The 1961 Cameroon Plebiscite. Choice or Betrayal

John Percival

Description

" The United Nations-organised plebiscite on 11 February 1961 was one of the most significant events in the history of the southern and northern parts of the British-administered trust territory in Cameroon. John Percival was sent by the then Colonial Office as part of the team to oversee the process. This book captures the story of the plebiscite in all its dimensions and intricacies and celebrates the author's admiration for things African through a series of reminiscences of what life was like in the 1960s, both for the Africans themselves and for John Percival as a very young man. The complex story is also a series of reflections about the effect of the modern world on Africa. It is a thorough, insightful, rich and enlightening first-hand source on a political landmark that has never been told before in this way. In a vivid style with a great sense of humour, Percival's witty, cogent, eyewitness and active-participant account deconstructs the rumours and misrepresentations about the February 1961 Plebiscite which was a prelude to reunification and to the present day politics of 'belonging' in Cameroon. ""One of the major merits of this book is to provide us with a deeper insight into the role of those actors who have never been the subject of plebiscite studies, namely the Plebiscite Supervisory Officers."" - Piet Konings, African Studies Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands John Percival-Anthropologist, Writer, Television Broadcaster of many innovative BBC series on the environment, history and anthropology. As a young graduate he was recruited and sent to serve in the Southern Cameroons as a Plesbiscite Supervisory Officer in 1961. He died in 2005 after a recent return visit to Cameroon with Nigel Wenban-Smith who writes an epilogue. This posthumous memoir has been edited by his wife, Lalage Neal."

Sujets

• History

Informations

• Publié par: Langaa RPCIG
• Date de parution: 15 juin 2008
• Nombre de lectures: 12
• EAN13: 9789956716807
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 16 Mo

Extrait

The 1961 Cameroon Plebiscite: Choice or Betrayal John Percival Edited by Lalage Neal LangaaResearch & Publishing CIG Mankon, Bamenda

Publisher: LangaaRPCIG (LangaaResearch & Publishing Common Initiative Group) P.O. Box 902 Mankon Bamenda North West Province Cameroon [e-mail] www.langaapublisher.com Distributed outside N. America by African Books Collective [e-mail] www.africanbookscollective.com Distributed in N. America by Michigan State University Press [e-mail] www.msupress.msu.edu ISBN:9956-558-49-4 © Lalage Neal Percival 2008 First published 2008 Cover design by Eleanor Percival DISCLAIMER All views expressed in this publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Langaa RPCIG.

In ever loving memory of my husband, John Percival 25 May 1937 to 6 February 2005

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I dedicate this book to our three children: John’s sons and my step-sons, Matthew and Daniel, & our daughter, Eleanor Lalage Neal Percival

Acknowledgements Shirley Ardener, Dr. Judith Edwards, Dr. Ian Fowler and Marie-Pierre Moine, for invaluable help with editing, and Elisabeth Heseltine for help with proof-reading Thanks also to Dr. Elizabeth Bryan, Ronald Higgins, Joy Neal and Helen Taylor Robinson