Fons of “Traditional Bamenda” and Partisan Politics in Contemporary Cameroon

Tatah Mbuy

Description

In Fons of Traditional Bamenda, Tatah Mbuy critically examines the predicament of traditional leaders in the Cameroon Grasslands in the wake of the civil unrest that has regrettably evolved into armed conflict in the territories that constituted the former Southern Cameroons. Drawing on his ethnographic knowledge of this region, Mbuy argues that chieftaincy in the Grasslands was historically perceived as a sacred institution, the locus of neutrality and justice and the custodian of its people’s cultural legacy. However, multiparty politics and bureaucratic elites have coopted traditional leaders to serve party interests to the detriment of their people, thus attracting widespread condemnation and violence towards their persons. Mbuy convincingly argues that the Fon should not be an active element in partisan or competitive politics. All civil administrators in any Fondom in “traditional Bamenda” would gain more if they are conscious of the cultural structure and adherence of the people. As a source of neutrality, Fons stand to serve their people and society should they steer clear of partisan politics. This text is highly recommended to all concerned citizens, students of history, anthropology, political science and civil administrators in Cameroon and beyond.

Sujets

• Lettres et linguistique

Informations

• Publié par: Spears Media Press
• Date de parution: 30 septembre 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781957296135
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 7 Mo

Extrait

T A T A H M B U Y

Fons of “Traditional Bamenda” and Partisan Politics in Contemporary Cameroon

Fons of “Traditional Bamenda” and Partisan Politics in Contemporary Cameroon

Reconstructing Identity and Cultural Meaning

Tatah Mbuy

Denver, Coorado

Spears Books An Imprint of Spears Media Press LLC 7830 W. Alàéà Avé, Suîé 103-247 évéR, CO 80226 Uîé Sàéŝ ô AéRîçà

FîRŝ PublîŝHé î Hé Uîé Sàéŝ ô AéRîçà î 2023 by SéàRŝ Bôôŝ www.ŝéàRŝbôôŝ.ôRg îô@ŝéàRŝéîà.çô IôRàîô ô Hîŝ îlé: www.ŝéàRŝbôôŝ.ôRg/ôŝ-ô-Ràîîôàl-bàéà

© 2023 TààH Mbuy All RîgHŝ RéŝéRvé.

FîRŝ ublîŝHé î CàéRôô by IRîRîé é là CENC, MvôlyÉ, Yàôué, 2021

Nô àR ô Hîŝ ublîçàîô ày bé RéRôuçé, îŝRîbué, ôR Ràŝîé î ày ôR ôR by ày éàŝ, îçluîg Hôôçôyîg, RéçôRîg, ôR ôHéR éléçRôîç ôR éçHàîçàl éHôŝ, wîHôu Hé RîôR wRîé éRîŝŝîô ô Hé ublîŝHéR, éxçé î Hé çàŝé ô bRîé quôàîôŝ ébôîé î çRîîçàl Révîéwŝ à çéRàî ôHéR ôçôéRçîàl uŝéŝ éRîé by çôyRîgH làw. FôR éRîŝŝîô Réquéŝŝ, wRîé ô Hé ublîŝHéR, àRéŝŝé “Aéîô: PéRîŝŝîôŝ CôôRîàôR,” à Hé àbôvé àRéŝŝ.

ISBN: 9781957296128 (PàéRbàç) ISBN: 9781957296135 (éBôô)

SéàRŝ Méîà PRéŝŝ Hàŝ ô Réŝôŝîbîlîy ôR Hé éRŝîŝéçé ôR àççuRàçy ô uRlŝ ôR éxéRàl ôR HîR-àRy îéRé wébŝîéŝ RééRRé ô î Hîŝ ublîçàîô, à ôéŝ ô guàRàéé Hà ày çôé ô ŝuçH wébŝîéŝ îŝ, ôR wîll Réàî, àççuRàé ôR àRôRîàé.

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D e d i c at i o n

Pô. Béà FONON Sûà Nô Nzé (1924-86). (he Genuîne ïneecua): “hé àûôy ô é Fô ŝ ŝpûàé.”

Hŝ Eméçé Cŝà Càà UMï (1930-2021). “hé Fô çààéŝ é éé Eç Gôûp. Wé é ŝ ééà, é ŝpéàkŝ w é àûôy ô é Açéŝôŝ.”

hé Séà ô Gô, Pàû Myé VERDZEKOV (1931-2010). “hé çûûé ô à péôpé ŝ é pŝm ôûg wç éy ŝéé éày.”

Fôy Réméméé: Pô. Mçàé AEUM ABUWE (1934-2020). “héé ŝ à éé ô égàé ôû àôà pôçà ŝé ûp  é môé émôçàç ôéûéŝ.”

Pô. Dàé Nô ANUM Sûà wôô Bàŝôŝ, (1937-2021). “hé éy à qûày ô à Açà àé ôû  ŝ ààçmé ô ŝ çûûà àûéŝ.”

Mg Pàçk Nyûyé AFON (hé Péŝ-Pôŝôpé w à çûûà çàm) 1952-2021. “A péôpé wôû à çûûé àé ô éy à çàô é éŝpéçé.”

Contents

Foreword x Acknowledgments x Introduction x

Part 1:T HE T RADITIONAL R ULERIN B AMENDA

CHapter 1 he Traditional Ruler as an Institution à) hé àôà Rûé àŝ à Dé ïŝûô 4 ) Càégôéŝ ô àôà Rûéŝ 5 ç) hé àôà Rûé àŝ à Côpôàé à Môà Péŝô 8 ) hé àôà Rûé àŝ é ôçûŝ ô Néûày à Jûŝçé é) hé àôà Rûé àŝ Cûŝôà ô Cûûà égàçy 11

CHapter 2 he Divine Status and Autority of te Fon à) hé Dé Sàûŝ ô é Fô 14 1) he Fon as Lîaîson Beween e Lîvîng and e Dead 14 2) he Fon as e ïncarnaîon o e Peope 16 3) he Sacred Enronemen Rîua or a Fon 16 4) he Fon as Maîn Cusodîan o Cuure 17 5) he Fon as Symbo o Neuraîy and e Common Good: ) hé Dé Aûôy ô é Fô 19 1) Types o Auorîy 21 2) Auorîy over e Temporary Goods o e Communîy 21



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xxî

1

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18

C O N T E N T S

CHapter 3 he Fon at te Heart of Public Relations à) Fô Réàg ôûg ïéméàéŝ 25 ) Réàg w ôé Fôŝ 25 ç) Réàg ôûg é Hôûŝé ô Céŝ 26 ) hé Rôé ô é Fô  CôLç à Wà 27 é) hé Fô Négôàéŝ ô é Cômmô Gôô

Part 2:P ARTISAN P OLITICSIN C AMEROON

28

CHapter 4 he Evolution of Party Politics in Cameroon (1884 -2020) à) Mûpàyŝm  Kàméû ûé é Gémàŝ 34 ) Mûpàyŝm Ué é Féç à é Bŝ 35 ç) Mûpàyŝm  é Fééà Répûç ô Càméôô 39 ) hé Sgé Pày Ué Ajô (1966-82) 40 é) hé Sgé Pày Ué Pàû Byà (1982-90) 42 ) Mûpày Pôçŝ Ué Pàû Byà (1990-2020) 44

CHapter 5 Fons, Democracy and Partisan Politics in Cameroon (1992-2020) à) Wà ŝ Démôçàçy? 46 ) Démôçàçy  Càméôô 48 ç) hé Fôŝ à Mûpày Démôçàçy  Càméôô 50

Part 3:I N S EARCHFOR M EANING

CHapter 6 Reconstructing Identities à) Cûûé  à Càgg Sôçéy 58 ) Réçôŝûçg Eçy à ïéy 63 ç) Répàg Cûûà Sàçégé à Açéŝà Agé 65 ) Réûg é Sôçà Pŝyçé 67

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CHapter 7 Restoring te Dignity of te Fon à) Fàçà Aûôômy ô Péôm à Dé Séçé 69 ) Wôkg ô é Cômmô Gôô 74 ç) hé Côçé ô é Béŝ ô Rûé 77 ) Réŝôàô ô é Dé Aûôy ô é Fô 78

Concusîon

Bîbîograpy

ïndex

x

C O N T E N T S

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