By Tata Mbunwe
The Senior Divisional Officer of Kupe Muanenguba, Mungambo Ekema William, has dissolved the existing Traditional Council of Manyemen village in the South West Region, as the community struggles for a new traditional ruler.
The community, situated along the Kumba-Mamfe road, has been embroiled in succession disputes for years, leaving the coveted traditional ruler position vacant.
Collaborating with weary villagers who expressed concerns about the activities of the traditional council, the SDO dissolved the council last Thursday.
Simultaneously, he established a caretaker council to oversee the community’s affairs in the absence of a traditional leader.
The vacuum in leadership arose from persistent disagreements among villagers, thwarting the appointment of a rightful heir.
The now-dissolved traditional council had been managing the village’s affairs until its dissolution, a decision prompted by allegations of illegal land transactions.
“The former Council, dissolved by the village, engaged in illegal exploitation and sale of land,” the SDO told My Media Prime.
He emphasized that administrative measures would be taken against those involved in the illicit land deals.
He also outlined a comprehensive procedure that would be initiated based on the actions of the implicated parties.
Efforts to resolve Manyemen’s chieftaincy predicament have been ongoing since last year.
Consultative talks held in December by the Divisional Officer of Nguti, where Manyemen is situated, failed to yield a resolution.
Last Thursday’s consultative talks, presided over by the Kupe Muanenguba SDO, similarly proved unfruitful.
The chieftaincy dispute involves at least three competing claimants vying for control of the coveted position.
The prolonged uncertainty has bewildered the villagers, exacerbating the overall situation.
Notably, the absence of a traditional ruler has contributed to a surge in insecurity within Manyemen amid the ongoing Anglophone Crisis.
Reports indicate that the now-defunct traditional council had allegedly engaged in the unauthorized sale of substantial portions of the village’s development land, further compounding the challenges faced by the community.
Consultative talks will continue in the future to determine the next traditional ruler of the village.
