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The tragic death occurred six years ago of Fr Angelbert Mveng, SJ.
He lives
on today because
of his monumental legacy of artistic, intellectual and
literary work.
Hence the iconic appellation
During the night of 22-23 April 1995, contract killers clearly under the command of evil-minded people, sealed his fate. On 23 April 1995, the people of the little village of Nkolfané (in the western suburbs of Yaoundé) discovered the lifeless body of the Jesuit priest — strangled in his bed, lying on his back, his arms outstretched in the form of a cross. The crime has been shrouded in mystery ever since. There has been a complete black-out on the perpetrators, i.e. those who ordered and those who committed this «professional killing». Among the local clergy and throughout the whole country, there was general dismay. Criticising the negligence of the authorities, the bishops of Cameroon stressed that «at the very least this raises doubts as to the ability and especially the true willingness of those responsible for law and order in our country, to find out the truth».
On 31 March 2001, Cameroon’s Minister of Justice, said «Father Mveng’s murder is still under investigation» (six years after the event!). This adds to the general confusion. Father Mveng’s disappearance was felt to be a huge loss to the local Catholic Church, to Cameroon and to Africa as a whole. As well as being a priest, he was an emeritus professor of history, a distinguished artist, a well-known theologian and an all-round intellectual.
A multi-talented intellectual
As an intellectual, he was known for his multiple talents. He was a novelist, poet, painter and sculptor all at once. Thanks to his artistic talent, the choir of Notre Dame des Victoires Cathedral has been embellished with a wonderful mosaic. In 1990, the Church of the Holy Angels in Chicago, USA, was decorated with a fresco — again the work of the late Father Mveng. He was also the artist who provided a mosaic in the Basilica in Nazareth (in the Holy Land).
His literary work shows Father Mveng to be the champion of the literary roots of Africa’s cultural heritage. He rejected the flimsiness of what has been described as «airport art» i.e. a superficial art to assuage the fantasies and desires of tourists desperate for the exotic. Talking about the majority of Cameroonian writers, and by implication, African writers in general, he deplored their acculturation. «They only know their own society through what they have experienced in recent times, especially during the colonial era. So they don’t know their own language, their own art, history, religion, traditional rites». Matching words to action, he published a treasury of poetry entitled «Balafon». He used it to rewrite African history. Rejoicing in Africa’s glorious history, he fought against afro-pessimism and redeemed the lost honour of the black continent. Going beyond African exploitation and enslavement, «Balafon» also illustrates the contribution of the black continent to world history (e.g. in the poem, «New York»). At the end of the book, Africa is seen as embracing the world. Love and forgiveness take precedence over all other considerations, and are at the heart of all peaceful existence.
Committed theologian for liberation theology
As a historian, Father Mveng was committed to his profession. He was deeply concerned to restore in his own way, the negative image given of Africa. No doubt this is why he is so passionate about the history of civilisations, through studying the contribution Africa has made to human development.
In theology, Father Mveng was the author of a remarkable body of work. He was one of the most outstanding champions of liberation theology in Africa. In contradiction to what others upheld, he even maintained that Africa was the cradle of liberation theology. Father Mveng states: «In 1955, Présence Africaine, at the instigation of its founder Mr. Alioune Dioup, launched a campaign throughout the African continent which in 1956 resulted in publication of a well-known publication: «Black priests ask questions». It was the first great manifesto of modern African liberation theology. It should be noted that it was only after 1960 that America, and later on the black communities in the United States of America began their own liberation theology. Gutierrez’s and James Cone’s work only saw the light of day after 1960».
Then Father Mveng goes on to expound his theory of liberation theology. «The starting point of liberation theology», he says, «is situating our faith in our daily lives. Why has God revealed himself to us? This is the question liberation theology asks, and it answers the question by going to revelation. What does God say to us in “the word of God?” The Bible answers: “God speaks to men and women in order to save them, to liberate them”. Father Mveng goes on to say how this happens. According to him, liberation theology is first and foremost contextual. “We always read the Bible from where we are, that is from our own context”. For Africans, this context is essentially bound to cultural and spiritual liberation. For “Africa has been stripped of all its wealth, especially its identity, its culture, its history and many expressions of its faith”».
We must restate the fact that Father Mveng’s interpretation of liberation theology differed from Latin-American liberation theology, influenced as was by the prevalence of Marxism in that part of the world. According to him, Latin-American liberation theology was only a partial analysis, which did not take into account Africa’s situation. Thus, issues of apartheid, racism and colonialism were evaded. Latin-American liberation theology coexisted with racism in Brazil and throughout Latin American, where «the local Indian population and Blacks had no right to speak. Happily», acknowledged Father Mveng, «the situation is changing, mainly thanks to the Ecumenical Association of Third World Theologians».
(1) All quotes are taken from the book «Theology, liberation and African culture», an interview by Benjamin Lipawing with Angelbert Mveng, Yaoundé, Editions Clé, 1996. — BRIEF BIBLIOGRAPHY – «L’histoire du Cameroun», Paris 1963; «Liturgie cosmique et langage religieux», Paris 1964; «Dossier culturel panafricain»,Paris 1966; «Les sources grecques de l’histoire négro-africaine: depuis homère jusqu’à Strabon», Paris 1972; «L’art d’Afrique noire», Yaoundé, 1974; «L’Afrique dans l’Eglise: parole d’un chrétien», Paris 1986; «Spiritualité et Libération en Afrique», Paris 1987; «Théologie, Libération et cultures», interview with Benjamin Lipawing, Yaoundé, Clé et Présence africaine, 1996
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