Theorizing the Necessity for Professional Associations in Career Development: The Case of Cameroon

Abstract

In this presentation I will do three things: give a rationale of today’s meeting; emphasise on the theme of today’s lecture, and lastly reiterate on the importance of professional associations to us as scholars in Cameroon.

Distinguished scholars, today we have met to initiate and to preserve the conditions under which collaborative intellectual and critical enterprise is possible. We have met to provide a stringent base for the promotion of scholarship and intellectuality without prejudice of any form, type or idea. We have met to give impetus to our thoughts, to pump new vim into our philosophies and to inspire and sustain new vibrant currents of verve in our discussions of language, literature and culture. We have not met to form a theoretical or critical school of thought or to persuade each other to accept the suitability of our individual critical or theoretical methods and techniques. Even if the raison d’être of this meeting was to form such a theoretical school of thought; we would only be mimicking the footsteps of other great academics since the beginning of scholarship.  We, as intellectuals, are by the nature of our choice supposed to be people of sublime imagination and intelligence; of keen sensibility and originality, and of rare compunction and independence. It is through genuine collaborative efforts that we can weather the storm and strain of the ruthlessness of the political machinations of 20^th and 21^st century Cameroon as well as define new and improved directions for higher education in Cameroon. It is therefore a necessity for us to welcome the initiative of Cameroon English Language and Literature Association (CELLA) and to participate in preserving it for posterity.