Bernard Fonlon: A Select Bibliography

This section will contain a select bibliography of all publications by and about Dr. Bernard Fonlon. The current bibliography is not an exhaustive one. Tracking down publications by Fonlon has been a Herculean task since virtually all of his works are currently out of print. The same is the case with most of the books about his life and philosophy which were limited edition releases in Cameroon. It is our hope that the public will help in updating the current bibliographical selection, and if possible, make available copies of his out of print works.

Books and Articles by Bernard Fonlon

FONLON, Bernard. (1998). An open letter to the bishops of Buea and Bamenda. Published (25 years after) on the occasion of the silver jubilee of the foundation of St. Thomas Aquinas' Major Seminary, Bambui. 68 p.

FONLON, Bernard. « Upon Rock or upon Sand » in Lyonga, Nalova (ed.). (1989). Socrates in Cameroon. The Life and Works of Bernard Fonlon.Yaounde, Leeds: Tortoise Books.

FONLON, Bernard. 1983. A simple story simply told: or the rise of Dr. Pavel Verkovsky, First Archbishop of Bamenda. 51 p.

FONLON, Bernard.(1982). ABBIA nos. 38-39-40.

FONLON, Bernard. 1978. Lettre ouverte aux étudiants africains, ou, La nature, la fin et le but des études universitaires. Yaounde, Cameroon: University of Cameroon.

FONLON, Bernard. La Poésie et le réveil de l'homme noir. Kinshasa: Presses de l'université du Zaire, 1978.

FONLON, Bernard. "The language problem in Cameroon: an historical perspective". In David R Smock; Kwamena Bentsi-Enchill (eds). The Search for national integration in Africa. New York : Free Press, 1976.

FONLON, Bernard. (1973). An Open Letter to the Bishops of Buea and Bamenda. Yaounde.

FONLON, Bernard (1978): The genuine intellectual. Buma Kor publishing house Yaounde

FONLON, Bernard. 1977. Education through literature: a paper.

FONLON, Bernard. (1973). Random Leaves from my Diary. Buea : Catholic Press.

FONLON, Bernard 1970s. Flaubert, écrivain. 92 leaves.

FONLON, Bernard. Culture et acculturation (Point de vue, 12). Yaoundé, Clé, 1972.

FONLON, Bernard. 1971. As I see it. Yaounde, Cameroon: Catholic Press. 71 p.

FONLON, Bernard. 1969 / 1971. To every African freshman: or, the nature, end and purpose of university studies. ABBIA 23-24-26. Victoria: Cameroon Times Press. 100 p.

FONLON, Bernard (1969) “The Language Problem in Cameroon: A Historical Perspective” in ABBIA 22, pp. 5-40.

FONLON, Bernard. (1968) "Idea of cultural Integration", in ABBIA n.20, 5-29.

FONLON, Bernard. (1966). The Task of Today. Victoria, Cameroon: Cameroon Printing and Publishing company Ltd.

FONLON, Bernard. "Idea of Culture - Le concept de la culture", in ABBIA (1965) n.11, 5-29, 31-38; (1967) n.16, 5-24; (1968) n.19, 5-29.

FONLON, Bernard. To every son of Nso. Yaoundé: CEPER, 1965.

FONLON, Bernard. "Under the Sign of Rising Sun". The Cameroon Times, 1965.

FONLON, Bernard. “A Case for an Early Bilingualism,” ABBIA, No 4, 1963, 56-94.

FONLON, Bernard. « The Idea of Culture » ABBIA No. 2

FONLON, Bernard. 1963. “Inaugural Article”. ABBIA, No. 1.

Interviews and Seminars

National Educational Television and Radio Center. African Writers of Today. Program Numbers 1-6. NY: c. 1964.

(Transcripts of a series of television programs featuring interviews with one or more African writers. Writers interviewed on these six programs were Amos Tutuola, Ulli Beier, David Rubadiri, Leopold Sedaar Senghor, Bernard Fonlon, Wole Soyinka, Ezekiel Mphahlele, Chinua Achebe and William Abraham.)

Conference of African Writers of English Expression. Convened by Mbari Writers' and Artists' Club (Ibadan, Nigeria) in Collaboration with the Department of Extra-Mural Studies, Makerere College. Sponsored by The Congress for Cultural Freedom. Kampala, Uganada: Makerere University College, 11-17 June, 1962. First edition, 120 pages.

(Contains discussion papers and reports by J. Saunders Redding, Ulli Beier, Ezekial Mphahlele, Arthur Drayton, Gerald Moore, Donatus Nwoga, Boke Modisane, Segun Olusola, J. P. Clark, Lewis Nkosi, Bernard Fonlon et al. The introduction states that this conference "was the first get-together of African authors writing in English anywhere in the world.")

Books and Articles on Fonlon

Chem-Langhee, Bongfen. The Shuufaayship of Professor Bernard Nsokika Fonlon. 1989 114p

Krieger, Milton. “Building the Republic through Letters: Abbia: Cameroon Cultural Review, and its Legacy.” Research in African Literatures, Vol. 27, No. 2, 1996. 155 – 177.

Lantum, Daniel. 1992. Dr. Bernard Nsokika Fonlon, an intellectual in politics. 80 p.

Lantum, Daniel. 1988. Dr. Bernard Nsokika Fonlon, 1924-1986, is now a legend : funeral addresses, tributes, and eulogies. Kumbo Town, Cameroon: NSO History Society, 107 p.

Lyonga, Nalova (ed.). Socrates in Cameroon. The Life and Works of Bernard Fonlon, Yaounde, Leeds: Tortoise Books, 1989)

Mbayu, Kevin (ed). 1994. The moral question: a philosophical debate between Dr. Bernard Fonlon and Mr. Kevin Mbayu: including Random leaves from my diary and Thoughts for the time.Cameroon: s.n., 238 p.

Mbunwe-Samba, Patrick. (1993). Sixth anniversary of the death of Professor Bernard Nsokika Fonlon (1924-1986). Bamenda: ACT (Association for Creative Teaching). 71 p.

Monono, Churchill Ewumbue. The torch and the throne: The political philosophy of Bernard Fonlon. Yaounde: Editions SOPECAM. 1991. 72 pages.

Ngwafor, E.N. (1989). Law in Action: Five Sensitive Moot court Submissions Including tributes to Chief Justice S.M.L. Endeley and Professor Bernard Fonlon. London: Institute of third World Art and Literature. 206 p.

Wambeng, Samuel N. & Patrick Mbunwe-Samba (eds.) (1988). A Tribute to Professor Bernard Nsokika Fonlon, 1924-1986. Bamenda, Cameroon: Association for Creative Teaching (ACT). 116 p.

Comments

[Galabe Elvis]

Fonlon is undoubtedly Africa's greatest intellectual of world class profile and standing.

[Chesami]

How can the young generation have access to Fonlons works?Howmay are in bookshops around Cameroon an how many are in school curricula around the country he did serve with all honesty and energy?
Hope the flagbearers of The Fonlon Legacy are doing everything to make available all of his works to Cameroonians.

[Paul Akum]

There is a great fear in my mind, which I suppose is shared by many young Cameroonians living in diaspora:

Our country, and the Sub-Saharan Africa continent by & large, has retrogressed significantly from the great visions once carried by people like Prof. B.N.Fonlon.

If we are to succeed as a people, country, and continent, a radical cleansing of current attitudes and mentalities is needed; a new breed of Africans, instilled with positive African values and doctrines- What I would term Reafricanisation- remains the only solution to our demise.

[Jerry Prillaman]

As Director of the American Cultural Center in Yaounde from 1975to 1977 I came to know and admire Dr. Fonlon as a scholar and champion of freedom. I also admired the struggling young editor, Buma Kor, who published an essay by Fonlon, on academic freedom, with little resources but great determination.

[Jerry Prillaman]

As Director of the American Cultural Center in Yaounde from 1975to 1977 I came to know and admire Dr. Fonlon as a scholar and champion of freedom. I also admired the struggling young editor, Buma Kor, who published an essay by Fonlon, on academic freedom, with little resources but great determination.

[Jerry Prillaman]

As Director of the American Cultural Center in Yaounde from 1975to 1977 I came to know and admire Dr. Fonlon as a scholar and champion of freedom. I also admired the struggling young editor, Buma Kor, who published an essay by Fonlon, on academic freedom, with little resources but great determination.

[Jerry Prillaman]

My entry of yesterday was posted four times on your site! I'm sure it was my fault. Sorry.
Richard Bjornson, an American Africanist and Fulbright Scholar to Cameroon, produced an excellent book which discusses Fonlon, whom Bjornson knew, in several places on subjects such as negritude, national cultural identity and intellectual freedom. The book must still be well known in Cameroon, but just in case its title is THE AFRICAN QUEST FOR FREEDOM AND IDENTITY: Cameroonian Writing and the National Experience, Richard Bjornson, Indianna University Press, Bloomington and Indianapolis, 1991. I just finished re-reading it, prompted by your site, and it is as excellent as I remembered it to be. Bjornson was a serious scholar devoted to his work, who unfortunately died of a sudden and massive heart attack while quite young. A great loss.

[Budzee Solomon]

Prof. Fonlon to me appears to have possessed qualities and potentials that are rare in our society.when I think of the fact that Fonlon is no more, I really lament for his death was a great loss and blow to many of us.He is now a legend and all should be done to preserve and expose his works.He is undoutedly the socrates of Cameroon.May his soul rest in perfect peace. We still mourn you prof!!!

[Ndembow]

Prof. Forlon is and has been a motivator towards African dignity and African Fate. Indeed , he is my hero, and i will propose him the first Cameroonian hero if there is any other in record. He is a classroom for us, a school,and Cameroon/Africa always.He is a figure we look back and always remain proud of we are and where we come from.

He bears the faith flag of hope of our forefathers, "That Cameroon/Africa shall indeed be free forever".

[Mary N N]

Hello this is Mary writing from Sweden, i wish to ask you one question, you people are talking so much this man and forgetting the fact that he had a family. You guys should at list mention his family so that people who do not know or have never heard of him should know that he came from a family and that the family is still living. This will make people respect more.
In know you people love him very much but know the family too love him dearly. This will make him sleep well where he is.
Thanks

[Nsima.Buang.]

I have but small memories of Dr Fonlon as a small boy, who knew my father.It also brings to mind that i had 'disconnected' with my root and upon meeting /reuniting withhim in Younde i did not fully appreciate the 'measure of the man' .Here i am able, as other students of life to learn a history that passed me by as a child.
He rests in peace with great works in his legacy.