CNPS DG says institution committed to promoting book culture.

The CNPS boss made the remarks during a ceremony dubbed: Literary Café. It was to present a recently published literary book amongst others, authored by Cameroonian writer, Danielle Eyango. 

The ceremony, organised August 10, at the CNPS headquarters in Yaounde, was attended by several other writers, publishers, library managers, art and literature enthusiasts.

The literary work titled: “Quand les racines chantent”, roughly translated as ‘when roots sing’, was released in March 2023. 

It adds to a collection of several other books published by the author, including: “Kotto Bass: Comme un oiseau en plein envol”, published in 2012; “Le parfum de ma mère”, issued in 2020; and “Kumba! The Innocent's Blood”, released in collaboration with Sophie Yap, Chantal Bonono and Sandy Nyangha in 2021. 

In his address, the CNPS DG explained that the Literary Café aimed to market the author’s books and give book enthusiasts, both within and beyond the institution, the chance to get a dedicated copy from the author. 

He also spelt out that the book presentation event also provide them the opportunity to inform stakeholders in the literary field about CNPS’ missions and the services it offers as well as to present CNPS as a corporate citizen that is committed to support art and culture.

“…more than just a social welfare organisation, the CNPS also contributes to the socio-cultural development of Cameroon,” he said.

In order to demonstrate its commitment to promoting the reading culture, the CNPS boss announced that a library has been created within its head office.

“To give concrete expression to this commitment, a library has been set up within the company, as well as activities that enable staff and their children to develop intellectually and culturally,” he added. 

Says writer stems from CNPS family

Speaking about the 40-year-old writer, he said Eyango is a child of the CNPS family, given that her mother is a former worker of the social welfare institution and adds to several other writers of the CNPS family.

He also expressed his wish to see the literary works of the writer integrated into the academic curricula for secondary schools in the country.

During the close to two-hour event, the author spoke her audience through the inspirations behind her different books published between 2012 and 2023.

While thanking the different senior writers who held her hand through the journey of her career as writer, Eyango expressed gratitude to the CNPS DG and his collaborators for constantly supporting her works. 

She also noted that most of her works are deeply rooted to her life, her family, the Sawa culture and the Cameroonian society.

About the latest Eyango’s novel

The latest novel of Danielle Eyango is a story about a young lady named Jasmine Yondo caught between an ancestral curse and her Christian faith. With the setting of the novel being the economic capital city of Douala, the young protagonist, who inexplicably fails to give birth, is forced to find solution in a world she doesn’t know, hasn’t been taught about and has contrarily learned to hate. 

In the 297-page novel, Danielle Eyango portrays that the Sawa rites and cults still exist to solve all kinds of illnesses and social problems. It also makes use of several stylistic devises, folklore, songs and proverbs.