Mbemi Fon Returns to Palace

H.H.R Mbabit H. Tangwan and Some Subjects in front of the Mbemi Palace 

The month of December again came to the limelight in the life of H.R.H Fon Mbabit H. Tangwan. It was on Thursday 12 December 2024 that the traditional leader of Mbemi stepped foot back in his palace, 4 years after he ran away. Before reaching his Mbemi village, Fon Mbabit first passed through the Mbengwi palace then to the Njindom palace, the Guneku palace and finally his own palace.

Coming home at a time when Meta sons and daughters were also planning to hold the 2024 annual general meeting of their development association known as MECUDA in Guneku, the Fon used the opportunity to tour round seeing the level of preparedness key amongst which was the bulldozing of roads. 

Fon of Mbemi and Fon of Njindom

Bulldozer Opening Up Roads in the Medig Zone

While in the Guneku palace, Fon Mbabit communed with students of Momo Educational Development Program in Health Sciences and Technology, MEDPHISATG. In addressing them with words of encouragement, he said "We thank the Fon of Guneku most especially for making this learning facility available to us to serve this zone"

Upon leaving Guneku, the Fon toured several quarters of Mbemi, meeting some of his notables and subjects right in their homes and communing with them. He also visited some projects realised in his village like a newly constructed bridge by the Mbengwi Council linking Mbemi to Njindom. He also visited Presbyterian Church Mbemi Congregation to ascertain the level of realisation of their ceiling project. 

Fon Mbabit Infront of the Guneku Palace Gate

The Fon with Students of MEDPIHSATG

Mbemi has a nursery and primary school functioning in the church yard with over 50 pupils. He went round visiting the pupils and teachers in their various classrooms encouraging them to take education serious. He also gave some financial motivation to the staff of the school to boost their morals. He was received in the church yard by the pastor of the congregation, Rev. Che Jackeus.

Having come face to face with realities in his village, the Fon ended in the palace where he held a consultation meeting with some notables and quarterheads for updates on how affairs have been unfolding in his absence. He had the maiden opportunity to see for himself the level at which his palace renovation project sponsored by the royal family, his subjects and well wishers has reached and was impressed with the distance covered. 

The Fon Inspecting the Level of Execution of P.C Mbemi Ceiling Project

The Fon Communing with Pupils of the Nursery & Primary School in Mbemi

To express his satisfaction, he poured ancestral blessings on the main contractor, Fongom Elvis Teghen by offering him the opportunity to drink palm wine from the royal cup of the Mbemi people. This was preceded by a presentation of the Fon to the ancestors of the village by some notables and kingmakers at a special shrine in the palace, calling on them to recieve him back with love after abandoning them though not out of his own making. Some rites were performed by pouring libation at the shrine. It is believed it is for the ancestors to also drink and commune with them that are still alive.

Asah Celestine Akem is a native of Mbemi. He told us "We feel very excited welcoming our Fon after this while. He left unexpected due to the severity of the crisis which all of us knew. He had this opportunity to come back to the palace and the visit took us by surprise. We hope that he has come to stay nomatter the fact that he is engaged in other life saving duties."

The Fon Blessing the Contractor of the New Mbemi Palace Under Construction 

The New Mbemi Palace Under Construction

Asked to make an evaluation of his tour, Fon Mbabit H. Tangwan started by first extending a vote of thanks to the Mbengwi Council for the bridge and the Minister of Supreme State Audit for her constant motherly care and support to see into it that such projects reach the ground and are effectively executed for the benefit of the population.

In a special word of appreciation to his subjects worldwide, Fon Mbabit said "I want to thank Mbemi sons and daughters worldwide for supporting us realise major projects back home. We had a fundraiser in Limbe for the construction of a new palace in the village and work is ongoing. I thank them for the electricity extension project they've been championing and the school children they've been supporting with scholarships so that they aren't left behind. I'm proud of you all."

The Fon Inspecting a Newly Constructed Bridge by the Mbengwi Council Linking Mbemi to Njindom

The Fon Communing with One of his Notables 

13 December 2020 is a day the Fon of Mbemi village in Mbengwi will never forget. To the villagers, it was an abomination. On this day non state armed fighters locally known as Amba Boys kidnapped him together with his colleague, the Fon of Wumnembug, a neighbouring village to Mbemi. They underwent days of severe torture while in captivity. 

This was during a politically sensitive period as the 9th February 2020 municipal and legislative elections were imminent. The Fon of Mbemi was accused of meddling into politics as his name appeared on the list of potential C.P.D.M councilors to run the affairs of the Mbengwi council while the Fon of Wumnembug was accused of interacting with the military.

Both were later released about 3 days after and immediately they absconded their palaces for safety. It will not be long for the Fon of Wumnembug to return to his palace and went about with his daily routines. As for that of Mbemi, based on the severity of what he faced and the trauma, his stay away took years.

Culturally, it is believed nomatter what, a Fon is never to be punished for whatever wrong doing worst of it to be kidnapped, molested and tortured by rogues. Certainly this could be why it didn't take long thereafter for all fighters that were involved in the act to start falling one after the other in battle certainly as repercussion for rough handling a traditional leader that is believed to incarnate supernatural powers conferred on him by his subjects and colleagues  at coronation. 

The situation of the Anglophone Crisis in Mbengwi that caused him to flee later de-escalated. The Fon started revisiting Mbengwi once in a while but will end only in the central municipality that's well secured and not dare descend to his Mbemi for once beaten, twice shy and once beaten by a snake, even a worm becomes so scary. 

Mbemi, Guneku, Njindom, Nyen, Wumnembug etc that used to be very risky villages where "Amba Boys" were very much present gradually  regained normalcy following a heavy military crackdown on the fighters. Some were killed, others escaped and today the area is completely free of any fighter.