CAMEROUN PRESSE INFOS

De son vrai nom Castor OSENDE AFANA voit le jour dans la petite localité Nkogksaa, département de la Lékié en 1930. Très tôt, il rejoint la capitale Yaoundé. Ses idées progressistes frondeuses et de résistance germent au lycée général Leclerc de Yaoundé au Cameroun, établissement dans lequel il décide de se séparer de son prénom « Castor », en exigeant des autorités de ne plus lui destiner de littérature comprenant ce nom, pour quelque raison que ce soit. Il va jusqu’à en vouloir à son père et à l’église catholique, de non seulement de lui donner un prénom non africain, mais en plus, qui renvoie à l’appellation d’un animal rongeur.

En 1952, il est un des meneurs de la grève des élèves noirs du lycée qui revendiquent une amélioration de leurs conditions de vie à l'internat. Déjà proche des idées de l'UPC -Union des Populations du Cameroun, principal parti revendiquant l’indépendance- il donnera sa véritable dimension et son leadership en France où il poursuit ses études à Toulouse, puis à Paris.

A Toulouse, il se retrouve dans le même comité de base de l’UPC que Paul Tessa, Augustin Frédérik Kodock, Jacques Roger Booh Booh… Il adhère à l’UNEK (Union Nationale des Etudiants Kamerunais) section de la FEANF (Fédération des Etudiants d’Afrique noire de France) ; dans cette structure, il fait la connaissance d’autres étudiants progressistes, notamment le guinéen Alpha Condé, le congolais Pascal Lissouba, l’ivoirien Henri Konan Bédié et bien d’autres. Au sein de ce moule où se distingue l’essentiel de la crème africaine estudiantine, il anime le journal de la FEANF et fait partie du Comité d’accueil qui gère les publications de l’UPC en France, notamment la voix du Kamerun, et surtout l’organisation des voyages de tous les cadres politiques du mouvement de l’UPC de passage en Europe en général. C’est ainsi qu’il se fait remarquer par le président Félix Roland Moumié, qui en fait un de ses proches collaborateurs très écouté. A ce titre, il est régulièrement reçu par des chefs d’Etat progressistes africains.

Parallèlement à son action militante, il mène de brillantes études qui aboutissent à l’obtention d’un doctorat d’Etat en économie, le premier en Afrique noire. Débordant d’énergie, il publie un best seller dont le titre « l’Economie Ouest africaine » où il affirme qu’il n’y a pas de véritable indépendance sans indépendance monétaire. Il milite ainsi pour une monnaie africaine qu’il baptise Afrik. Son livre a été traduit en plusieurs langues internationales et souvent cité en référence dans les hautes sphères de l’économie mondiale.

Très grand admirateur de Ché Guevarra, au cours d’une réunion à Paris, il déclare que la théorie ne vaut rien sans la pratique. C’est à cette occasion qu’il informe ses camarades qu’il est sur le point de rejoindre son pays le Cameroun, pour apporter sa contribution à la lutte de libération aux côté d’Ernest Ouandié alors Vice président de l’UPC. Avant cette décision, il prend langue avec le mouvement maoiste chinois qu’il informe de sa nouvelle orientation de sa lutte.

Aux côtés d’Ernest Ouandie, il crée le Comité révolutionnaire, dont Ernest Ouandié est président ; comme autres membres quelques jeunes cadres nouvellement sortis d’universités occidentales, parmi lesquels Woungly Massaga –Docteur en mathématiques-, Docteur Ndongo Diyè –médecin-, Maître Michel Ndoh –avocat- Njawé Nicanor, Tchaptchet et le Vice président Abel Kingué ; il choisit la lutte armée dans le maquis camerounais où il était chargé du Deuxième front à l'est du pays, pendant que Woungly Massaga dirigeait le Premier front à Djoum au sud du Cameroun. Le Congo est sa base arrière. Son maquis est repéré au mois de février 1966 ; le Président Ahmadou Ahidjo exige formellement qu’Ossendé Afana lui soit ramené à Yaoundé vivant ou mort, sachant que la seule indication précise sur sa description est qu’il porte des lunettes et qu’en grand admirateur de Um Nyobè, il mettait les mêmes patogas pour parcourir la forêt. Les conditions de son assassinat le 15 mars 1966 à l’âge de 36 ans, pas loin de la frontière congolaise restent troubles, mais les témoignages s'accordent à reconnaître une impréparation possible du front et des trahisons certaines.

His real name is Castor OSENDE AFANA. He was born in a small locality Nkogksaa, division of Lekie in 1930. Soon, he goes to Yaoundé. His progressive and resistant ideas grow at Lycée Général Leclerc in Yaoundé, where he decides to cut off his surnamed Castor. He obliges the authorities to stop using that name and even goes far by hating his father and the catholic church of giving him a surname which is non African and more over, the name of an animal.

In 1952 he is one of the leaders of strike of black students in the high school (Lycée Leclerc) that demands the amelioration of conditions of life in the dormitory. His ideas were almost like the one of UPC, the principal party demanding independence. In Paris and Toulouse in France, where he went to continue his studies, his leadership was revealed. At Toulouse, he joins the UPC sub section where he meets people like Paul TESSA, Augustin Frederick KODOCK and Jacques Roger BOOH BOOH. He joins the UNEK (Kamerunian National Union for Student) which was a section of FEANF (federation of students of black Africa in France). In this structure he meets with other progressive students like the Guinean Alpha CONDE, the Congolese Pascal LISSOUBA, the Ivoirian Henri KONAN BEDIE and many others. In this group, he is responsible for the newspaper of FEANF and is part of the comity that takes care of UPC publication in France, precisely the “Voice of Kamerun”, and also, he organized journeys of all UPC political leaders in Europe generally. By this way president Roland Felix MOUMIE made of him his privileged collaborator whom he listened very much. He was very often received by African progressive head of states.

A part from the fact that he was a good militant, he also did good studies which ended with a doctorate degree in economics, the first in black Africa.

Full of energy, he published a best seller whose title “west African economy”, where he confirmed that there is no true independence without any monetary independence. He was for African money which he named AFRIK. His book has been translated in many international languages and even quoted in higher spheres of the world economy.

A big admirer of Che GEVARRA during a meeting in Paris, he declared that theory is useless without practice. On this occasion, he informed his mates that he were about to go back to his country Cameroon to bring his contribution for the fight for the liberation of Cameroon by the side of Ernest OUANDIE then the vice president of UPC.

Before his decision, he takes contact with the Chinese Maoist movement and informs them about the new orientation of his fight. By the side of Ernest OUANDIE, he creates a revolutionary comity where Ernest OUANDIE is the president. As other members, you can find young people who graduated from western universities like WOUNGLY MASSAGA (doctor in mathematics), Doctor NDONGO DIYE (a medical doctor), and barrister Michel NDOH (a lawyer) NJAWE Nicador, TCHAPTCHED and the vice president Abel KINGUE. He chased to fight underground and was in charge of the second front in the east part of the country, while WOUNGLY MASSAGA was in charge of the first front at DJOUM, south of the country. Congo is the basis. This group is detected on February 1966 and President Ahmadou AHIDJO ordered that OSENDE AFANA should be brought to Yaounde dead or alive. The only information they had about him is that he wear eye glasses and he is a great admirer of UM NYOBE. He used to dress the same like him to move in the forest. He was assassinated the 15th of March 1966 at the age of 36, towards the Congolese boundary. But the conditions of his assassination are not clear. It is said that he was betrayed.

His real name is Castor OSENDE AFANA. He was born in a small locality Nkogksaa, division of Lekie in 1930. Soon, he goes to Yaoundé. His progressive and resistant ideas grow at Lycée Général Leclerc in Yaoundé, where he decides to cut off his surnamed Castor. He obliges the authorities to stop using that name and even goes far by hating his father and the catholic church of giving him a surname which is non African and more over, the name of an animal.

In 1952 he is one of the leaders of strike of black students in the high school (Lycée Leclerc) that demands the amelioration of conditions of life in the dormitory. His ideas were almost like the one of UPC, the principal party demanding independence. In Paris and Toulouse in France, where he went to continue his studies, his leadership was revealed. At Toulouse, he joins the UPC sub section where he meets people like Paul TESSA, Augustin Frederick KODOCK and Jacques Roger BOOH BOOH. He joins the UNEK (Kamerunian National Union for Student) which was a section of FEANF (federation of students of black Africa in France). In this structure he meets with other progressive students like the Guinean Alpha CONDE, the Congolese Pascal LISSOUBA, the Ivoirian Henri KONAN BEDIE and many others. In this group, he is responsible for the newspaper of FEANF and is part of the comity that takes care of UPC publication in France, precisely the “Voice of Kamerun”, and also, he organized journeys of all UPC political leaders in Europe generally. By this way president Roland Felix MOUMIE made of him his privileged collaborator whom he listened very much. He was very often received by African progressive head of states.

A part from the fact that he was a good militant, he also did good studies which ended with a doctorate degree in economics, the first in black Africa.

Full of energy, he published a best seller whose title “west African economy”, where he confirmed that there is no true independence without any monetary independence. He was for African money which he named AFRIK. His book has been translated in many international languages and even quoted in higher spheres of the world economy.

A big admirer of Che GEVARRA during a meeting in Paris, he declared that theory is useless without practice. On this occasion, he informed his mates that he were about to go back to his country Cameroon to bring his contribution for the fight for the liberation of Cameroon by the side of Ernest OUANDIE then the vice president of UPC.

Before his decision, he takes contact with the Chinese Maoist movement and informs them about the new orientation of his fight. By the side of Ernest OUANDIE, he creates a revolutionary comity where Ernest OUANDIE is the president. As other members, you can find young people who graduated from western universities like WOUNGLY MASSAGA (doctor in mathematics), Doctor NDONGO DIYE (a medical doctor), and barrister Michel NDOH (a lawyer) NJAWE Nicador, TCHAPTCHED and the vice president Abel KINGUE. He chased to fight underground and was in charge of the second front in the east part of the country, while WOUNGLY MASSAGA was in charge of the first front at DJOUM, south of the country. Congo is the basis. This group is detected on February 1966 and President Ahmadou AHIDJO ordered that OSENDE AFANA should be brought to Yaounde dead or alive. The only information they had about him is that he wear eye glasses and he is a great admirer of UM NYOBE. He used to dress the same like him to move in the forest. He was assassinated the 15th of March 1966 at the age of 36, towards the Congolese boundary. But the conditions of his assassination are not clear. It is said that he was betrayed.