The Hill Barbers

Crafted in a colourful, razor-sharp blend of poetry and prose, The Hill Barbers depicts the wanton destruction of water catchments in most communities in Africa. This is inextricably linked to the traditional practice of shifting cultivation, motivated largely by farmers' struggle to acquire more arable farmland to meet the needs of their rapidly growing families. The immediate consequence is acute water shortages, with obvious health and economic implications. Agro-forestry and other soil management techniques are subtly proposed as practical measures to effectively address the issue of shifting cultivation and the associated problem of encroachment into the delicate water catchments. "The Hill Barbers is a truly inspiring and accessible piece that reflects the author's commitment to environmental protection. Its simplicity of language and structure, makes it appropriate for community sensitisation." Owona Ebambou, Sociologist, WWF Coastal Forests Programme "A reservoir of rare artistic excellence embellished with local colour and linguistic elegance, The Hill Barbers provides a wide-spectrum dish that contains both prophylactic and therapeutic ingredients aimed at addressing environmental degradation. Muwanki Abinwi Numfor, Department of English, University of Buea "Though Ekpe Inyang is best known as a prolific playwright, The Hill Barbers portrays him as a seasoned poet" Dr Henry K. Jick, Department of English, University of Buea