North West Governor, Adolf Lele L’Afrique, has issued a release calling to order the House of Chiefs President, Fon Yakum Kelvin Teuvih, for using an illegal organisation he created to organise the upcoming Festival of Heritage in Bamenda.
The governor’s statement responds to recent actions taken by Fon Yakum, traditional ruler of Bambalang, who is also Vice President of the NW Regional Executive Council.
He resigned as the chairperson of the festival’s organising committee before creating the Association of Heritage Festival of the North West (AHFONEWE), which he is reportedly using to organise the festival.
According to the governor, the AHFONEWE is an illegal organisation because it has not been registered.
Its request for legalisation was denied by the Senior Divisional Officer (SDO) for Mezam, Simon Emile Mooh, through a formal letter dated October 8, 2024.
The Governor stated that the SDOs decision “aligns with national legal frameworks, including Law No. 2019/024 of December 24, 2019, governing regional and local authorities, and Decree No. 2021/746 of December 28, 2021, which regulates cultural and leisure events.”.
The Governor emphasised that these laws and regulations require organisers of socio-cultural festivals to seek proper authorisation from regional authorities.
Specifically, Article 10 of the 2021 decree mandates that natural or legal persons must obtain permission to host such events in compliance with existing rules.
Governor Lele L’Afrique instructed the Vice President of the Regional Executive Council to ensure strict adherence to these legal provisions.
He warned that “any activities conducted under the unrecognised AHFONEWE association would be considered a threat to public peace.”
Non-compliance, he added, could attract severe administrative sanctions.
On September 12, 2024, a delegation of traditional rulers visited the Prime Minister, Chief Dr. Joseph Dion Ngute, to discuss the upcoming event.
The Heritage Festival, scheduled to run from December 4 to 7 in Bamenda, was initially intended to celebrate the diverse cultural traditions of the region, but it has now become a focal point of legal and administrative scrutiny.
It remains to be seen whether the event will proceed under a legally recognized framework or face further delays given that the start day is just six days from today.
