Traditional Title Holder Leads Campaign to Transform Mbengwi Palace Entrance

Anticipated New Look of the Mbengwi Palace Entrance

Barrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin, a legal luminary that is current National President of the Mbengwi Elements Development Association (MEDA) wants the entrance into the Mbengwi palace transformed through the construction of a specially designed work of arts that will depict royalty.

It is in this light that he has been spearheading a campaign for the raising of funds to realise the project, estimated to cost about 2.3 million Francs. Friends and well wishers have been supporting him morally, materially and financially to see this vision achieved. 

Barrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin Celebrating his Title

In the afternoon of Sunday March 26 2023, hundreds of people from all walks of life drawn from across the national territory stormed his lakeside residence in Nkolbisong, Yaounde to witness the public presentation of his new traditional title and installation as representative of the Fon of Mbengwi for the Centre, South and East regions of Cameroon.  

Last year, during a ceremony to award traditional titles to some reputable indigenes of his village by H.R.H Fon A.A Njokem III,  Fon of Mbengwi, one of the villages that make up the Meta clan conferred the title of "Tomfon" (wed-tom ɨfɔn) meaning the Fon's messenger, otherwise the person the Fon sends on errands on Barrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin. 

Some Mbengwi Elements Development Association (MEDA) EXCO Members in Group Photo with the Barrister

The Barrister and Some Traditional Leaders

The recent ceremony thus presented an opportunity for him to flaunt his new title to the public at large. Speaking to reporters at the close of the ceremony, the legal practitioner said "If I hadn't been working up to expectation I won't have been conferred this title. I want to thank God for giving me the energy, wisdom and understanding to be able  to meet the needs of my people"

Quizzed if it was his utmost desire to be recognized as such, he responded that "All what I've been doing, I was not doing so for any distinction or award but of recent, I've seen distinctions and awards coming thus making me to understand that awards only follow hard work and to whom much is given, much is expected."

Backdrop

It was a Red Carpet Event

In a phone interview with the conferrer of the title, the highest traditional authority of the people of Mbengwi village told this Mbengwi Online reporter that the conferee has done much for the people and masters how to unite them, reason why the "ngumba" (house of notables) unanimously validated the title to be conferred on him. "Nginyam" Njokem Awah added that there can only be one "Tom-fon" in the village at a time meaning Barrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin will bear this title alone till death. 

The public presentation and installation ceremony was attended by politicians like Ni Joseph Sanji Achu, Momo 1 Section President of the ruling C.P.D.M, Jean Bitongo, Centre regional chairman of the opposition S.D.F, legal minds like Barrister Akere Muna, the Vice President of the Cameroon Bar General Assembly, Barrister Ernest Gbaka Asho, several other fons and was animated by traditional dances from the Meta clan, the NW and centre region.

Fon of Mbengwi (Middle) and His Representatives in Various Regions

Bar. Ndangoh Tah Calvin with Fon of Mbengwi the Day He Was Given the Title Tom-fon

Bar. Ndangoh Tah Calvin would've celebrated his title but he wasn't the only one conferred such last year by the palace of Mbengwi particularly on Saturday October 22nd 2022 during a home branch meeting of Mbengwi Elements Development Association (MEDA) where a Royal Decision was read in which six new members were appointed into the Mbengwi Village Traditional Council, some of whom shall in turn serve as Mbengwi Fon's Representative in their respective towns. They were Barrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin, Emmanuel Asah, Njoh Roland Ndam, Yaya Francis Lacbane, Njoh Chrisantus Ticha, Baymoh Awara Benjamin and Tamunang Rudolf Njoh. Most of these illustrious sons were also given traditional titles.

At press time, the Barrister is currently coordinating a trip of Meta people to the palace of Mankon on Saturday 15 April 2023 to pay homage to Fo'o Angwafor IV. It will be the biggest trip ever paid by the Meta people to their neighbours of Mankon as the mobilisation of funds, dance groups etc is being done world wide with close to three million francs already raised.

H.R.H A.A Njokem III, Fon of Mbengwi Village, Meta Clan, Mbengwi Central Subdivision

It should be noted that though being the name of a subdivision and at the same time Momo Divisional headquarters, Mbengwi is first of all a village, one of the 31 villages that make up the Meta clan. As such Fon Njokem is the Fon of Mbengwi village and not Fon of all the Meta people. Barrister Ndangoh Tah Calvin likewise is caretaker of Mbengwi villagers only in the Centre, South and East Regions of Cameroon.