He was often referred to as a "radical visionary"[1] of Anglophone Cameroon and an “ardent upholder of innovative creativity and crusader for the truth”[2] as is demonstrated by his novels, poetry, short stories but most notably his plays.

Nkengasong spent part of his early childhood in his native Lewoh,[3] a polity within the larger Nweh tribe of the Lebialem Division of the Southwest Region of Cameroon.

While he taught in High School, he pursued graduate studies, earning a “Maitrise” in 1985 and in 1993, a “Doctorat de Troisième Cycle” degree from the University of Yaounde.

[6] The university offered him fertile grounds to explore his burgeoning creative talents, leading to the publication of several plays, prose works, poetry and essays which have sought for him national as well as international acclaim.

[9] His creative imagination was inspired by his native Nweh culture and the multicultural, social and political complexity of Cameroon,[10] particularly defined by the country's history and multiple colonial heritages.

In February 2018, he was awarded the prestigious Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Archived 23 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine fellowship in Italy, for academic writing.