Manteur & the female students of Lycee du General Leclerc in Yaoundé Cameroon (final part )

Risdoh was truly a lucky girl and born in family and in a nationality (tribe) that education was given genuine importance and for both sexes. This happened at a time when women all over Cameroon wanted their daughters to be well educated. It was also at a time when, the mere mention that, a child has sat and pass the General Certificate of Education (GCE) ordinary or advance level, gave room for joy. The student who had succeeded any of the two latter mentioned examinations: girl or boy was adored like a demigod. And the student: girl or boy who went on to obtain a University Diploma; he/she were also venerated or treated like Kings and Queens. Neighbours and nationals or natives contributed monies to take such gems to the hospital if he/she was sick. Whatever the successful student wanted he/she was offered. The uneducated ones protected the educated, for they knew that, through the educated ones, whom they referred to as their eyes and ears, their names, and that of their nationality, family and neighbourhoods will be propelled into the limelight, vindicated and defended. The educated student: boy/girl was considered as the one or ones who brings light or civilisation and glory to any part of the country.

They were sure to have a place under the sun. And as they say in Cameroon: “if your son or daughter is at the top of the plume tree, you are sure to be the first to eat the ripe plumes.” Education at that time was a passport out of ignorance and people were not interested or were not materialistic. It was a golden era in Cameroon that ended when the economic crisis stroke in 1987. Economic crisis brought with her, large bags of immoralities. Mothers changed their conducts suddenly, and people were no longer interested in hard work and education. Honesty became as rare as gold. But Risdoh was still lucky because, her father who was a graduate of Ecole Normale D’administration et de la Magistrature (School of Administration and Magistracy) was a de facto civil servant. It meant that, come what may, he was guaranteed, a job and one which was not threatened by the spectre of redundancy. Risdoh’s father was called Nguelemedouga.