Dr. Peter Alange Abety, Chairperson of Cameroon General Certificate of Education Board, GCE Board, has pointed out that the Cameroonian Poet, Mathew Takwi, may be predicting a volcano in Cameroon.

"The book, Fire On The Mountain; a collection of 68 poems, is predicting, in a very high measure that we may be sitting on a volcano that can spit fire any time," Abety remarked, while chairing the maiden launch of Fire On The Mountain at Cameroon OIC, Buea, Thursday, March 6.

He found Takwi, in his poetry, a critical person, especially of the status quo. "Takwi's poems are a pointer to what is not working in our society," Abety said.Abety, in his appreciation of the book, said it is a reflectio human society from time immemorial. "The image of fire on the mountain should remind us (Christians) about Moses in the Bible.

The first encounter between Moses and God was fire on the mountain. Fire has a purifying effect. Fire is not a negative effect. It is a cleansing image. Fire is also an image of the Almighty God," he said

In a synoptic review of Fire On The Mountain, Fr. Aloysius Ituka Ndifor, Principal of St. Paul's Technical and Commercial High School Bonjongo, said the book deals on the truth, which is hard to come by in today's society. "Takwi is a prolific writer, a political critic, a cultural conservative, a moral reformer, a social analyst and a fanatic of truth and justice," he mentioned.

He entreated readers to join the poet in unison so that people are not roasted; elections are not rigged and put an end to societal decadence and more.Cueing from Fr. Ndifor, Dr. Charles Teke of the University of Yaounde I threw out these questions, suggestively, for reflections; "What fire; On which mountain? Ignited by who? Is the fire destructive or redemptive?

According to Teke, Takwi is overt in his imagery but will also be very subtle.Earlier, John Teneng, the Chairperson of the organising committee of the launch described Takwi as visionary in his poetry, in which he highlights the contemporary issues plaguing today's Cameroon. These include tribalism, political manoeuvres, nepotism, greed and corruption.

However, Takwi is not only vexing in his poetry, he also looks at spots of excellence in the Cameroonian society. The case of Cameroonian football maestro, Samuel Fils Eto'o in the poem titled as in page 99 of the collection.

Takwi was born in Nkwen, Bamenda III Subdivision, Northwest Province of Cameroon. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and a Diploma in French language from the then University of Yaounde.

He works at the head office of Cameroon GCE Board, Buea at the service of Research and Publications.He is a distinguished member of the International Society of Poets and the Secretary General of the Anglophone Cameroon Writers' Association, ACWA.

Takwi is a winner of national and international literary awards. His other publications are People Be Not Fooled, 2004, On Their Knees, 2006.