By Walter Wilson Nana
This 83-page book is composed of 52 poems, written by the Cameroonian-born Poet and Playwright, Mathew Takwi and published October 2012 by NAB Ventures.
At the maiden launch of Breaking The Barracks, Thursday, October 18 2012 in the Pensioners’ Hall in Buea, Takwi said the 52 poems cut across many themes with the intention to re-orientate mankind from the life of vices. “I’m asking humanity to dissociate his or herself from the physical and psychological walls or barracks that have been created and impede the way forward,” he said.
Takwi signs a copy of Breaking The Barracks at the launch
As he noted, the poet is worried about the biting situation of corruption, discrimination, the need for love for one another and peace. “I am inviting humanity to take a stance for God. The negative things are happening in society because mankind has suddenly turned away from God. Let’s go back to the almighty,” he prescribed.
According to Takwi, Breaking The Barracks is a call for all to rethink their actions, redirect our steps and refashion our living.
In his review, Chief/Prof. Samson Negbo Abangma, Registrar, University of Buea, UB, corroborated the poet. “Takwi is worried about corruption in the society. He’s a chronicler of events, like the poem that gives the title of the book; Breaking The Barracks, which highlights the coming into White House for the first time, by a black president in the USA, Barrack Obama in the US Presidential Election of November 4 2008. That’s also a feeling of the poet and the society,” Abangma mentioned.
Cover page, Breaking The Barracks
According to Abangma, the poet in some of his poems gets into a deep reflection, highlights his religious background, sometimes he is lighted hearted as well as questions some of the ills plaguing the society. “The theme of breaking barriers that create all forms of discrimination, isolation and injustice among individuals, communities, nations and states is the main preoccupation of the poet in this collection,” he added.
Abangma found in Breaking The Barracks the author’s determination to take a prominent and rightful place among rising English speaking Cameroonian writers in general and poets in particular. “The book is written in a style which eludes simplistic categorisation such as simple, difficult, plain and sublime. Takwi’s style is a mixture of all these,” the Reviewer noted.
In his foreword to Breaking The Barracks, the Bishop of Buea Diocese, Mgr. Immanuel Banlanjo Bushu writes; “Mathew Takwi bursts with enthusiasm in this collection of poems because of the irreparable loss of culture and the traditions of the land. He expresses his experience of culture shock, which bashes down values in society, leaving it truncated in its wake.” The Prelate went further; “The core culture is struck, the foundations are falling. Takwi has criticised society. To build a better society, we must cultivate what he criticises society for, because that is what society is. Takwi stirs; he pokes the conscience of society in distress. He does that very ably in his poems.”
Dr Vernasius Tandia (L) chats with James Enongene
The chair of the launch, James Enongene of the Southwest Regional Delegation of Secondary Education invited all to stand by Mathew Takwi and all the writers in Cameroon. He saw in the book the celebration of the victory of Barrack Obama as an example that anybody can break a myth and the cocoons we all find ourselves in.
Dr. Vernasius Tanda, the CEO of T&T Global Korea Study Consulting in Douala kick-started the book launch in style, which saw hundreds of participants cueing for their copies and the special CDs that have a medley of the previous publications of the poet.
Takwi hands over an authographed copy of Breaking The Barracks
The Breaking The Barracks launch was also an opportunity for Takwi to celebrate 25 years in the business of writing. He started on April 15 1986 with his first poem titled ‘Midnight Visitor’. Other publications in his repertoire include; People Be Not Fooled, published 2004. A collection of 50 poems. On Their Knees, 2006. These are poems of assertion. Fire On The Mountain, 2008 and the play – Gaining The Game, published 2010.
Mathew Takwi was born in Nkwen, Bamenda III Subdivision, Mezam Division, Northwest Region of Cameroon. Done with his primary, secondary and high school education, he moved on to the University of Yaoundé, where he graduated in June 1990 with B.A Degree in English and a Diploma in French. After teaching spells in two secondary schools in Soa, Yaoundé, Takwi will join the Cameroon General Certificate of Education, GCE Board in July 1995, where he has been working in the Research and Publications Service. At the GCE Board, he also serves as a Staff Representative.
Takwi is a distinguished member of the International Society of Poets and the Secretary General of Anglophone Cameroon Writers’ Association, ACWA. He is married to Sheila and they are blessed with three children (two girls and a boy).
