definition of literary journalism

THE GOAL I CAN`T MISS

(For Clovis at the Restaurant in Molyko-Buea)

I want to be successful

I want to be at the top

Like the real mountain goat

It may be some time

But I`ll get there

I know I will

It takes guts and courage and drive

If anyone can, I can

Make no mistake about it.

One day I too shall be blissful

God didn`t make us for us to flop

Whether on earth, in the air or in the moat

It`s for everyone that the daily bells chime

That`s why my goals are clear

I man my own mill

I drive my own bee hive

So if you think life is worms in a can

I say, when I shoot I don`t miss.

miss.

WOULD YOU BORROW FROM YOUR FATHER YOUR MOTHER?

I wonder how you would define the word, “borrow”. I would term it “taking something that belongs to someone from that person in order to use it and return it”. If that is what it is, then I believe that each of us must have borrowed at one point or another in our lives, even if we did not “return”it, intentionally or unintentionally.

That being the case, I learned a sobering lesson from borrowing once when I was a student in France. It happened when those of us from our batch in the Bilingual Series of the ENS in Bambili were sent to France by the Cameroon government for French studies. We were on government scholarship and so had a scholarship paid to us for our upkeep on a monthly basis. We were six who went to France on that ticket: Nsahlai Stephen, Nyiawung Philip (today of blessed memory), Tinkuh Yembeh (today Principal of GHS Tanbenken), Maggie Aweh (later Mrs Maggie Taiti of GTHS Bamenda), Ntembe Paul Amombi today in the USA, Mua John Tem in Douala and Yours faithfully.

We received our allowances regularly until at one point, the money did not come. We were kept waiting for three months.

After realizing that the Cameroon Embassy in Paris could not help, we decided to write to the “government” in Yaounde. However, some Cameroonians who had lived longer in France advised us not to write because as they put it, the regime of President Ahmadou Ahidjo (Cameroon`s president at the time) would view it as dissent and clamp down on us. Our detractors warned us that at the very least, such a letter might not be answered. Even so, we still wrote, and sent the letter to the Prime Minister at the Time. I think it was Bello Bouba. Then we waited for another month or so but nothing came from Yaounde.

One us, Maggie suggested that if she wrote and asked her dad in Cameroon for a small loan, he could send it and when the money came she would pay him back. This looked a very good prospect for those of us who had nobody back at home to whom we could write for money. So, Maggie wrote and asked her father. Her dad  sent her the money promptly and were all overjoyed because Maggie was able to give each of us something to tide us over.

Nonetheless, Maggie`s letter was accompanied by a letter that set us thinking very hard about borrowing from parents. The letter said something to this effect: “My dear daughter, I thank you for writing and asking me to send you money which you need but which you said you would pay back when you receive your allowances from the government. I would want to know whether you will also pay me back all the money I have spent on you since you were born”.

That was it: words of wisdom from a wise parent. Interestingly, shortly after that, the Prime Minister wrote back to us and informed us that our allowances had been sent to the Cameroon Embassy in Paris for immediate payment. The letter also indicated that the allowances had been increased! We were paid everything we were owed on that occasion and thereafter.

WHY HANG YOURSELF FOR NOTHING?

No, I won`t stand here and watch you kill yourself

Why are you doing that to yourself?

The world isn`t yet coming to an end

Neither has it been placed on your head

You were never meant to be a problem carrier

So why invite death to your doorstep?

Despite what you say, I`ll leave you

Turn round, break into a run and shout for help

Your life is too precious

Have you thought of your family?

Have you thought of your lovely children?

Remember it`s Christmas next month

It`s just weeks

Besides you could still be promoted

Don`t mind what your boss said yesterday

Look, there are brighter days ahead

Besides, God is still saying something!

STRESS-FREE LIFE

Besteady
Don`t be heady
Dont get the press
Don`t be stressed.

OUR VILLAGE SHRINE AT KOYIMI

This could be devastating for you
There`s a place called Koyimi
So if you know you`re called Nini
Make it a shrine for two.

WHY I SAT UNDER THE TREE

I sat down under the fig tree
Not because I felt like a pig
And sounded like a burst horn.

No, it was because I felt very free
I had nothing more to dig
And ran out of red corn.

BREAD ON THE BRIDGE

I`m the willing fan
I make leaven bread
If you doubt me
Try the next hung bridge.

WHY WE MUST PRAISE GOD

(Together with the congregation of Presbyterian Church Bomaka)

I saw him again

It was today

After such a long time

That`s why the Lord is God

All the time

And all the time the Lord is good.

Today the Josephs sang the refrain

And so held sway

There was no mime

But just food

Every word was rime

Even where the pastor stood.