Abstract

The fraught relationship between popular music and the various kinds of power in Africa has stimulated intensive scholarship and encouraged heated discussions on the topic. Of special interest seems to be the multifaceted character of that interrelationship. It is generally agreed that artistic expression is influenced by political power and that the two mutually inform and shape each other. This article examines the themes of power, powerlessness and protest as they affect political governance in Cameroon, Central Africa, and as they are reflected in Cameroonian popular music. It further shows how popular songs are used to examine fundamental issues of national concern and to criticise the political leadership. The purpose of the article is to demonstrate how popular music can open a window of understanding into the current political process in Cameroon with a view to drawing implications for positive change. Written against the background of new historicism and postcolonial theories, the article is built on the assumption that popular music is a vibrant and dynamic form of oral literature which is shaped by social, economic and political forces in present-day Cameroon. As a result, popular music has the potential to play a role in influencing a society's perception and sense of direction. The article concludes by recommending that if the issues of power and marginality in Cameroon are to be addressed more successfully, and if the politically fraught conditions are to be ameliorated, then Cameroonians must be prepared to undergo a radical change of mentality.

摘要

流行音乐与非洲各种权力之间的紧张关系激发了密集的学术研究，并鼓励了对该主题的热烈讨论。特别令人感兴趣的是这种相互关系的多方面特征。人们普遍认为，艺术表现受政治权力的影响，两者相互影响，相互影响。本文考察了权力、无能为力和抗议等主题，因为它们影响中非喀麦隆的政治治理，并反映在喀麦隆流行音乐中。它进一步展示了流行歌曲是如何被用来审视国家关心的根本问题和批评政治领导的。这篇文章的目的是展示流行音乐如何打开一扇了解喀麦隆当前政治进程的窗口，以期为积极的变革带来启示。这篇文章是在新历史主义和后殖民理论的背景下撰写的，其假设是流行音乐是一种充满活力和活力的口头文学形式，受当今喀麦隆的社会、经济和政治力量的影响。因此，流行音乐有可能在影响社会的感知和方向感方面发挥作用。文章最后建议，如果要更成功地解决喀麦隆的权力和边缘问题，并且要改善充满政治压力的状况，