Spears Books Catalogue 2020

from SPEARS BOOKS

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From the Editorial Team

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Spears Media Press LLC 7830 W. Alameda Ave Suite 103-247 Denver, CO 80226 United States T: +1(720) 441-2785 T: +1(720) 238-1635 F: +1(610) 523-2129 www.spearsmedia.com

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his year has been particularly challenging due to the ravages of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the press has witnessed some significant developments worth sharing with our growing community of readers. First, we created and deployed a new imprint for all our paperbacks. So, you will find Spears Books as the publisher for all titles released since June 2020. We also completed the last title in the Education for Sustainable Development in Africa (ESDA). All titles in this series are open source and available on Google Books – an accomplishment that will enable students in Africa to access the materials without further cost.

Finally, we launched two new promising book series: Spears Studies on Gender in Africa and the Spears Studies in African and African Diaspora History. These series will bring together scholars and activists in Africa and the diaspora to share cutting-edge research findings that cover themes in these two areas. We are excited about the prospects of these series and look forward to growing our reading panels in the months and years to come.

Spears Media Press is committed to increasing awareness on important socio-political, economic and creative developments on the African continent and to promoting alternative voices and positive social change. We aim to tell fabulous stories, one author at a time and to creating an empowering environment in which promising talented authors as well as already-established writers can share their creative works with the global reading community.

Spears Media Press A platform for Alternative Voices

Spears Books ■ www.spearsmedia.com ■ Phone: (720) 441-2785 ■ (720) 449-6110

SPEARS MEDIA PRESS Readers may find additional details including the lists of contents and contributors online at www.spearsmedia.com, where you may also sign-up for our free e-newsletter.

Course adoption – all paperbacks are available for consideration. Email orders@spearsmedia.com or complete the exam copy request form on our website.

E-Books – all our titles are now available as eBooks via library platforms including Project Muse. See details on our website.

EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Managing Editor: Lilian Ndangam, PhD Email: lilian@spearsmedia.com Acquisition Editor: Emmanuel Ngang Email: ngang@spearsmedia.com Production Manager: Francis Fokwang Email: production@spearsmedia.com Editorial Manager: Lydia Kabinsen Email: lydia@spearsmedia Copy Editor: Mokom Muluh Email: editor@spearsmedia.com Executive Publisher: Jude Fokwang, PhD Email: publisher@spearsmedia.com

CONTENTS POETRY 4 Bearing Witness 4 Crossroads of Dreams 4 Just a Bend 4 Litany of a Foreign Wife 4 Beautiful Fire 5 Healing Stings 5 Dance of the Kangaroos 5 Les Pleurs du Mal 5 HISTORY 6 Basel Mission Education in Cameroon 6 Changing Regimes and Educational Development in Cameroon 7 HISTORY & POLITICS 8 Ceded at Dawn 8 The Golden Age of Southern Cameroons 9 POLITICS & ECONOMICS 10 State of the Continent 10 Africa’s Path to Economic Development 10 Democratic Governance and Political Participation in Nigeria 19992014 11 FORTHCOMING 2021 12 REFERENCE 13 A Dictionary of Popular Bali Names 13 A Wealth of Wisdom 13 CHILDREN’S LITERATURE 14 Because of My Mouth 14 Little Gabriel Starts to Read 14 AFRICAN LANGUAGES 15 The Mungaka Alphabet Workbook 15 The New Mungaka Alphabet for Beginners 15

FICTION 16 Beads of Memory 16 Darkness at Dawn 16 Boundless 17 Okafor Meets His Match and Other Short Stories 17 The Widow’s Cross 17 The Journey’s End 17 MEMOIR 18 How I Discovered My Purpose 18 Letter from America 18 SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES 19 Being and Becoming 19 Bali Nyonga Today 19 Re-writing Pasts, Imagining Futures 19 Africa’s Brain Power 19 DEVELOPMENT STUDIES 20 GENERAL 21 The Fundamentals of Crystallography & Mineralogy A Taste of Africa 21 BOOK PROPOSALS 22 ORDER FORM 23

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POE TRY

Bearing Witness

Just a Bend

Poems from a Land in Turmoil

Ekpe Inyang

Edited by Joyce Ashuntantang & Dibussi Tande

Illustrated by Marie-Brenda Offy Inyang

“A fervent collection of poems that capture the anguish, resilience and hopes of a people determined to overcome.”

— Imbolo Mbue, author of the New York Times best seller “Behold the Dreamers,” winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.

June 2020 ■ 224 pages ■ 6 x 9 9781942876540 ■ $20 ■ Paperback

sity, South Carolina

“Just a Bend is a masterpiece, a well-integrated collection of poetry that straddles Africa and other parts of the world. The poems capture the improbable wonders of nature, untapped human and natural resources, fractured earth, environmental pollution, ecological hypocrisy, and hope in the midst of hopelessness.”

— Dr. Lami C. Adama, Assistant Professor of English, Claflin Univer-

9781942876557 ■ eBook

July 2020 ■ 190 pages ■ 6 x 9

Also available in Kindle

9781942876595 ■ $20 ■ Paperback

Features: 73 poets, over 100 poems in English, French and Cameroon

9781942876625 ■ eBook

Pidgin English

Also available in Kindle

Crossroads of Dreams

Litany of a Foreign Wife

A Poetry Anthology

Poems

Franklin Agogho, Jude A. Fonchenalla & M.D. Mbutoh

Nnane Ntube

“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.

— Dr. Samuel Ndogo, Moi University, Kenya March 2020 ■ 144 Pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5 9781942876519 ■ $15 ■ Paperback Also available in Kindle

Yaounde 1

“Nnane Ntube’s Litany of a Foreign Wife is couched with anticipation, dread, apprehension and violence.

Her poems are characterized by hints, deduction, suggestion, and implication. Sometimes her poems are couched with connotation and denotation, but most often with dismay and cruelty that will make the reader’s heart beat with trepidation...”

— Babila Mutia, University of

April 2020 ■ 78 pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5 9781942876564 ■ $15 ■ Paperback Also available in Kindle

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POE TRY

Beautiful Fire

Dance of the Kangaroos

Joyce Ash

The Riot Shall not be Televised “Beautiful Fire radiates intimacy, passion, and sensitivity. This poetry touches us to our deepest core and awakens the warm emotions and humanity we can’t ignore. Joyce Ash gathers images into a honeycomb that the reader tastes and keeps on devouring its sweetness. Th e highly imagistic poems proff er an enduring message that resonates with our private and

public selves.”

— Tanure Ojaide, University of North Carolina at Charlotte May 2018 ■ 90 pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5

MD Mbutoh

“Dance of the Kangaroos exposes the autocratic oppression and subjugation of his unnamed people, and by extension all minority people in the hands of brutal regimes everywhere on earth, in poetic vehemence and elegance. ” — Nsah Mala, author of Bites of Insanity and Constimocrazy

April 2018 ■ 70 pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5 9781942876229■ $12.99 ■ Paperback Also available in Kindle

9781942876250 ■ $12.99 ■ Paperback Also available in Kindle

Healing Stings

Les Pleurs du Mal

Collected Poems

Poèmes

Pepertua N. Lola

Nsah Mala

“A highly didactic and exceedingly fertile collection, using as vehicles of expression, a profusion of landscape and body imagery.”

— Lilian Lem Atanga, University of Bamenda

“…l’océan de misère dans lequel baigne le peuple de l’auteur l’a inspiré, l’a subjugué, l’a déchiré. Et voilà pourquoi le jeune Nsah Mala sort de sa réserve pour pousser le grand cri – un cri éternel – celui du poète. ” — Marie-Thérèse Betoko Ambassa, Professeur, École Normale Supérieure de Yaoundé

2016 ■ 168 pages ■ 5 x 8

September 2019 ■ 84 pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5

9781942876144 ■ $19.99 ■ Paperback

9781942876465 ■ $12.99 ■ Paperback

Also available in Kindle

Also available in Kindle

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HI STORY

NEW Basel Mission Education in Cameroon 1886-1968 Mathew B. Gwanfogbe

This volume examines the relationships between the German colonial administration, the Basel Mission, the British Baptist Missionary Society and other missionary societies that characterized the setting up of Basel Mission education in Cameroon against the backdrop of intense rivalry. Spanning a period of 82 years, the book meticulously documents the kick off, expansion and elaboration of the Basel Mission’s efforts to institutionalise education as well as its objectives and operational modalities.

Basel Mission Education in Cameroon deepens our understanding of European imperialism and its legacy in postcolonial societies. Policy makers and educationists in Cameroon and Africa at large will find this volume very instructive as they forge educational systems that serve the needs of current and future generations of Africans.

TABLE OF CONTENTS November 2020 ■ 152 Pages ■ 6 x 9 9781942876687 ■ $25 ■ Paperback 9781942876694 ■ eBook Number of Illustrations: 19

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Introduction Post-WW1 Missionary Resumption Chapter One Basel Mission Education Under German Colonial Administration BM Background and Choice BM and Colonial Collaboration BM and the British Baptist Missionary Society Chapter Two Setting up Basel Mission Education in Cameroon Problems of Expansion BM Educational Objectives Organization of BM Schools Four School Types BM Education Problems and Reform Attempts Rival Missionary Societies Internal Hurdles of BM Education Reforms Bohner and the BM Education Goal Training Centres Chapter Three Basel Mission Education and The German Regime Exploitation BM Education and Other Missionary Societies BM Educational Achievements under the German Administration

Chapter Four Cameroonian Responses to Basel Mission Education under the German Regime Chapter Five Basel Mission Education under British and Postcolonial Regimes: 1916-1966 WWI and the Non-Missionary Period – 1914-1925 The Mandate After World War I Trusteeship to Postcolonial Period Teacher Training Female Education Secondary Education Vocational/Technical Education The Handing-Over Chapter Six Cameroonian Reactions to Basel Mission Education During the British Regimes Chapter Seven Basel Mission Education to PCC Stage One Stage Two Stage Three Preparation of Cameroonian Church Leaders Handing-over of Schools Conclusion Afterword Appendix References

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HI STORY

Changing Regimes and Educational Development in Cameroon Mathew B. Gwanfogbe

“This luminous and accessible history of Cameroon education offers profound and crucial insights on the nature and pattern of educational development. It will be a required reading not only for all those connected with history and the history of Cameroon education but also for anyone interested in teaching, learning and policy development in education.”

—Prof Jerry K. Domatob, Alcorn State University, Lorman-Mississippi, USA “To simply and briefly acknowledge a complex academic treatise, I testify to Dr. Mathew Gwanfogbe’s book having emerged from and reflecting a delightful personality, whose elegant simplicity and devotion to excellence has created a timeless scholarly companion for the intellectual community in general, educators and history students in particular.”

— Prof. Bame Nsamenang, Bamenda University of Science and Technology.

May 2018 ■ 218 Pages ■ 6.14 x 9.21 9781942876236 ■ $25 ■ Paperback 9781942876373 ■ eBook Number of Illustrations: 8

This book provides an in-depth study of the nature and pattern of educational development in Cameroon from 1844 to the post-independence period. Drawing upon a wide range of sources including hitherto unused archival material and formal interviews with people involved in Cameroon’s pre-colonial, colonial and postcolonial educational traditions, the result is an elegantly written history enlivened by illustrative texts and archival pictures.

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Pre-Western Education Situation in Cameroon Cameroon Education Under the German Colonial Regime (1886-1916) Cameroon Education Under the French Colonial Regime (1916-1960) Cameroon Education Under the British Regime (1916-1961) Cameroon Education During Early Independence Period Conclusion Postcriptum Selected Bibliography

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HISTORY & POLI TI CS

Ceded at Dawn The Aborted Decolonization of the UN Trust Territory of British Southern Cameroons Augustine Ndangam

“Ndangam’s work is a highly compacted confluence of factual, historical, legal, philosophical, sociological and archival sources enriched with copious lately bewildering, scandalous, incriminating, highly confidential and secret British documents.”

— Dr. Anthony Ndi, Professor of History, Bamenda University of Science and Technology

May 2020 ■ 118 Pages ■ 6 x 9 9781942876526 ■ $18 ■ Paperback 9781942876533 ■ eBook

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Number of Illustrations: 11

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Ceded at Dawn identifies and examines decolonization as the principal source of the smoldering tension that persisted between the two former United Nations Trust Territories in Cameroon which finally exploded into an armed conflict in 2017. French Cameroon (now the Republic of Cameroon) was decolonized while the decolonization of British Cameroons was abandoned unfinished. The international experiment on independence by joining was an exceptional route selected for the decolonization of British Southern Cameroons and was defended with the untenable arguments that British Southern Cameroons was too small and too poor to be granted sovereign independence...

Introduction 1. Chapter 1: British Cameroons is Dismembered 2. Chapter 2: Plebiscite on Independence: A Cosmetic Exercise in Democracy 3. Chapter 3: Truth: The First Casualty of the War 4. Chapter 4: The Aftermath of Ceding 5. Concluding Reflections

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HISTORY & POLI TI CS

The Golden Age of Southern Cameroons Vital Lessons for Cameroon Anthony Ndi “In this book, Prof Ndi has adopted a style, diction and humour, which excites the intellect and awakens minds to a lane of true redemption. The Golden Age of Southern Cameroons is a historical masterpiece for nation building.”

November 2016 ■ 374 Pages ■ 6.14 x 9.21 978-1-942876120 ■ $29.99 ■ Paperback 9781942876151 ■ eBook Number of Illustrations: 52

− Confidence Chia Ngam, University of Bamenda This book argues that since the emergence of the Cameroon National Union (CNU) and the one-party state in 1966, Cameroonians have progressively degenerated into the syndrome of collective amnesia inspired by a culture of sycophancy, glorifying and deifying political leadership. These developments stand in stark contrast to what obtained in the nascent Southern Cameroons – the UN Trust territory administered by Britain until 1961 when its population voted overwhelmingly by 70.5% to gain their independence by establishing a federation with the then French-speaking Republic of Cameroon. From the late 1950s until the dismantling of the Cameroon Federation, Southern Cameroons and later West Cameroon had a vibrant parliament, a House of Chiefs (or Senate), an independent Judiciary, an ideal, corruption-free Public Service, a state government with ministers presided over by an Executive Prime Minister and, for a decade, West Cameroon provided the Vice Presidency for the Federal Republic of Cameroon. In what may be accurately described as Prof Anthony Ndi’s seminal work, he contends and rightly so that solutions to the legion of problems that plague contemporary Cameroon may be easily found in the pages of The Golden Age of Southern Cameroons. Agents for this transformation do not have to be invented or imported from Mars; all we need is a patriotic spirit, political will, readiness to dialogue, transparency and commitment to democracy.

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Philosophical and Historical Concepts of the “Golden Age” Legacies: Colonial, Christian and Indigenous The Southern Cameroons: Character The Emergence of a Genuine Democratic Culture Decline of the FRC: Internal and External Factors Violating the “Inviolable Federal Constitution” Ironic Outcome of Marginalisation: An Invincible Spirit The last Lines: Ahidjo-Biya Tussle

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PO LITI CS & E CONOMI CS

State of the Continent A Mid-Century Assessment of Political Performance in Africa John M. Fobanjong

“Finally, we have a thorough, comprehensive and masterful assessment of how well the African continent has performed since independence...”

— Al Bavon, Professor, the Clinton School of Public Service, University of Arkansas

November 2018 ■ 300 Pages ■ 6.14 x 9.21 9781942876342 ■ $39.99 ■ Paperback 9781942876366 ■ eBook

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Historical Backdrop 2. Understanding Africa from a Comparative Perspective 3. Global Challenges the West has Won with the Help of Africa 4. Pondering Africa’s Failures 5. Could Africa be Saying No to Modernity?

6. Assessing the Performance of Internal Influences 7. Assessing the Performance of External Influences 8. Reordering the African Public Sector 9. Reordering the African Private Sector

Africa’s Path to Economic Development A Guide for Policy Makers and Scholars Joseph Fomunung

“This book is a must read for policy scholars and practitioners alike, interested in why Africa’s path to economic development has been so rough and perilous, and what can be done to fix it.”

— Julius N. Fondong, Senior Political Affairs Officer, UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

May 2018 ■ 118 pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5 9781942876267 ■ $17.99 ■ Paperback

TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Inception 3. Governance and Institutions 4. International Trade and Globalization 5. Governance 6. An Important Step Forward 7. The Way Forward 8. African Investors and Innovators 9. Recommendations and Prognosis

9781942876274 ■ eBook

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POLI TI CS

Democratic Governance and Political Participation in Nigeria 1999-2014 Edited by Femi Omotoso & Michael Kehinde

“This edited volume comprises some of the well-researched essays ever written on democratic governance and political participation in Nigeria. The essays go beyond the expected narratives of elections, party politics, gender and interest representation, human rights, public policy, political culture and governance to explore some of the peculiar issues in Nigeria’s contemporary democratic experiment such as privatization of national assets, anti-corruption campaign, terrorist insurgency, domestic security and the Bakassi Peninsula foreign policy debacle. ” — Kenneth Omeje, University of Johannesburg.

June 2016 ■ 568 pages ■ 6.14 x 9.21 9781942876113 ■ $49.95 ■ Paperback

TABLE OF CONTENT 1. Democratic Governance and Political Participation: Introduction to the Issues, by Femi Omotoso 2. Democratic Governance, Public Policy Process And Political Participation In Nigeria’s Fourth Republic by A. Agagu 3. Leadership Personality and Democratic Governance in Nigeria: A Case Study of Olusegun Obasanjo by Steve Itugbu 4. The Media, Public Opinion and Democratic Governance In Nigeria by Olaopa Olawale. R & S. T. Akindele 5. Grassroots’ Governance and Crisis of Autonomy 19992014 by Femi Omotoso & Isaac Oladeji 6. Political Parties and Political Competition in Nigeria by Adedayo O. Olaleye, Joseph Ayo & Ikeji Arakeji 7. The 2003 General Elections by Bamgbose J. Adele 8. The Nigeria 2007 General Elections by Bamgbose J. Adele 9. Election and the Challenges of Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria: An Appraisal of 2011 General Elections by Usman A. Tar & Alfa Patrick Innocent 10. Goals and Failures of Anti-corruption Agencies in Nigeria

by Declan Amaraegbu 11. Politics of Privatisation of National Assets by H. A. O. Idowu & T. O. Asaolu 12. Labour Relations And Collective Bargaining In Nigeria 1999-2013 by O. S. Elegbeleye 13. Religion in Democratic Nigeria: A Janus-faced Phenomenon by Segun Oshewolo 14. The Politics of Islamic Banking in Nigeria by Michael Kehinde 15. Democracy and Terrorism: The Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria by Agaptus Nwozor

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Democracy and Ethnic Militancy in Nigeria by Ola Abegunde Security of Life and Property: Armed Robbery and Kidnapping in Nigeria by Surajudeen Mudasiru The State of Human Rights in The Nigerian Fourth Republic by Lere Amusan The Nigerian Senate 1999-2013 by Joseph Yinka Fashagba & Oluwakemi Shade Babatunde An Assessment of The Civil Service and Democratic Governance in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic, 1999-2014 by Felix Olanrewaju Awosika 21. Women and the Politics of Representation in Nigeria’s Democratic Governance: An Analysis of the Legislative Elections from 1999 to 2011 by Oluwaniyi, O. Oluwatoyin 22. Nigeria’s Foreign Relations: An Assessment of The Bakassi Peninsula Crisis And Resolution by Ajinde Oluwashakin

FO RTHCOMI NG 2 0 2 1

SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES 1. The Cameroonian Condition by George Ngwane 2. Cameroon, Mon Cameroun by George Ngwane 3. Coming of Age Rituals in the Cameroon Grassfields, edited by Jude Fokwang 4. Elements for a History of the Western Grassfields by Paul Nchoji Nkwi & Jean-Pierre Warnier 5. Introduction to the Study of Bali Nyonga by Vincent Titanji, Mathew Gwanfogbe, Elias Nwana, Gwannua Ndangam and Adolf Lima 6. Production des Connaissances en Sciences Sociales en Africa/Knowledge Production in the Social Sciences in Africa edited by Ibrahim Bienvenu Mouliom Moungbaka & Robert Nanche Billa 7. The Anglophone Question in Cameroon edited by Lyombe Eko 8. Cultural Encounters: Society, Culture and Language in Bali Nyonga From the 19th Century by Gwannua Ndangam

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POETRY & FICTION 1. Narrow Escapes by Tanure Ojaide 2. The Busy Spider and Other Poems edited by John K. Fokwang 3. Destiny at Crossroads by Wanki Taniform 4. The Coup d’etat by Sylvester Arrey 5. The Vacuum Chamber by Babila Mutia 6. The Radio and Other Stories by Gil Ndi-Shang 7. What God Has Put Asunder by Victor Epie Ngome

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RE FE RE NCE

A Dictionary of Popular Bali Names John K. Fokwang

“There is no better way of serving a people than committing into print those aspects of their culture that have survived the ages for the next generation. By writing the dictionary of Bali popular names, Mr. Fokwang is preserving for the coming generation some aspects of the living cultures of the Bali people.”

— Elias Nwana, Professor Emeritus of Education, University of Yaounde

November 2016 ■ 104 Pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5 9781942876212 ■ $19.99 ■ Paperback

A Dictionary of Popular Bali Names is an extraordinary minefield of Chamba names meticulously assembled and expatiated for the modern user. This edition combines a short history of the Chamba people in Cameroon as well as detailed ethnographic description of the naming ritual among the Bali Chamba. John Fokwang’s work stands in a class of its own and will serve as a reference material for all people of Chamba descent in Nigeria and Cameroon as well as for individuals who fancy the use of African names. This edition is a worthy contribution to the ethnography of the Cameroon Grassfields and indeed, the growing literature and interest on African names and languages.

A Wealth of Wisdom A Reference Collection of African Proverbs Babila Fochang “In this revised and enlarged volume, Rev. Babila Fochang serves us with a generous blend of proverbs from all regions of the continent. With over 800 proverbs covering an exhaustive range of themes and topics, you won’t have to repeat a proverb for over two years. ” Book Features

1. Over 300 Bali Nyonga Proverbs 2. Select Bali Nyonga Fables 3. Over 500 African Proverbs

May 2015 ■ 106 pages ■ 5 x 8 9781942876014 ■ $19.99 ■ Paperback 9781942876007 ■ eBook

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C HILD RE N’S LI TE RATURE

Because of My Mouth A Play John K. Fokwang

Nchuyekeh is a vivacious and inquisitive adolescent girl who finds a freshly cut head on her way to the farm. Convinced that the head responded to her question, she abandons her original mission and resolves to report her peculiar encounter directly to the chief, despite her mother’s protests. Would the talking head vindicate and save her from the dreadful sentence that awaits her at the chief ’s palace? Would such punishment, if meted be commensurate with her offence? Find out Nchuyekeh’s fate in this short play that promises to entertain while raising vexing but pertinent questions about the fate of the modern African adolescent.

April 2020 ■ 58 Pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5 9781942876571 ■ $12.99 ■ Paperback

Little Gabriel Starts to Read Nsah Mala Illustrated by Alain Kojele

Little Gabriel of Perpignan does not like to read. He adores video games! However, he likes to visit libraries just to accompany his friends or to play there. One day in a library, he meets Mr. Gopte, a writer and researcher from Africa. Henceforth, Gabriel’s relationship with reading will never be the same again.

September 2020 ■ 38 pages ■ 8.5 x 8.5 9781942876632 ■ $15 ■ Paperback ■ Colour

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AFRI CAN LA NGUAGE S

The Mungaka Alphabet Workbook Dù’ti mà Fuŋ boà mà Ŋwà’ni Mɨ̀ŋgâkà Jude Fokwang

This workbook synthesizes materials we have developed since the initiation of an online course on elementary Mungaka. It is intended to provide users with a deeper understanding of the new Mungaka alphabet, its sounds and other basic writing conventions. Although it is prepared with a Mungaka 101 learner in mind, the book could be useful for individuals who have never taken a course in the new alphabet. We have therefore aimed to provide the reader with a broad but elementary material that will enable them to master the essentials of the Mungaka alphabet and how to use them in everyday written and spoken contexts.

Book Features

August 2020 ■ 100 Pages ■ 8 x 10 9781942876649 ■ $15 ■ Paperback

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Provides focused practice on Mungaka tones to build students’ confidence in spoken contexts Expands students’ Mungaka vocabulary and spelling power Provides focused practice on basic Mungaka grammar (verbs and nouns)

The New Mungaka Alphabet for Beginners Dù’ti mà Fuŋ boà mà Ŋwà’ni Chû Bàʼnì nì màd mfi Jude Fokwang

This primer of 29 alphabets and sound combinations that make up the modern Mungaka language is a much-welcome addition to the instructional needs of indigenous languages in Africa.

First time learners as well as seasoned speakers of Mungaka will find this book very easy to navigate given its simple layout, large print and colorful illustrations. The Kindle Edition is interactive and equipped with audio to expedite the learning process. This book is the first in a series of educational materials that aim to revitalize and accelerate the pace of Mungaka’s status as a language of literacy in the Cameroon Grassfields and beyond.

December 2017 ■ 40 pages ■ 8.25 x 8.25 9781942876205 ■ $13.99 ■ Paperback Available in Kindle with Audio

Book Features

1. List of Mungaka Aphabet 2. Tones in Mungaka 3. Illustrations

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FI CTI ON

Beads of Memory The Diary of an African Student in Madrid Martin Jumbam

Praise for Beads of Memory “The memoir of an African student in Madrid in the 1970s, Beads of Memory is a fascinating socio-political treatise on family, tradition, colonialism and the disillusion with post-colonial Africa. Replete with colorful characters and memorable events that stretch from the snow-capped Sierra mountains of Madrid to the twisting Hills of Nkar, Cameroon, Beads of Memory resonates with the reader and tugs at the strings of nostalgia as it hearkens back to much simpler but intriguing times.”

— Dibussi Tande, Cameroonian Blogger, author of Scribbles from the Den: Essays on Politics and Collective Memory in Cameroon October 2020 ■ 98 Pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5 9781942876670 ■ $15 ■ Paperback Also available in Kindle

Darkness at Dawn Timothy Keyeke Mbombo

July 2020 ■ 138 pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5

When the lovebirds, Demas and Natasha go for an HIV test in a renowned hospital before concretizing their engagement plans, little do they know that things may spiral for the worse.

Natasha’s test turns out positive plunging the couple into utter shock, alienation, and despair. Is it an immaculate infection or a mysterious affliction? Join Demas and Natasha, both distraught yet resilient in this riveting and breathless tale as they traverse the circuitous and bumpy route of faith.

“A remarkable story with a fresh and an insightful touch.”

— Simon Nganga, Department of Linguistics, Moi University, Kenya “Timothy Keyeke Mbombo’s Darkness at Dawn is a carefully crafted story of the sociocognitive adversities that inhibit genuine love affairs in contemporary Cameroon.”

—Julius Angwah, University of Yaounde I

9781942876601 ■ $15 ■ Paperback 9781942876618 ■ eBook

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FI CTI ON

Boundless

The Widow’s Cross

By Kefen Budji

Ike Umejesi

March 2015 ■ 254 pages ■ 5 x 8

“In a rather dramatic twist, Kefen’s novel presents a romantic come together of sorts.

Unlike Yenla, Samarah is not shy enough to resist sharing her feelings with Mayne Patterson, though she harbours a seething resentment towards the colonial system. ” — Mokom Muluh, Literary Critic

“…a vivid portrayal of the everyday struggles of women living in various patriarchal societies of postcolonial Africa. The Widow’s Cross illuminates the dark trajectories of the long walk to the emancipation of women in Africa.

I highly recommend this book to scholars and anyone interested in Africa.”

— John Abraham Godson, President, Africa Institute, Poland

September 2016 ■ 226 pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5

9781942876021 ■ $19.99 ■ Paperback

9781942876137 ■ $19.99 ■ Paperback

9781942876038 ■ eBook

9781942876175 ■ eBook

Also available in Kindle

Okafor Meets His Match and Other Short Stories Richard C. Kumengisa

The Journey’s End Ba’bila Mutia

Okafor Meets his Match is a collection of three short stories and two novellas from Cameroon. Through a range of diverse characters, the stories masterfully depict varied themes in African social life with regards to identity, marriage, drugs and inheritance.

2016 ■ 222 pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5

“Ba’bila Mutia’s The Journey’s End is a classic! His creative and imaginative genius is at play as he adroitly demonstrates that joy and pain can shake hands at some point but never an embrace. Lucas Wango and Général epitomize these two polarized worlds in the novel.”

— Kehbuma Langmia, Howard University

March 2016 ■ 240 pages ■ 5 x 8

9781942876090 ■ $19.99 ■ Paperback

9781942876069 ■ $19.99 ■ Paperback

9781942876106 ■ eBook

9781942876038 ■ eBook

Also available in Kindle

Spears Books ■ www.spearsmedia.com ■ Phone: (720) 441-2785 ■ (720) 449-6110

17

ME MOI R

How I Discovered My Purpose A Practical Guide to Faith and Finding Happiness in Uncertain Times Christine Titih

From debut author, Christine Titih comes a superbly crafted part-memoir, part-inspirational book that uplifts every spirit, whether you are facing tough times or stuck in a grind. This book charts a steady path for you to discern the purpose of your existence and your unique place in the world.

October 2020 ■ 98 Pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5 9781942876670 ■ $15 ■ Paperback 9781942876663 ■ $30 ■ Hardback

“Excellent read! I strongly recommend it. A candid and exciting journey about finding your purpose and maximizing your talents to the fullest. Through her own experiences, the author ushers us into an exhilarating voyage for finding your purpose through the pursuit of passion, persistence and positivity despite challenges and difficulties we may face. I totally enjoyed the interesting and relatable stories on the call to action for utilizing your talents, skills and abilities.”

—Kayode Malomo, Business Consultant & Artist

Also available in Kindle

Letter from America Memoir of an Adopted Child Gil Ndi-Shang

“Ndi-Shang writes in great prose, with a strong poetic tonality.

—Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o, University of California, Irvine, USA. “Ndi-Shang’s travelogue rewrites the genre; his transformative prose and analytical precision invest America with conceptual novelty and with fresh geographical complexity. The work’s decolonial reverberations will endure for a long time.”

—Cajetan Iheka, Yale University, USA. Author of Naturalizing Africa

November 2020 ■ 250 pages ■ 6 x 9 9781942876489 ■ $25 ■ Paperback

“I have read the whole text and enjoyed every bit of it. I followed you as you sojourned devotedly across the various American landscapes. When you turned, I turned…reflective, analytical, synthetical!”

— Simon Nganga, Moi University, Kenya.

9781942876496 ■ eBook Also available in Kindle

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Spears Books ■ www.spearsmedia.com ■ Phone: (720) 441-2785 ■ (720) 449-6110

S O C IAL S CI E NCE S & HUMA NI TI E S

Being and Becoming

Re-writing Pasts, Imagining Futures

Gender, Culture and Shifting Identity in Sub-Saha- Critical Explorations of Contemporary African Fiction ran Africa and Theater Edited by Chinyere Ukpokolo

“Being and Becoming is a collection of thought-provoking chapters that will excite both academics and the general reader alike. The content spans a wide range of contemporary issues, challenging many dominant discourses of African people. Its breadth and scope provides several new insights into the related phenomena of gender and identity in the continent today ” − Sylvia Tamale, Makerere University

Edited by Victor Gomia & Gilbert S. Ndi

“Re-writing Pasts, Imagining Futures. Critical Explorations of Contemporary African Fiction and Theater cuts new ground by linking socio-political analysis of the continental and diasporic contexts with close readings of literary texts, by focusing on two literary genres: drama and the novel.”

— Kristian Van Haesendonck,

November 2017 ■ 262 pages ■ 6 x 9

9781942876182 ■ $32.65 ■ Paperback 9781942876199 ■ eBook

March 2016 ■ 276 pages ■ 6 x 9 9781942876076 ■ $30 ■ Paperback

Bali Nyonga Today

Africa’s Brain Power

Roots, Cultural Practices and Future Perspectives

Reflections from AfricaOnline Broadcasts, Vol. 1

Edited by Vincent P. K. Titanji

Asonglefac Nkemleke | Edited by Rev. Pamela Fomunung

“This is a salutary project in the business of keeping track of the sociocultural specificity of the people of Bali Nyonga.”

— Victor Gomia, Delaware State University, USA

November 2016 ■ 228 pages ■ 6 x 9 9781942876168 ■ $29.95 ■ Paperback

“It is comprehensive as it covers every sector of human society and provides pointers into the future of Africa. As a published author myself on Africa’s elusive search for solutions to her perennial development challenges, having a copy of this book is highly recommended. You would be glad you did.”

— Joseph S. Fomunung, Political Economist, and author of Africa’s Path to Economic Development

March 2019 ■ 222 pages ■ 5.5 x 8.5

9781942876427 ■ $19.99 ■ Paperback 9781942876434 ■ eBook

Spears Books ■ www.spearsmedia.com ■ Phone: (720) 441-2785 ■ (720) 449-6110

19

DEVE LOPME NT STUDI E S

All books in this series are open source and available 100% FREE on Google Books

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Spears Books ■ www.spearsmedia.com ■ Phone: (720) 441-2785 ■ (720) 449-6110

GE NE RAL

The Fundamentals of Crystallography & Mineralogy

A Taste of Africa Fusion of Food, Wellness and Family

Aretas Ndimofor

Nagella Nukuna & Nagwa Nukuna

2018 ■ 104 pages ■ 8 x 10

2015■ 114 pages ■ 8 x 10

9781942876243 ■ $19.99 ■ Paperback

9781942876045 ■ $24.95 ■ Paperback

Also available in Kindle

9781942876052 ■ eBook

Spears Books ■ www.spearsmedia.com ■ Phone: (720) 441-2785 ■ (720) 449-6110

21

BOOK PROPOSALS

Spears Books, an imprint of Spears Media Press LLC is an independent publisher of African/Africana books and member of the African Books Collective (ABC). Founded in 2014, Spears Books has dozens of titles in print and electronic formats and has distinguished itself as an innovative and dynamic publisher that takes pride in the rigour of its editorial process, the aesthetics of its designs and the global reach and affordability of its titles.

Spears Books is home to many creative and passionate writers, editors, designers and marketers who all wish to give back to their communities and the world at large. Collectively, our mission is to foster a universal passion for reading by partnering with authors to help create great stories and share ideas that inform, entertain, and inspire, and to link them with readers in all corners of the globe.

Editorial Submissions To submit a manuscript for consideration by SpearsBooks, download and fill the appropriate form on our website. If you are proposing an edited collection, please include titles, affiliations and brief resumes for each of the contributors. Each proposal should address the following: • • • • • • • •

A description of the book, what makes it unique, and why you are qualified to write it?

A description of your target audience (undergraduate or graduate students, scholars, professionals, general?

An analysis of competing or similar books (including publishers and dates).

A list of courses in which your book might be used as a text or supplementary text.

An indication of whether any part of your manuscript has been published previously, and if it is a doctoral dissertation, what changes you are proposing to prepare it for publication.

The word count of the MS; and if the manuscript is not complete, an estimate of when it will be finished.

The names of four to six respected scholars in your field with whom you have no personal or professional relationship. Include their titles, affiliations, and email addresses.

An indication of whether the manuscript is under consideration by other publishers.

Please email your proposal/completed form to The Editor: editor@spearsmedia.com or mail it to: Spears Media Press 7830 W. Alameda Ave, Suite 103-247 Denver, CO 80226 USA

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Spears Books ■ www.spearsmedia.com ■ Phone: (720) 441-2785 ■ (720) 449-6110

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