L’autre Eldridge Mohammadou

le rebelle

Abstract

This article is a critical tribute to Eldridge Mohammadou, historian and researcher, perceived as a “rebel” in several aspects of his life and career. Based on personal reflections and scholarly analysis, the text highlights three key contexts that shaped his intellectual and political trajectory: complex family ties, marked by rupture and protest; his decisive involvement in the Federation of Black African Students in France (FEANF) in the 1960s, where he joined the anti-colonial struggle; and his conflictual relationship with the politics and administration of post-independence Cameroon, which he ultimately rejected. Beyond these experiences, Eldridge distinguished himself through rigorous research, a constant interest in oral traditions, and a strong demand for scientific autonomy. Far from being a marginal figure, he appears here as a nationalist intellectual whose rebellious spirit embodies a constructive critique of power and a vision of a more just and egalitarian society.