Takwe À Taamba:: The Wise vs. The Idiots

By Labah Nformi

A Long time ago;
Taamba was wooing a pretty damsel
Takwe, his best friend was his counsel
Who was always invited to accompany
Him every time he went to his in-laws. 
Taamba’s morals at times were so low
So,he needed Takwe with a honey 
Coated tongue to install harmony
In the songs of love with emotions
That suited the wooing occasions.
Where idiots fail;
The wise succeed.
Where would I have had a wife?
Thanks to my urine and excreta.
Where Idiots like Taamba fail;
The wise like Takwe succeed.
Where idiots fail;
The wise succeed
Where would I have had a wife?
Thanks to my urine and excreta

• Language: English
• Publisher: BooxAi
• Release date: Jul 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9789655783452

Labah Nformi

Labah Nformi Ngome is former principal and proprietor of New Vision Academy, New Bell, Douala, Cameroon. He started his writing career at the University of Yaounde 1 with the publication of poems from his collection of poetry in the Wimbum Students’ Union (WISU) magazine. He read English language/literature, minor in performing arts. He performed on stage and television with the University of Yaounde Theater, notably in the plays The Gods Are Not to Blame by Ola Rotimi in which he played the role of Baba Fankunle (the blind soothsayer) and in The Survivor by Bole Butake in the role of the Old One. While teaching English language and literature, he also wrote sketches and poems that his students performed on local television stations in Douala. He has a collection of unpublished plays “No Chua Chua, No Nkambe,” “Naked for Money,” and ”The Soweto Sisters” a collection of short stories “Lunga and His People”, and a collection of poems “Many Bloody Rivers to Cross”. He is also a freelance writer and contributes articles on current issues to local newspapers in Cameroon. He also does movie reviews and edits movie scripts. He edited Too Deep by Paul Samba. Presently he lives in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, with his wife and four kids, two boys and two girls.

Book preview

Excreta Spoiled Taamba’s wedding

A Long time ago;

Taamba was wooing a pretty damsel

Takwe, his best friend, was his counsel

Who was always invited to accompany

Him every time he went to his in-laws.

Taamba’s morals at times were so low

So, he needed Takwe with a honey

Coated tongue to install harmony

In the songs of love with emotions

That suited the wooing occasions.

Taamba was lucky to have such a companion

Like Takwe, who worked hard to make the union

The topic of discussion in villages miles and miles away

Putting for the first time smiles and smiles

On the faces of Taamba’s admirers and distractors

Even Taamba’s enemies became his facilitators

In the engagement process they were not invited

But all of them were devoted and committed

To see Taamba succeed where many suitors failed.

Taamba was very brave and courageous,

Hard-working, friendly and very generous.

These are qualities that made him to shine

Like a Firefly in the dark above other suitors

Who could only shine when Taamba smiles.

Taamba happiest moments were when

He was chasing animals

Up and down the hills

Up and down the fields

Up and down the winding lairs

Up and down the zigzag lanes

Up and down the tough gulleys

Up and down the rough valleys

Up and down the turfy slopes

Chasing them out of caves and holes

Chasing them out of shrubs and herbs

Chasing them into the fangs of his dogs

Hitting them on and against the rocks

Hitting them with clubs and arrows

Hitting them hard to forget their sorrows

As he brutely fights for his morrows.

Takwe’s happiest moments were when

He was sharing the games caught

Especially when sharing the offals

To the poor hungry hunters

Keeping the hunches for himself

When he was munching the juiciest parts

Sucking the marrow and smacking his lips.

Takwe didn't have the weight, height and size

Of Taamba, his inseparable companion.

The presence of Taamba always overshadowed

Takwe's presence in all occasions but wherever

The imposing presence of Taamba's shadow

Was seen, everyone knew that Takwe's shadow

Was lingering somewhere around the corner

Many believe these two buddies were born

the same day; one in the day and the other at night.

Tamba's engagement to this pretty damsel

was big news in all the villages of the Grassfield

His admirers considered it a perfect match

that would define and refine an ideal marriage.

A young, pretty, charming, compassionate damsel

to a brave, courageous, hard-working hunter.

They said that marriage would be the best

because beauty had matched with bravery

and courage for the first time in the village.

It was an amorous engagement; the new moon

was leaning to the left, a charming, lovely moon

when left-handed like Taamba progress and gain

more favors; he struck down more games this moon.

Taamba's admirers were worried about Takwe’s presence

in all visits and negotiations with the father and mother in-law.

Takwe was notorious for turning villagers’ good luck to bad luck.

With his honey-coated tongue; he had duped almost all villagers.

Many villagers duped like Taamba still begged for his advice.

Taamba’s admirers were worried because hearts of tender lovers

Quiver and shiver like chicks when they see the shadow of a hawk.

Takwe and Taamba went to the village of their would-be in-laws

Taamba put on his best appearance and behavior and didn't talk much

Takwe did much of the talking; animating the visits with fun and jokes

The father and mother in-law didn't cease laughing throughout their lives.

They praised Takwe and most of the time forgot who was the suitor.

Taamba ate his supper greedily