The Usurper: and Other Stories

By Janvier Chouteu-Chando and Janvier Tisi

In this timeless African classic of interconnected or thematically linked stories, the author walks the reader hand-in-hand with Western-educated Jeremiah Nana Njike, who returns from studies in Europe to his home kingdom of Bankole in the Bamilek land, Cameroon's West region and gets drawn into the complexities of local life, traditions, family dynamics, and the tensions between old ways and new influences. Cultural richness and the challenges of navigating tradition in a changing world highlight the narrative through the following seven principal stories:
"The Usurper"The first chapter sttory centered on political intrigue and legitimacy, follows the ambitious son of a prince who carefully maneuvers, schemes, and campaigns his way into ascending the throne. However, his rise begs a critical question regarding his actual royal bloodline and the ethical cost of obtaining power."Ngoko's Folly"A story wrapped in mild irony and satire, focusing on a highly reputable "juju" (a practitioner of traditional spiritual powers or medicine), who despite boasting the supernatural strength to crush anyone or anything in his way, finds his spiritual authority hilariously and utterly buckling under the mundane threat of a mad cow."The Verdict of Hades"This narrative addresses the consequences of greed and leadership failure centered on a clan head who grossly abuses his inherited position, squandering the generational wealth and resources passed down to him, thus highlighting the concept of "The Buddenbrooks effect. Ultimately, his actions cross a line, prompting his angry ancestors to step in and deliver a spiritual judgment."The Oaf"Shifting focus to romance and human flaws, this story profiles a jaded womanize who is genuinely loved by a good woman, but his own shortsightedness and toxic habits cause him to lose her, leaving him to spend the rest of his days wallowing in regret and a profound inability to find true happiness."His Majesty's Trial"Set against the backdrop of colonial friction, a traditional king finds himself dragged into a French administrative court. His offense? Arranging the marriage of his unhappily married granddaughter to a local notable. The story brilliantly examines the validity and erosion of traditional royal powers when forced to bend to European colonial law."The Dowry"In another legal clash of cultures, a young king deprives his niece of the joy of her marital home, an action that prompts her half-brother to take a radical step for the time: suing the king in a colonial court. It highlights shifting family dynamics and the testing of traditional hierarchies."I am Hated"A melancholic, introspective piece where a narrator reflects deeply on a life once defined by extreme affluence, only to be completely dismantled by betrayal and isolation.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1520537999
• ISBN13: 9781520537993
• Release Date: February 2017
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 402 Pages
• Weight: 1.07 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 9.0"