The Proclaimer: An Emerging Medium for Literacy Promotion and Language Revitalization in Cameroon

Abstract

Community response to the publication and effective reading of the translated New Testament (NT)  into Vernacular New Testament (Henceforth VNT) in different languages in particular, and literacy development in general was not sufficient enough before the inception of Audio Scriptures in Cameroon. One of the obstacles to the reading of the VNT among other literacy materials in local languages is illiteracy. This paper explores the use of Proclaimers (Audio Scriptures) in Bafut, Kom, Kako and Ngiemboon communities. It argues that their use is crucial in the generation of interest in literacy development and the revitalization of the target languages. Data for the study was obtained through quantitative and qualitative approaches. The findings revealed that the effective use of Audio Scriptures enhances the reading of the translated VNT and arouse interest in  literacy promotion and the revitalization of the languages under study. The findings are in line with the 20th-century realities of the social media, where there is a growing use of Scriptural and other relevant indigenous information on audio and video formats for effective dissemination and comprehension.