The lengthy period of research on this book led to the accumulation of many debts to both individuals and institutions, a few of these individuals and institutions deserve mention. Our sincere gratitude goes to the Centre for Concurrences in Colonial and Postcolonial Studies at Linnaeus University for financial support towards the realization of this work. We fervently thank Prof. C.M. Lamla, Mr. P.N. Nyoni, Ms K.H. Ngqila, and Dr. C.L. Petkou of Walter Sisulu University (WSU) for their generosity with their time, for continued interest and intellectual stimulations that have greatly enhanced this work.
We sincerely thank Chief N.D. Zwelihle Sangoni of Qokolweni for granting us access into the research sites. Our appreciation also goes to Mr. W.N. Mshumpela and other officials of the Department of Traditional Affairs (Mthatha) for authorizing the study.
Tabi Chama-James wishes to acknowledge the friendship and conviviality of Dr. Gladys Ashu, D.M.E. Matike, W.D. Dzemo, Dr. Derick Forbanka and W. Masomera, Mvunyiswa N., Zona Dotwana, Buqindlela K. (RIP), Dlaba N. and Mpaka N. as well as family support and encouragement from Mrs. Frida Okpu and her husband, Cyprian Tabi, Charity Tabi, Ben Tabi, Victor Tabi, Susan Tabi, Sophy Tabi, Alex Tabi, Otang Bernadette and his dearest Godson Tabi.
Special thanks to our colleagues Rosemary Niba and Vera Shey of WSU for moral support and the common vision we share.
We would also like to sincerely thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments that have greatly shaped this work. Ngo Valery Ngo provided great research assistance at various points, including the indexing of this book for which we are immensely grateful.
Last but not the least; we are grateful to Julienne Ebangha and Emilia Nkoyo for not complaining more than they did when we were completely absorbed in the completion of this work. We sincerely thank the staff at Brill, especially Pieter van Roon and Pieter te Velde, production editors, for their patience and professionalism all through the production process. The responsibility for any deficiencies and omissions are solely ours.
Ngambouk Vitalis Pemunta and Tabi Chama-James Tabeyang
Gothenburg, Sweden, and Roubaix, France, 18 March 2020