Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (SJHSS)
Volume-3 | Issue-06 | 773-781
Review Article
Questioning the Past, Instructing the Present and Casting the Future: Refocusing the Emerging Debates and themes in Cameroon Historiography
Ngam Confidence Chia
Published : June 30, 2018
Abstract
History as a master of the past; a commander of the present and subtle
compass of the future is continuously bulging in length and breadth as new facts,
intelligible methods of construction and auxiliary tools are discovered and used by
professional historians to refocus emerging themes and concepts. With these new
discoveries, the historical enterprise is expanding rapidly with a deal of both concord
and disagreements arising from the analyses of commonly investigated historical facts.
The ability of modern history to float freely and fittingly within the world of science
and that of arts; further polished by its dynamism to use the other disciplines of the
social science family to assert its causation and unique kinds of Historical truth, places
the course on a complex paradigm. On a broad plain, European and western historians
have fought hard to minimized disagreements on their historiography but African
history and historiography is still bedevilled by the scourge of bias, misinterpretation
and ignorance. The Republic of Cameroon at any point in time is a fine fitting to showcase the re-investigation of the past, understanding the present and casting the future.
Going by colonial history, Cameroon shares a triple experience (German, British and
French).By geography, her coastline gave her wider exposure to the Atlantic slave and
legitimate trades and her geographical position permitted her to be influenced by
historical developments in both west and central Africa.This paper from its various
sources refocuses and interrogates the emerging debates and contrasting themes like
colonial misgivings, self-centeredness of early nationalists and irresponsible leadership
blamed for current multifaceted problems of Cameroon historiography today. It argues
that the actors behind these themes and episodes can only be better appreciated and
comprehended in the light of the prevailing circumstances at the time. Such a
scholarship enterprise will create a sense of positive approach to Cameroon
historiography thereby, giving us a command of the present trend of issues and casting
an assuring future. It further perceives the diverse Cameroon historical heritage and the
harm done to it by Eurocentric writings, not as vices but as potent episodes that
reminds us of our foundational frames pointedly awful but worth being used to
stimulate development and hope instead of remaining steadfast in the apportioning of
blames in an era of abounding opportunities.