Contents
Ferdinand Oyono
The novelist whose Houseboy exposed colonial racism through the diary of a young African servant.
Houseboy · The Old Man and the Medal
- Born
- 14 September 1929
- Birthplace
- Cameroon
- Died
- 10 June 2010
More people
Ferdinand Oyono
Ferdinand Oyono combined satire with the perspective of people denied power. His small body of fiction became an enduring part of African literature in French.
Early life
Cameroon
Born near Ebolowa under French colonial rule.
Education
Continued his studies in France, including law and public administration.
Career
- 1956
Literary debut
Published Houseboy and The Old Man and the Medal.
- 1960s
Diplomatic career
Entered Cameroon’s diplomatic service after independence.
- 1990s
Government service
Held ministerial posts including foreign affairs and culture.
Selected work
Houseboy
A servant’s diary reveals the violence behind colonial authority.
The Old Man and the Medal
A colonial honour becomes the centre of a bitter satire.
Road to Europe
A young man seeks advancement through European education.
Beyond work
Diplomacy
Represented Cameroon abroad, including at the United Nations.
Public life
His long government career followed a comparatively brief period of novel-writing.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Career and work — encyclopedia.com ↗Photo: Christian Lambiotte / European Communities, 2004 / EC - Audiovisual Service. CC BY 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
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