Ukumkani Owenza Izinto Ezinkulu
UMBHALI KAVUKANI! ECAMEROON
UIBRAHIM NJOYA wayengukumkani we-17 wabantu abathetha isiBamum, isizwe esikhulu esinabantu abakwahlala kumadlelo akwintshona yeCameroon. Wayengukumkani ukususela ngowe-1889 de wasutywa kukufa ngowe-1933, njengokuba sibona kolu dederhu lokumkani abaqala ukulawula ukususela ngowe-1391 ukuza kuthi ga ngoku. Ebudeni bokulawula kukaNjoya, amaFrentshi namaJamani azama ukuwuthimba lo mmandla.
Esaze ngobuso elizweni, uNjoya wayeyindod’ ekrelekrele yaye wayesoloko ekunye nabanye abanosukelo olufanayo nolwakhe. Ibhotwe awalakhayo elikumfanekiso ongezantsi, libubungqina bokuba wayeyincutsh’ aph’ ekwakheni. Kwakhona, ukwathulelw’ umnqwazi ngokuvelisa ilitye lokusil’ umbona elikwakumfanekiso okweli nqaku. Noko ke, eyona nto adume ngayo kukuvelisa kwakhe inkqubo yokubhala ulwimi ekuthiwa sisiBamum.
Ukubhal’ Ingxelo
Ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yesithoba, imbali yabantu abathetha isiBamum yayidluliselwa ngomlomo ukususela kwesinye isizukulwana ukuya kwesinye. UNjoya waqonda ukuba kukho ingozi yokuba ezinye iingxelo zisenokushiywa okanye ezinye zongezelelwe. Waqhelana nolwimi lwesiArabhu emva kokuba efumene iincwadi zolo lwimi koosomashishini nakubarhwebi bomhlaba ababedla ngokudlula apho. Mhlawumbi wayeyazi iVai script, eyayisetyenziswa kuwo wonke loo mmandla. Ngenxa yoko, wayila inkqubo yokulubhala phantsi ulwimi lwakhe.
UNjoya waqala ngokwenza oonobumba abaliqela ngokukodwa iipictograph neeideogram. Loo nkqubo yayifuna ukuba akhumbule unobumba ngamnye ukuba wawuthetha ukuthini. Njengokuba iminyaka iqengqeleka, encedwa ngamagosa akhe awathembileyo wayenza yalula le nkqubo. Baliphungula inani loonobumba ngokusebenzisa amagama anamalungu. Edibanisa oonobumba abaliqela kule ncwadi yakhe intsha waseka amagama amatsha. Umntu owayefunda loo ncwadi kwakufuneka azi ngentloko oonobumba abambalwa nezandi ezihamba nawo. UNjoya wayibhala wayigqiba incwadi yakhe yaye kwinkqubo yakhe yokubhala phantsi ekuthiwa yiA-ka-u-ku kwakufumaneka oonobumba abangama-70.
UNjoya wakhuthaza ukuba kufundiswe ngayo esikolweni le ncwadi yakhe ize isetyenziswe nakwarhulumente. Wayalela ukuba encwadini yakhe entsha kubhalwe ngokwenzekayo ebudeni bokulawula kwakhe nangelizwe lakhe. Ngenxa yoko, okwesihlandlo sokuqala abantu abathetha isiBamum babeza kufunda ngembali yabo, imithetho namasiko abo. UNjoya wade waneencwadi ezithetha ngendlela yokuxuba amayeza esebenzisa incwadi yakhe yesiBamum. Imibhalo yamandulo engaphezu kwengama-8 000 isagciniwe nangoku ebhotweni, kwindawo yokugcina iingxelo ezibalulekileyo.
Iinzuzo zale nkqubo intsha yokubhala phantsi zabonakala emva nje kokufika kwabalawuli bamathanga aseJamani ngowe-1902. Nangona uNjoya eye wenza ingeniso ngokuphucula imeko yezoqoqosho, wayengasoloko evumelana norhulumente waseJamani. Ngoko ke, wasebenzisa incwadi yakhe entsha yesiBamum neyayingekaziwa ngamaJamani. Sahlala ixesha elingakanani isiBamum?
Ebudeni beMfazwe Yehlabathi Yokuqala (1914-18), iJamani yayeka ukulawula ummandla kaNjoya. Ekugqibeleni, umbutho omtsha oluManyano Lwezizwe wadlulisel’ iintambo eFransi. Nangona uNjoya wayezamkela iimbono ezintsha, wayenelunda ngelifa alinike abantu bakubo yaye wayekufun’ emanzini ukugcina nokuphucula amasiko abo. Oku kwakhokelela ekubeni athiyw’ egazini lulawulo lwamathanga lwaseFransi ebudeni bokulawula kwakhe. Njengokuba abaphathi bengazange banyaniseke kubalawuli bamathanga, ngowe-1931 amaFrentshi amsus’ esikhundleni. Emva kweminyaka emibini uNjoya wafa eselubhacweni.
Ekubeni amaFrentshi akuphelisa ukusetyenziswa kwencwadi yesiBamum ezikolweni yaye engasekho uNjoya owayekhuthaza ukuba isetyenziswe, ayizange iphinde isetyenziswe yaye yalityalwa luninzi lwabantu abathetha isiBamum. Xa kwafika abavangeli beNgqobhoko kulo mmandla, babefunda ulwimi oluthethwayo lwesiBamum nencwadi enemigaqo-ntetho ukuze bayisebenzise kwezabo izikolo. Ngokungafaniyo noNjoya, oonobumba abaninzi babathabatha kwabasele bekho besiRoma nefonetiki.
Kutshanje kuye kwenziwa iinzame zokuba kuvuselelwe umdla wabantu kwincwadi yesiBamum. Ukumkani olawulayo ngoku, uIbrahim Mbombo Njoya, uye wavula isikolo kwibhotwe elalakhiwe ngutatomkhulu wakhe. Kwakhona abantwana besikolo basekuhlaleni bafunda le ndlela yokubhala ukwenzela ukuba bangayilibali.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]
Umbhalo obonisa umnombo wamaBamum osusela ngenkulungwane ye-14 ukuza kuthi ga namhlanje, ekhohlo ubhalwe ngoonobumba besiRoma yaye ekunene ubhalwe ngolwimi lwesiBamumUmbhalo obonisa umnombo wamaBamum osusela ngenkulungwane ye-14 ukuza kuthi ga namhlanje, ekhohlo ubhalwe ngoonobumba besiRoma yaye ekunene ubhalwe ngolwimi lwesiBamum
[Inkcazelo Ngomfanekiso okwiphepha 26]
All photos: Courtesy and permission of Sultan Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya, Foumban, Cameroon