Power and Political Liberty in Anglophone Cameroonian Poetry

The poet and the politician both possess the power of words; the difference is that while the poet uses this power to improve the human condition, the politician uses it to oppress the people since he sees them as objects. This article argues that Alembong, Besong, and Takwi have used their poetic arsenals to espouse the abuse of political power in Cameroon. These poets who have endeared themselves to the struggle in Cameroon have blended poetry and political reality to advance the cause of freedom because they are dissatisfied with the present day politics. Thus, they attempt to write, and be involved with what has become known as literature of conscientization and commitment. From a Marxist literary and socialist realist perspective, the ideo-aesthetic positions of the three poets are perceived, though subtle: they view the political liberty and welfare of Cameroonians as an index of socio- political growth.