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“The tradition and culture of people in the North West of Cameroon is that kingmakers using laid down rules select a traditional ruler for a chiefdom and then presents to the public and the administration”
His Royal Highness Nfor Jabfu Ibrahim II, president of North West Fons Union has told Mimi Mefo info.
To the traditional ruler of Nkambe Donga Mantung Division, king makers in each village follow the tradition before conferring the leadership of their village to one of their brothers.
On the question of administrators creating chiefdoms, Fon Nfor Jabfu Ibrahim II accepts that it falls within the powers of the administration to do so. But he insists that the powers of the administration end only at that level.
To the president of NOWEFU, the designation and enthronement of a traditional ruler remains the prerogative of the local people and not the administration.
On what can be the possible repercussions if traditional authority is bypassed in the process of getting a new chief to sit on a traditional throne of power, HRH Nfor Jabfu Ibrahim II states “…anyone who dares can only fight with the gods. Our tradition remains supreme in the crucial process of getting a traditional ruler of either for a first,second or third class chiefdom”.
Reacting on a recent decision of the senior divisional officer of Ngoketunjia creating chiefdoms in Moukon and Adorate villages in Babessi and Balikumbat sub divisions respectively, HRH Nfor Jabfu applauds the move but states that its now left on the traditional authorities ‘to hunt for the right person to rule them’.
With regard to enthronement of chiefs. The kingmakers of the community chooses the chief and the decision is forwarded to the competent authority depending on the class of chief involved per the order above.
In Cameroon, the law on traditional local administration accord powers on administrators to participate in the organization of the traditional leadership set up to ease administration.
According to barrister Gbaka Ernest quoting decree no 77/245 of 15 July 19977“…for first class chiefdoms the prime minister signs decisions of creation, for second class, the minister of territorial administration has the powers to so, for 3rd class chiefdoms, senior divisional officers have the responsibility to create”.
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