Bernard Fonlon
Encyclopedia
Bernard Nsokika Fonlon was a government minister and leading intellectual of Cameroon
.
He was born in Kumbo
, Nso
, Northwest Province, and was educated at Christ the King College
in Nigeria
, then entered the Bigard Memorial Seminary with the intent of going into the priesthood. He later taught at St Joseph's College in Buea
, and decided to go into scholarship. He earned degrees from the University of Ireland, Sorbonne
, and Oxford University, specializing in literature.
In 1961, he was secretary in the office of the prime minister of Southern Cameroons
, then worked for the President until 1964. Fonlon was then elected to the Federal Parliament, where he stayed until 1970, and served in the cabinet, first as deputy minister of foreign affairs, then as minister of transport, later posts and telecommunication, then health and social welfare.
Fonlon left government service in 1971 to join the University of Yaoundé
, where he taught literature, rising to become head of the Department of Negro-African Literature and publishing a number of works. He retired in 1984, and died while on a trip to Canada
a couple years later.
A man of diverse abilities, Fonlon was characterized as the Cameroonian Socrates
. He was a major promoter of bilingualism, as reflected in the journal Abbia: Cameroon Cultural Review
that he founded in the early 1960s.
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
.
He was born in Kumbo
Kumbo
Kumbo, also known as Kimbo, is the second-largest city in the North West Province of Cameroon and the capital of Bui Département. It lies about 2000m above sea level and is situated approximately 110km away from Bamenda , on the Bamenda Highlands Ring Road...
, Nso
Nso
The Nso are a people of the Bamenda Grassfields in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Their traditional language is Lamnso and their capital is Kumbo...
, Northwest Province, and was educated at Christ the King College
Christ the King College
This article is about Christ the King College in Sierra Leone, for the Christ the King College on the Isle Of Wight see Christ the King College, Isle of Wight...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, then entered the Bigard Memorial Seminary with the intent of going into the priesthood. He later taught at St Joseph's College in Buea
Buea
Buea is the capital of the Southwest Region of Cameroon. The town is located on the eastern slopes of Mount Cameroon and has a population of 90,088 . Buea was the colonial capital of the German Kamerun from 1901 to 1919,and the capital of the Southern Cameroons from 1949 until 1961...
, and decided to go into scholarship. He earned degrees from the University of Ireland, Sorbonne
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, and Oxford University, specializing in literature.
In 1961, he was secretary in the office of the prime minister of Southern Cameroons
Southern Cameroons
Southern Cameroons was the southern part of the British Mandate territory of Cameroons in West Africa. Since 1961 it is part of the Republic of Cameroon, where it makes up the Northwest Province and Southwest Province...
, then worked for the President until 1964. Fonlon was then elected to the Federal Parliament, where he stayed until 1970, and served in the cabinet, first as deputy minister of foreign affairs, then as minister of transport, later posts and telecommunication, then health and social welfare.
Fonlon left government service in 1971 to join the University of Yaoundé
University of Yaoundé
The University of Yaoundé is a leading university in Cameroon, located in Yaoundé.It was built with the help of France and opened in 1962 as the Federal University of Yaoundé, dropping the "Federal" in 1972 when the country was reorganized....
, where he taught literature, rising to become head of the Department of Negro-African Literature and publishing a number of works. He retired in 1984, and died while on a trip to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
a couple years later.
A man of diverse abilities, Fonlon was characterized as the Cameroonian Socrates
Socrates
Socrates was a classical Greek Athenian philosopher. Credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy, he is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of later classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon, and the plays of his contemporary ...
. He was a major promoter of bilingualism, as reflected in the journal Abbia: Cameroon Cultural Review
Abbia: Cameroon Cultural Review
Abbia: Cameroon Cultural Review is an academic journal devoted to the culture of Cameroon and to the promotion of bilingualism in the country. It was founded by Bernard Fonlon in 1963.- References :...
that he founded in the early 1960s.