Query To George Ewane, Presidential Mimic Man

By Bate Besong

I will not conceal my own conviction that as my former Advanced Level English Literature student, in the late 80s, at the Bilingual Grammar School, Molyko-Buea, George Ewane, has not taken to heart the repercussions of inflicting on society the cataracts of mass delusion and enfoolment, resulting, from the hubris of unmoderated greed.

Whether this reflected the hamartia of new deal lionisation or calculated obfuscation on his part, cannot now be determined by hearing the mimic man’s voice on the radio.

It now appears, however, that the falcon may never heed the falconer. (When cynicism and indifference fester, society ultimately suffers a self-destructive fate).

A journalist, even a Presidential Charlie Chaplin, like George Ewane, is a public servant accountable to the Cameroonian public and he should be open to criticism, open to examination, open to public exposure. For, there is no surer way of betraying the goals and targets of popular democracy than through sham, Pravda-dyed, journalistic pantomimes.

It is unfortunate that George Ewane whose numerous trips abroad, in the “Presidential Pelican” with “the President and First Lady Chantal Biya,” are solely sponsored on the backs of long-suffering Cameroonian humanity, has repeatedly refused to glimpse beneath the surface of phenomena, in order to apprehend the underlying social currents and forces that shape the whole democratisation process in our enfeebled federation.

Toying with the destiny of a nation and a people is a very deadly thing to do, as those who engage in that will surely pay its full price.

On the Cameroon Calling edition of March 14, anchored, by Ephraim Banda Ghogomu, George Ewane, at last, outreached himself! Guided by his simplistic thesis, and yet full of regime bravado and exuberance, he mistook style for substance, character for context, and essence for structure, when, in a supreme coda of sophistry, he reported that “only forty Cameroonians threw eggs and tomatoes at the Presidential couple.”

We must always remember, however, that the educated class, Anglophone or Francophone, who forget that they were once poor, and refuse to aid their countrymen, are the greatest threat to democracy in Cameroon.

The rallies that were celebrated in London, were the collective anguish of the Cameroon Diaspora; to confront the betrayal of aspirations, pervasive squandering of human and material resources, and widespread political corruption.

Cameroonians in exile were addressing the dysfunctionality arising out of the CPDM politics of exclusion, and dislocation.

Understandably, at no time was such a protest more germane than now, when, handmade opportunists, malleable careerists and barefaced adventurers are rallying around the tottering regime, in order to present for it and its mimic men a certain degree of shabby dignity, credibility and legitimacy

Comments

[Benny C]

Bravo!
Splendid BB.
You are the Real BB.I curse myself for not keeping in touch. Assuredly I am not a praise singer nor the mimic man.

[Benny T]

Erm, excuse me, but bravo for what, exactly? What is BB trying to communicate here? As a Cameroonian who is admitedly out of touch with some of the happenings back home, I was at a loss as to the point of the above diatribe. Why do our 'intellectual elite' always feel the need to whip out their Thesauruses, or 'window-dress' with their knowledge everytime they put pen to paper? Is there something to be proven, and if so, to whom? BB, please if you see this, heed the advice of great artists through the years, and simplify, simplify, simplify. Your writing will be the better for it.

My beef with your piece:

So some people threw eggs at the Presidential couple. Where did this happen, and when? "The rallies that were celebrated in London..." doesn't tell me anything about this. Eggs could have been thrown in Paris, and people in London celebrated.

And then on March 14, a certain George Ewane is supposed to have claimed that only 40 people threw eggs. Fair enough outrage if this is a blatant lie, but how can I share in such an outrage without having an idea of what actually took place, i.e the exact scale of the fabrication? So, BB, you can see why I cannot take your claims that Ewane is "toying with the destiny of a nation" very seriously... I just don't know what the hell you're talking about, because you didn't bother to tell me. The assumption that I would know is not the hallmark of good writing. These are just two examples. There are many more, believe me.

Sorry to be this blunt, but just as our political elite needs to hear a thing or two, our intellectual elite needs to be brought down a peg or two, as well. Enough with all the pompousity already. Simplify, simplify, simplify. PLEASE.

[EKONDE MBULLE L]

Dear B.B,
Thanks for this forum to exchange with the beacon hope you are to our literary sphere.
I am astounded to see that the "dwarf" is treated with so much importance as can be gathered from the consecration of an entire piece to him.
George Ewane has truly not taken to heart the repercussions of inflicting on society the cataracts of mass delusion and enfoolment, resulting from the hubris of unmoderated greed.
Not trust worthy, bad-debtor, sly and outrageously pompous, Ewane is counting his days as 'state-house reporter'.Mean and childish(tells the uninformed and intellectually darkness-stricken that he writes the head of state's papers), this rascal of a new order is using horrendous techniques to sideline the truly hardworking class.Is it Peter Ful, Ngomba Endeley, Moses Nyoh, Peter Mbah Nforsi,....,who would not tell a story about the ''blackleg''.
He is hoping today to be made Private Secretary of the PM, after failing with nose brushes to get the office of Director of Cabinet.
Ewane is greed and greed is George Ewane Ngide. Can you imagine him taller ?
God bless us....
MBULLE.