Literature : Here Comes “The Cursed Child”

 The Cameroonian literary landscape has been enriched with the publication of a new book, known as “The Cursed Child.” The novel written by Fred Vubem Toh far back his hay days as a young man in the University of Yaounde, tells the story of John Ngwa who early in his life was forced to live with his maternal uncle under the pretext that his life was under threat from the genital father. Ngwa therefore grows to despise the father and consider the uncle as father. Wounded in his pride the genital father commits suicide and as tradition demands, Ngwa has to carry out a purification ceremony for the father. But Ngwa refuses to do so under the pretext that his father never wanted him and therefore his curse could not befall him. Ngwa changes his mind after suffering a series of mishaps. His wife dies while giving birth, he is cuckolded by a close friend and a child out of what can be termed a third marriage nearly dies. However, in between time of decision and time of execution, Ngwa who happens to be a soldier is called upon to serve in a United Nations peace keeping mission in Cambodia. Ngwa is the lone victim when their vehicles steps on a land mine during a patrol mission.
Beyond the tragedy of Ngwa, “The Cursed Child” is a clarion call for dialogue. The purification ceremony is symbolic of dialogue, consensus, and forgiveness, a common desire to cast away the evil spell of the past and make a new beginning void of any entanglements. Also the novel emphasizes the fact that is doesn’t suffice to acknowledge dialogue but it is also imperative to do so as Ngwa dies not w...