Fon of Njinibi Reawakens Ancient Festival to Appease the gods and Subjects

The relationship between the Fon of Njinibi, H.R.H Chick Marcus, his subjects and the gods of the land has for sometimes now not been convivial ever since his ascension to the throne. Faced with this challenge and as part of the healing and reconciliation process, the royal authority has reawaken the staging of an ancient cultural festival in his village Njinibi, this to appease his subjects and the gods. 

On Saturday 4th April 2026, hundreds of Njinibi sons and daughters drawn from in and out of the village plus friends and relatives from far and near assembled in the palace courtyard to witness and or partake in the staging of the long abandoned cultural event. 

H.R.H Chick Marcus of Njinibi Granting Press Interview

H.R.H Chick Marcus, Fon of Njinibi (2nd from the right) flanked by colleagues 

Clad in their traditional regalias known as "torghor", they clustered as quarters, dance groups, meetings ("njangis") around the ceremonial ground. Fokwa Kuchambi is a prince of the Njinibi Palace. Speaking to Mbengwi Online, he castigated the warm reception given by blacks to European cultures. To him, "we need to go back to our roots."

The apex of the ceremony was the staging of the Nere dance exclusively by those traditionally dressed, led by the Fons that were present princes, notables. At the end of the dance, while hitting a gong, H.R.H Chick Marcus sent out a clarion call to all Njinibi sons and daughters at home and abroad to come back home and develope the village now that the Anglophone crisis that used to scare them away is ended. 

Fon of Njinibi leading colleagues in the Nere dance

Dance Group

 

In a press interview at the close of the cultural festival, the royal authority said "the symbolism is that after 10 years of retard, we deemed it necessary to come back home to revive our tradition." Making an appraisal of the latest developments in his village, he revealed that Njinibi was recently raised from a third class to a second class fondom by the state and that presently they're envisaging the transformation of Njinibi into a subdivision. 

To the few remaining non state armed fighters left and castigators of division, hatred, jealousy within the village, he said "they should know that everything is calm now. The Fon of Njinibi has forgiven them. They should leave all that behind and come join us develop Njinibi because we are all one."

Villagers at the Festival Ground

Amongst key personalities present at the festival where the Senior Divisional Officer of Momo represented by his second assistant Mbi Edwin Tabe, the Divisional Officer of Mbengwi, Ngidah Lawrence Che, the Mayor of the Mbengwi Council, Ndangsa Kennedy Akam and heads of security units in the subdivision. 

The heavily militarised event ended with heavy feasting. The Fon promised his subjects that from now onwards, it will be a yearly event in the palace. Expectations now are that bygones are let to be bygones and a new leave turned in Njinibi village.

MBECCUL Gets New President at Elective A.G.M

 

Mbengwi Central Cooperative Credit Union Limited, MBECCUL now has  a new President of the Board of Directors in the person of Azah Francis. This was the outcome of an elective Annual General Meeting that took place on Saturday 4th April 2026 at the Christian Women Fellowship Centre, Mbengwi. 

Before now, Azah Francis had served as Vice President of the BoD for three years. This time around he challenged the incumbent, Eke Andrew Ake that's held the position since 2011 and found favour in the members, many who had been longing for change. 

Union Members Voting for a New President

To Mimba George, a member of the union, the A.G.M ended fruitfully. "The president worked well for all these years but we needed a new blood to come in for the credit union to grow bigger" said George. He called for a general spirit of collaboration between the incoming and outgoing executive. 

In his last address to the members after all these years of committed service, Eke Andrew Ake, the outgoing president promised to continue assisting the incoming whenever the need arises. Azah Francis, the newly elected President on his part extended a vote of thanks to all for giving him the confidence to head the union's Board of Directors.

Azah Francis, Newly Elected President, MBECCUL BoD

Nubia Elvis, General Manager, MBECCUL

He added that "I am very happy for the assurance given by the outgoing president on his availability because there's much I have to still tap from him before the end of my three year mandate. I will work with him to see that MBECCUL continues to progress"

When Mbengwi Online met with Edmond Nkeh, the supervisor of CamCCUL Bamenda Chapter at the end of the meeting for an appraisal, he said "Honestly, we are pleased with members and management because looking at the regulatory norms, so far they scored 13/14 which is very good for a credit union operating in the midst of crisis."

Talking about the elections, to him, "they were extremely very matured especially because we introduced a crisis management policy which gives room for continuity. We from CamCCUL don't impose mandates on elected officials. It is always the decision of members and it's always through democracy and we follow strictly the law of majority. It is a cooperative philosophy that whatever the members want, we must follow."

Edmond Nkeh, CamCCUL Bamenda Chapter Supervisor 

Being new in office, the new president of MBECCUL, Azah Francis will now undergo training. It is part of CamCCULs products to conduct supervision and train presidents plus Board of Directors that come new into office. 

As the Eke era ends and the Azah era starts, the union members are now expecting a speedy growth in membership, shares, branches, staff strength and the like. MBECCUL went operational in 1993 and as at now, it's membership has grown to over 3.000. With the slogan "Na We Gettam", the Azah Francis led BoD is now in charge.

Mbengwi D.O Revives Bome through Football

Placed under the distinguished patronage of the Divisional Officer of Mbengwi, Ngidah Lawrence Che, the Great Bome Revival Football Tournament was launched on Saturday April 4th 2026 on the Government School Field Bome, precisely in Funam. The launching match pitted Bome Area Youths Association (BAYA) home branch selection versus an out of home selection and ended four goals to one in favour of the home boys. 

Earlier that morning, a cross country race took place with Muhammadu Alidu from Tuanyang emerging winner. At half time during the football encounter, some Bome women played a childhood game that's getting extinct known as "Dodging". At the end, they were each awarded a tray of eggs from the D.Os poultry. 

Family Picture of Cup Donor, Match Officials and Players

Seta Withgodep Wiertz is an influential Bome youth. To him, the initiative by the D.O is timely. Speaking on behalf of Bome youths, he said "Indeed we really appreciate the Divisional Officer for this great commitment to ensure that Bome is truly vibrant with life and development."

Seta of recent introduced the Bome Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (BOYEDI), the biggest youth movement ever in the zone since the advent of the Anglophone with a membership that now stands at over a hundred. Within their few months of existence, the initiative has economically empowered some of her members, paid an exchange visit to another youth group, Tondig Sports and Social Club. 

In a keynote address to the population at the end of the launching match, Ngidah Lawrence Che, the Divisional Officer of Mbengwi doubling as cup donor said "the aim of this tournament is to accompany the back to school process, our recently reopened market and the youths that have been doing  quite a lot to see that life returns to normal in the entire Bome zone."

Seta Withgodep Wiertz, Influential Bome Youth

D.O of Mbengwi, Ngidah Lawrence Che (in white t-shirt clapping hands while laughing) Flanked by Collaborators 

He further called on all the traditional rulers in Bome to work as a team to hold the zone together keeping aside inter village politics. To Bome elites, he appealed on them to always endeavour to come home. In his words, "We know the zone had been affected in the past but things are changing and desired change will not come spontaneously. It is gradual and it will be realised through the combination of efforts; that of the administration, elites, traditional authorities, men, women."

"All I want for the population of Mbengwi subdivision in general and Bome in particular is total return to peace and normalcy. Without these, we cannot achieve any meaningful development" he added and further went on to say "you all bear with me that for the past years, we have wasted lives, properties, deprived our children from proper education. We are not going to continue like that. This ongoing crisis, no messenger, no prophet will come out one day to sound a trumpet to tell us that today, officially the crisis has ended. Everyone will have to end it their own way"

The administrator also sounded a severe warning against the growing abusive consumption of hard drugs, stupefiants and harsh liquors like Wake Up, Tramadol, Caillou within the subdivision promising hard times for those who will be caught. He ended by calling on all to join hands in rebuilding Mbengwi to be great again. 

The two-week long sports jamboree will run from the 4th to the 18th of April 2026 with 1 million francs kept aside for prizes to be distributed as follows: 300.000F  for the winner, 150.000F for the runner up, 100.000F for the 3rd position and 50.000F for the 4th meanwhile the rest will recieve 25.000F as  participation prize. The six teams that will partake in the tournament are Njembeng F.C, Mile 17 F.C, Abi Fall F.C, Funam F.C, Basic Union of Motorcycle Transporters (BUMT) and Tondig Sports and Social Club.

Tang Market in Funam, Bome Relaunched

Tang Market in Funam, Bome Relaunched

The Tang weekly market in Funam Bome has been relaunched. The special reopening of the market was done on Tuesday March 17 2026 by the Divisional Officer of Mbengwi, Ngidah Lawrence Che in the company of H.R.H Prof. Wilfred Mbacham, the Fon of Funam, the first Deputy Mayor of the Mbengwi Council, Dorine Fonjong epouse Agwe, other Bome fons and the general population.

To Chunga Gladys, the reopening will go a long way to strengthen economic activities in Funam. She encouraged all Funam women to now intensify the cultivation of various crops.

Just like Gladys, another Funam woman told Mbengwi Online that "I'm so happy because we had been longing for this market to the point where we were almost falling sick but after this reopening, we feel relieved"

Farm Produce Being Marketed 

As of the benefits they'll gain, she said it'll help them to play their "njangis", pay their children's school fees and sell their farm produce that used to get bad. According to Nih Lewis Tata, Tang market in Funam in the good old days used to be like Tad market in Nyen. He grew up seeing a village market flourishing with goods of all varieties, buyers and sellers from all over. He hopes with this resumption, such good old days will gradually return.

While others remained optimistic, Sakeh Florence was not so confident about the sustainability of the market especially as it's been repeatedly relaunched and not long after, it dies down. To her, the problem stems from pricing since the only thing that will attract buyers is if items sold in Tang, Funam are cheaper than how same items are sold in Mbon, Ku.

In a one on one with H.R.H Prof. Wilfred Mbacham Tarke, Mbengwi Online's Fongoh p. Ayeh first wanted to know from him the raison d'être for the reopening. In response, the varsity don said "We looked at the economic activities of the Bome zone and saw that produce farmed are not being sold quick enough and so we thought it necessary to redynamize and revitalise the market by relaunching it most importantly to promote farming activities."

H.R.H Prof. Wilfred Mbacham Tarke, Fon of Funam, Bome

He further disclosed that by encouraging the farmers, they're going to have a more vibrant market not the way their forefathers left it but in a way that's more morden. "We have done an architectural design in which we are going to solicit for funds and erect sheds that'll be given out for rents. There'll be sections for palm oil, gari, water fufu, livestock, fertiliser, provision, clothes, handicrafts, in short sections for all types of things that people want to buy as commodities" he added.

In conclusion, he ended by encouraging all the zones in Meta to come back with their weekly markets and give it some modernism because from the way most things are produced, they quickly get bad because of the absence of better methods of preservation and when they get bad it's a loss for the farmers.

Bome Youth Empowerment & Development Initiative 

The relaunch of the Tang Market in Funam, Bome also presented an opportunity for members of the newly formed Bome Yout Empowerment and Development Initiative to make their first public appearance. The initiative spearheaded by Seta Withgodep Weirtz, a philanthropist and community leader is aimed at rallying all youths from the seven villages that make up the Bome zone to take their destiny into their hands in terms of education, employment, development and the like.