It was on Wednesday July 10th 2019 that hundreds of villagers alongside observers from within and without stormed the Bessi-Awum palace esplanade in Batibo sub division, Momo division to witness the enthronement of H.R.H Fon Mbah Wilfred Ndam as new fon of Bessi-Awum village. Before now, his predecessor, H.R.H Fon Richardson Mbah Forkum II ruled the village for 82 years and was said to have been the longest serving traditional ruler in the entire North West region before "disappearing" on Monday June 22nd 2019. The people of the North West region believe that a fon does not die, he either disappears or travels.
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| Prefectural Order Sealing the Bessi-Awum Palace |
Barely about two weeks after, the travelled fon returned to the palace, this time around through his son in the person of H.R.H Fon Mbah Wilfred Forkum III. Reports say the enthronement ceremony of the new fon was void of any gun firing as tradition demands and that no single administrative officer was present as the law demands since fons are auxiliaries of the administration. Heightened insecurity would've accounted for this as Batibo sub division is alleged to be a fief of separatist fighters referred to as Amba Boys.
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| "Illegal" Fon Mbah Wilfred Ndam Photo Credit: Mbuh Stella/Equinoxe TV |
In an interview granted Equinoxe Television on the day of his enthronement, the newly enthroned fon regretted the government imposed ban on unauthorized gun firing especially as his late father loved gun shooting so much and so he too would've loved such a practice to be carried out during his own enthronement. He also indicated readiness to join any peace endeavours that will help restore order in the entire region so that sons and daughters of Bessi-Awum can return home.
Hardly had the new fon warmed the royal stool for less than a month that the Momo Senior Divisional Officer, Monono Absalom Woloa, Knight of the Cameroon National Order of Valour, mindful of the constitution of Cameroon signed a Prefectoral Order No. 14/2019/PO/DO/A2/SEFA sealing the palace of Bessi-Awum, 2nd class chiefdom in Batibo sub division till regular consultations in respect of the regulations in force and the tradition are carried out for the selection of a new traditional ruler for the village. The order therefore repelled all illegal actions earlier carried out by a group of persons in view of selecting a new traditional ruler and in violation of Articles 8-12 of Decree No. 77/245 of 15/07/1977 Organising Traditional Chiefdoms.
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| Villagers at Enthronement Ceremony Photo Credit: Mbuh Stella/Equinoxe TV |
Article 2 of the said order went on to say that Mr. Mbah Wilfred Ndam, arrogating the title of traditional ruler of Bessi-Awum village is ordered to seize from acting as such and to leave the royal palace immediately as the chairman of the Bessi-Awum traditional council shall henceforth manage all activities of the chiefdom till a new fon is selected in accordance with Decree No. 77/245 of 15/07/1977. The said prefectural order however made it clear that the sealing of the palace concerns only the fon's house and does not expel "Mafors" and their children from the palace as they shall continue to live in their homes within the palace premises as before.
The family squabble leading to the S.D.O's decision stems from a letter of complaint dated 11/08/2019 from Prince Mbah Daniel Fon against his brother Prince Mbah Wilfred Ndam for illegally enthroning himself as fon of Bessi-Awum village in Batibo sub division. The Divisional Officer for Batibo and the forces of law and order in Momo were each in their spheres of competence charged with the the implementation of the order but Mbengwi Online is yet to to confirm if that has actually been done or it's just a paper decision.
It should be recalled that chieftaincy squabbles are a frequent occurrence in the North West region in general and Momo division in particular. They've always been conflicting opinions on the subject as to whether the administration has any right to mettle into the traditional affairs of a people.
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