Literary cafe act 8: The unfortunate victims of life's precariousness
On the 4th of April 2025, the conference room of the NSIF building on Avenue des Banques in Yaounde was the setting for the presentation of a book by Cameroonian writer Roger ETOMO ZOGO. Two hours of literary exchanges and sharing on the living conditions of some people in our society.
The 8th edition of the NSIF literary café was devoted to the presentation of the writer's book ‘Les infortunés’. It was an afternoon of immersion in the heart of literature in a convivial setting.
It was an opportunity for the author to immerse us in his work of six short stories, which portray a number of problems in our society, where men and women are forced to fight every day against precariousness, promiscuity, vulgarity, disease, opprobrium, hatred, jealousy, frustration and various forms of violence. Thanks to their endurance, self-sacrifice, fearlessness and resilience, they manage to rise to an honourable position and change their destiny for the better.
At the ceremony, moderator Hervé Akame gave a brief summary of the 187-page book, published in July 2022 by TIG. ‘My source of inspiration is the way I look at the world around me, and many of the elements are drawn from my professional life and personal experiences,’ said the writer. For Roger Etomo Zogo, “this book is a challenge, a call to transcend the difficulties we face every day, not to give up, to keep moving forward”.
During the discussions, the participants praised the quintessence of the work: "For me, the work is very admirable and the author fought hard to defend it. I'm also very impressed by the NSIF's framework and support for literary activities, which aren't commonplace in our country," said Pascal Mani, a writer, retired senior civil administrator and former governor of region.
The author of ‘Les infortunés’ ended by expressing his gratitude to the initiator of the forum that is now the ‘Literary Cafe of the NSIF’: "I would like to thank the Director General, Noël Alain Olivier MEKULU MVONDO AKAME, for this exclusive opportunity for Cameroonian writers to express themselves. Once again, the NSIF is showing that it is a civic-minded institution that is committed to promoting culture," concludes the author.
The coffee tasting session was rounded off by a book-signing session and a family photo. It was a time for sharing and learning about the writer's passion.
