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All this forced so many worthy intellectuals to flee and led to the horrendous suppression of literature and culture.Ĭlick here to print or download entire speech in PDF format This was a courageous act at the time because, back then, Africa was shaken by violent jolts and unending turbulence: military coups, civil wars, political assassinations, denial of the most basic freedoms and the perversion of justice in all its forms….
At the time, he belonged to that pleiad of Cameroonian intellectuals who, after completing solid studies abroad, courageously accepted to return to the mother-country to dip their industrious hands into the Cameroonian (African) “potopoto” in order to contribute to the building of the nation.
It was in 1963 that I had the opportunity of meeting Fonlon-Nsokika Bernard. Ladies and gentlemen, as I accept the prize bearing the illustrious name of Bernard Fonlon, to relive a very special memory I have of him.
What an honour for me! What pride and what excitement as well! It is very difficult for me to adequately express these three feelings, which I am going through right now. My thanks also go to Professor Richard Bjornson, who was kind enough to travel all the way from the USA, defying the exhaustion of this journey, in order to personally hand over this important cultural prize. Professor Victor Anomah Ngu has with remarkable brilliance been able to preserve the endearing image of Fonlon. I also want to thank Professor Victor Anomah Ngu, the president of the Fonlon Foundation of which I am a humble member. I would like to thank her Excellency, the Ambassador of Canada, who kindly accepted to grace this intimate and simple award ceremony with her presence.