Description
Crossroads of Dreams is a steamy potpourri of poetry by Franklin Agogho, Jude A. Fonchenalla and M.D. Mbutoh which redefine representations of African youth through the prisms of politics, emigration and the enduring threat of underdevelopment. How would one explain the persistence of poverty and oppression in Africa amidst the superabundance of natural and human resources? In their search for answers, the poets not only chastise but also to point to a verdant and promising future – free of corruption, greed, violence and neo-colonialism. Other themes covered in the anthology include gender, identity and family ties. Animated by three distinctive styles, the eighty-eight poems in this volume will surely enrage, provoke laughter, sorrow, disgust but also hope, courage and visions of a promising Africa in all its splendour and tribulations.
Praise for “Crossroads of Dreams”
The poems in in this collection can be likened to an orchestra. Reading through this anthology is like listening to a perfect symphony of youthful voices of three poets from Cameroon, tackling a variety of thematic concerns in contemporary postcolonial Africa. Clearly, Agogho, Mbutoh and Fonchenalla employ diverse imagery, revealing great sensibility to present challenges as well as a sense of optimism, not only in Cameroon but also in other parts of Africa and beyond. Deconstructing the common perception that the space for the youth is in the future, these poets reflect on the agency of the youth in shaping individual and social-political destinies. Moreover, the uniqueness of this anthology lies not only in their poetic style, but also in the Manichean juxtaposition of such aspects like old and new, order and chaos, hope and despair.
— Dr. Samuel Ndogo, HOD, Department of Literature, Theatre & Film Studies, School of Arts & Social Sciences, Moi University, Kenya
“… a masterpiece with a universal appeal with enormous potential to create a positive impact on Cameroon, Africa and beyond.”
— Ekpe Inyang, Playwright and award-winning Poet
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