THE HISTORIOGRAPHY OF PRE-COLONIAL BAKUNDULAND; A CRITIQUE OF THE WRITINGS OF JOSEPH EBUNE, TIMOTHY MUSIMA, AND JENKINS DIOMO

Jenkins Diomo Betombo

Jenkinsdiomo@gmail.com

+237671466329

University of Buea, Faculty of Arts, Department of History

Abstract

The research sampled the historiography of Pre-Colonial Bakunduland in Southwestern Cameroon with critical references to Bakundu ethnic Historian mainly Joseph Ebune, Timothy Musima and Jenkins Diomo. The different explanatory frameworks of the historic writer and writings unveiled the broad spectrum of the existence of powerful states and kingdoms in Cameroon before Western Intrusion. The digestion of the prevailing facts and evidence in time and space pin points the massive growth and development in to revealed truth on the weightlessness of Eurocentric Perspectives about Africa.  Diagnosing Afrocentric and Eurocentric views spontaneously directs the explanatory frameworks of the Bakundu writers and writings concerning the Pre-Colonial Bakunduland in Cameroon. Primary, secondary and tertiary materials were consumed to add more meaning to the existing justifications of the Bakundu writers and their factual writings. The brandished output was the elaboration on the essence that there was an ethnic existence of Bakundu aborigines. This has exploded that prime argument on the existence and availability of African history despite the western eruptive version of Africa havens no history.

Key words; Bakundus, Bakunduland, Writer, Writings, Facts, Evidence, Space, Justification, Refute, Existence, Critical, Explanation, Pre-Colonial, Epoch

Introduction

 The historiography of Africa as elsewhere in the world centred on and around man and his activities in the society. Many African historians such as Dr. Nkwi Walters and A.D. Nzemeke have deduced views and data of a fundamental similarity in the actions of men everywhere and the trends in furnishing and refurnishing the developments in societal values and strengths. The speed in writings and re-writings of African culture have brandished the broad spectrum in the cultural variations, transitions and evolutions which conditioned the activities of the Africans in the social, economic and political segments. The African cultural variations proxy the emblazoned vicissitudes in accounts which vividly plausible, claimed an exclusive peculiarity in African history and historiography.

The writing of Africa history has been diagnosed from diverse perspectives reiterating different ideologies, mindsets and views by the different emerged generations. In this platform, African historiography has explored, digested and revealed different methodological, theoretical and conceptual frameworks, and sources designated to the accounting and re-accounting of past events. Such diversion dealt especially with the reliance on traditional modes and equipments without escaping the risk of mutilating facts and presenting ordinary fables as objective accounts.  The transitions in environmental norms and values fashioned the pains depicted in providing the atmospheric conditions sine qua non to the accounting and re-accounting of history in sub-Saharan Africa.

Historic writers in the diverse decades such as Walter Rodney,  J,Ajayi, Phillip Curtin, and Paul Nugent have adapted several innovations and mechanisms in respect to the stratification of events which idiosyncrasies the societal happenings as an output of man’s actions and interactions. In this perspective, various generations of historians, anthropologists, archeologists, and sociologists have set forth interest based research disciplines with common properties of examination in time and space. Such secured desires have aggrandised the painting of a picture meant to unveil the status quo and trends of events. However, the revelations ascertained elements that featured in the making of history and the development of accidentals as primary motives and central mechanisms in the evolution and transition of ethnic societies. Such mind blowing directives flowered attentions to the eruption of West African history and historiography.

Many historians such as Dr. Kah Henry, Joseph Ebune, Rolland Ndille and Enow Richard have  re-inforced the justifications of historical events in their adaptation of qualitative and quantitative approaches to reveal the past events in time and space of the African Societies. This actually graced the perspective of Jenkins Diomo about the concept of history in lines, “history is the study of past events with facts and evidences in time and space’. The development of such mindset also ensured the arguments of E.H. Carr reiteration of history as “the study of the historian and his facts and an unending dialogue between the past and the present”. This elaboration of the constituents of history exposed the chronological incentives in conception, perception and analysis of data in relation to the tranquilities and antiquities which existed and were brought in the pre-colonial, colonial and post colonial epochs.

The historic writings in the different epochs, targeted diverse issues with the most outstanding had been the Eurocentric perspective about African past.  The distinctions in writings matched the epochs and exploded a nuanced picture of historical processes and accounts. However, intensive historic writings and writers have showed a wide range of happenings with facts and evidence in the pre-colonial scenario affairs of ancient Cameroon.  This was to designate apologetic and Afro-centric views necessary in the development of Cameroonian (African) historiography.

Haven appeared on the arena; both European and African writings have welcomed mix fate and feelings of diverse school of thoughts in acknowledgment and criticism. The establishment of the German Kamerun nation ended the reigns of ethnic Kings, Chiefs, Fons, Sultans and Lamidos. The intrusion shaped and transformed the original realities and the renovated Cameroon and world views. European views exposed promiscuous messages about the Cameroonian (African) states with counter justifications in facts and evidence about securing the image and cultures of the aborigines.  The written war forged scenes of evaluating credibility, objectivity and judgments in sources and methodology. It is in this platform, the historiography of Pre-Colonial Bakunduland in Southwestern Cameroon will be examined with critical references to Bakundu ethnic group Cameroonian writers mainly Joseph Ebune, Timothy Musima, and Jenkins Diomo. The writing of Bakundu ethnic historiography is to debunk western perspectives of Cameroon (Africa) without a history as it will be better elaborated by the statement of the problem.

Critical Explanatory Writings of Joseph Ebune

The indepth anlalysis in the works of Joseph Ebune would be on his two research works namely Missionary Activity in Bakunduland, Cameroon, which was digested as a historical appraisal of the missions and missionaries in the communities of the Bakunduland. The other research that would be diagnosed would Colonial Rule and Bakundu Traditional Authoriy.  Joseph Ebune reiterated the direct impartations of western influence to the local communities of the Bakunduland. Consuming the indepth research brandishes acknolegments and knowledge in the settings of traditional communties and extenalities in developments. The writer made it vivily plausible that traditional and cultural organisations had a percular patthern which was worshipped and cherish by the locals at the epoch. These values were brainwashed and introduced to modern values by the missionaries and colonial authorities in their activities in the communities.

Missionaries  and explorers were the first white skin colour to the communties of the Bakunduland as Joseph Ebune explained. Cameroon  like any other African nation witnessed the wrath and determinations of foreigners who had already exterblish wide colonies in the Americas. On an important note, Britian was an empire making nation and was deeply involved in World politics and the Industrial Revolution. The nation extended its potentials from the Americas which served as plantations and raw materials for the rapid innovations and scientific developments. Joseph Ebune made vividly plausible arguments on the penetration of Britian as a super power to the local communties. His research set forth exploratory and missionary activities which gingered the rapid transitions and evolutions in mindsets and interest. The work Missionary activities in Bakunduland reiterated mostly on a religious perspectives with borgus broad spectrum on ther related aspects like economic and social activities.

 The rundown of the the research painted a picture of intenssive assmilation and inculcation of Wsetern cultutres much more to the detriment of the ethnic traditional cultures of the Bakundus.  This brandished vivildy plausible argument that, the threats to the Bakunudu ethnic system of living in traditiona nd culture was compounded. Discomfortations and confrontations of the western values met nuanced approaches in the Bakunduland. The diversions in school of thoughts revealed the adverse retaliations and actions of the Bakundus. Some actions took a pogrom stage with rapid termination of unwanted picutres. In4 this dimension, Joseph Ebune strigently painted the picture of Bakundu resistance against European values and culture. Oral tradition brough forth the burning the of the brand new constructed basel mission station at Bombe Bakunduland.

This action shared the Bakundus into  three segments. The traditionalist bent to protect values of the Bakundu culture. The loyalists as baptised converts to the missionary christian fath and the sympathisers acting in a neutral perspective. These divisions brandished a broad specturm of diversity in actions and retaliation. This has actually revealed the different angles of events. The traditionalists retaliated to the dogmatic doctrine of the European missionaries in a drastic formula. They burnt down the  the churches into ashes and destroyed properties belonging to the foreign race. However, the loyalist and sumpathisers formally find tuned a path of sacrifice. The continued to be practise the work and word of the 'holy book'.

The legacy of missionary activities inn  Bakunduland gained ground in spreading the wings of so many chruches operating in the ' words and teachings of the holy name'. Despite the formalities of the missionaries, hidden agendas were on the table. This was inline with the aspirations of the home country. The aspiration was th preparation of effective occupation and control of the territories in Cameroon. This was the task entrusted to the missions and missionaries in the Bakundulad. This  elaborated on the conspicous brain washing of the missionaries who establsihed a brand new dimension of inculcation messages.

Joseph Ebune evaded the suspiciouse activities of the missionaries without stating the real purpose and focus of the missions and missionaries hidden agendas in Cameroon and Bakunudu in particular. The promiscouse rating of the traditional order plunged the Bakundu communities into chaos and sets. Colonial activities in Cameroon didnot serve the desires of the aborigenes but the interest of home countries. This explained the patterns of Timothy Musima wrtiings of the colonial activities and culture of the Bakundus in the Bakunduland.

Critical Explanations of th Writtings of Timothy Musima

The writings of Timothy Musima revealed a broad spectrum of European colonial activities and the Bakundus. In his work, ''Social Developments in Bakundu during German Colonial Rule in Cameroon: 1884-1914'', essential elements painting the picture of the advent and colonial implantation in the Bakunduland. The main points of the writer strigently brandished the visibility of Bakundu traditional setting in handling social and econmic issues. This was an essential figured research meant to reveal additional social activities and remunerating economic dependence. However, there was also the aspect of 'hidden agenda'. The Bakundu traditional and cultural virtues coincided with intrude western values. Thereby, reteirating and ensuring the amagamation of the social and economic internal and foreign values.

The mindset of  the writer paid more attention to the actions of the German colonial administration much more to the detriment of the distortion, extortion and exploitation of the Bakundus and their natural provisions. The Bakundus tend to preserve their traditions and cultures of the ancestral order. This monstly conflicted with imposed ideologies and culture of the colonialists. Holding and responding to the policies and principles of the colonialists remained the recession of the Bakundus. This explained the frequent configuration of classess to conform to the diverse aspiration of parties in the Pre-colonial and colonial Bakunduland.

Many writers of the African disssent have alwyas espressed diverse intrinsic perspectives in respect to western invasion of the continent. Timothy Musima graced the much needed incanations to reveal the activities and affairs of his research from a complete Bakundu perspectives. The structure and nature of events which unfolded exposed a nuance versions in social and economic relations between the Bakundus and the German colonial administration. The Bakunduland was very famous as it hoisted some of the German economic companies and social organs of the colonial administration. The revelation  of the indepth impact of the relations in a social dimension was the point Timothy Musima brandished with facts and evidence.

The visibility of the social relationship strigently drew more attention to the Germans than the Bakundus since most of their actions were setforth to reveal their intentions and ambitions.This redirected arguments on Western and African bases and basis. The research of Timothy Musima elabroted on the verses of western grip. Most of the justifications painted the picutre of westernisation concepts of modernity, development, globalisation, inductrination, extortion, etc. From the theme.'' ''Social Developments in Bakundu during German Colonial Rule in Cameroon: 1884-1914'', the time frame and key words centred historical facts on the destructions of Bakundu social values and dignities in order to implant German social virtues and vices meant to preserve the German legacies in the Bakunduland.  However, Jenkins Diomo revealed scenes of Bakundu heritage and legacy.

Critical Exaplanation of the Writings of Jenkins Diomo

The writings of Jenkins Diomo are exuberant in African dissent perspectives. The papers of interest are ''Early Settlements At the Banks of the Mungo River in Pre-Colonial Bakunduland(Cameroon)'', and '' Traditional Stones of Pre-Colonial Bombe Bakunduland(Cameroon)''.  These research papers generally painted the picture of afrocentrism in the framework of historical existence. The author squish squashed the essential element of communualism in the context of African dissent and perspectives. The paper,''Early Settlements at the Mungo River Banks in Pre-Colonial Bakunduland'' sampled specific patterns in ethnic Bakundu culture and tradition. In this perspective, the channels, forms and formats of environs and settlements patterns were digested in relation to the evolutions and transitions in political, economic and social wards of the diverse original and untamed traditional ethnic groups at the Bakunduland.

The traditional system of political administration pinnicly centred o cultural institutional norms and regulations which punitively gag the community into subjugation. The author pin pointed the constructive nature of the traditional authority and the manner through which its organs executed royal powers to the satisfaction of those in powers. Digesting the economic and social sectors of the rural community established a framework of intense concentration in household welfare as wealth accumulation critical added credence to the availability of 'bread on the table' at subsequent intervals. In this dimension, author tried to drain essential elements of family, and community affairs in a bid to conform to the aspirations of the rural inhabitants.

However, the author in the ,''Early Settlements at the Mungo River Banks in Pre-Colonial Bakunduland'' devoted much historical arguments in a descriptive format to the welfare of the rural inhabitants in Bombe Bakundu in a pinching format. Painting such picture exposed the room for hidden facts and evidence to be directed at the right quartres for indepth elaboration on the approaches utilised by the rural inhabitants to the evolutions and transition in their social and econmic affairs. Inline with framework, the author equally transcended knowledge in revealing the traditional and cultural constitutents of generational totems and artifacts of the Bakunduland. Sampling historical evidence to add credence to the '' Traditional Stones of Pre-Colonial Bombe Bakunduland(Cameroon)''.  Examining the indepth facts and evidence of this paper placed the arguments on a platform of diversification in approach.

The author graced the very image of cultural rites, rituals, fear and dread of the traditional generational inheritance of the ancestral alter stones of the Bakundus in Bakunduland. The outlined historical justifications hinched on the traditional engagements of cults, rites, might and regulations of the ancestral heritage(stones) in Bombe Bakunduland. Diagnosing and digesting  historical and cultural anthropological icons also setforth pertinent elements of interest such as unraveling the transitions in adaptation and persistent reliance to the mythical force and forces of the ancestral stones in Bombe Bakunduland. This actually revealed the author's attention to brandish not just the metaphysical structure and responses to the state of affairs in Bombe Bakunduland but also unveiling the Afrocentric perspective of historical extraction and existence. The historical articles of the researcher consumed relevant facts to paint the social, cultural and traditional setting and structure of the Bombe Bakundu community despite the inter-disciplinary excessive demands and nature of the themes meant to add more knowledge to the findings(research).

Conclusion

The historiography of Pre-colonial Bakunduland tried to establish a pattern and platform through which activities which unfolded during this epoch. The researchers have deeppen minds into revealed truth of the existence of African history in the perspectives of the African and not the intruder across the atlantic and pacific oceans. The generations of historians of the African dissent have setforth paths of revoking the rubbishing of African image by eurocentrics while centering their activities as thr pin point of African historiograhy. The writings of Joseph Ebune, Timothy Musima and Jenkins Diomo have unraveled the mysteries encircling the Bakundu ethnic group in the Bakunduland.

REFERENCES

Jenkins Diomo Betombo, ''Traditional Stones in Pre-Colonial Bakunuduland(Cameroon).Academia.edu, 2018.

Jenkins Diomo Betombo, ''Early Settlements in Bakunduland(Camerooon)''. Academia.edu,2018.

Joseph Ebune Betoto. “Missionary Activity in Bakunduland, Cameroon, 1873-1960: An Historical Appraisal”. Global Advanced Journal, 2(5),2012.

Joseph B. Ebune, “Colonial Rule and Bakundu Traditional Authority”. International Journal of History and Cultural Studies (IJHCS), 1(2), 2015.

Timothy Musima Okia, “Social Developments in Bakundu during German Colonial Rule in Cameroon: 1884-1914”.Przeglad Zachodni, 1, 2014.

The history of the church in Bombe Bakundu from 18th to 21^st century, presented at the inauguration ceremony of the Bombe Bakundu Presbyterian Church Parish on 13^th May 2012, 1quato page, found among “Background Information”.