i t e r a t u r e , 1965 as c i t e d i n Chinua i~chebe , M o r n i ~ g Yet on Creiit ior~ D a y l ( i u m i o n ; lieinaiuann 1 9 7 5 ) ~ p. 44.

5140ngo H e t i , K i n t Laearus trans. Frederick Muller - (London: Lleine:nunrr 1560) p , 50.

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