By Nfor Hanson Nchanji
There is tension mounting in Manyemen, a popular village in Nguti subdivision, Kupe Muanenguba Division in the South West region.
The bone of contention between the administration and the local population is the designation of a traditional ruler rejected by majority of the villagers, sons and daughters of the villager residing in other parts of Cameroon.
Twice, the Senior Divisional Officer has designated Besong Williams Mbue as the new traditional ruler of Manyemen and twice the people have rejected him, saying he does’t belong to the chieftaincy lineage to be named ruler.
In November 2024, family heads who are said to be the main group that selects a new chief petition the SDO saying the coronation of a new chief, solely appointed by him was illegal, null and void.
The two-year dispute between the SDO and population escalated in recent times with the people vehemently vomiting the SDOs chief, “Mbue has twice been declared as traditional ruler of Manyemen by the SDO of Kupe-Muanenguba. Both decisions have been contested for violating the traditional procedure of selecting the chief of the village and because Mbue is considered a non-indigene of Manyemen.”, journalist Franklin Sone Bayen, an indigene of Manyemen wrote.
SDO makes unprecedented order for gendarmes to use weapons against protesters
The tension heightened recently, with clashes breaking out on Friday May 9, between a couple of youths supporting Besong Williams Mbue and a traditional group from Lower Balong performing rites in Manyemen, Upper Balong, Franklin Sone Bayen, noted in a press briefing on his social media handle.
The clashes occurred a day after the SDO of the Division, signed two important communiques, one banning the organization of meetings and protests from May 8 to June 15. The second decision, came as a shock to the Manyemen people as the administrative officer authorized the use of weapons against protesters.
The letter to the National Gendarmerie, alerted that they should be ready for any eventuality, “During this period, the use of weapons shall be allowed in accordance with relevant regulatory procedure,” part of the letter written by Mungambo Ekema William, to the gendarmerie brigade commander read.
“The local population is wondering what could be the motivation of an order recommending use of weapons over a purely traditional matter with no weapons involved.”
The bigger picture
Hope Sona Ebai and Besong William Mbue are believed to be the two contestants for the position of traditional ruler of Manyemen. The SDO has chosen the latter in 2023 before rescinding the order. in December 2024. There have been due processes like holding of consultative talks but they often end up in deadlock with the DO and SDO having diverse list of those eligible to vote.
While the the people believed in setting up of a shrine called Ntem in the forest that foresees the screening of a new ruler by village Chief Priest and Kingmakers meet to decide the future of a new ruler, the administration has not helped matter by disregarding this tradition. In fact, on the eve of talks in December 2024, the Ntem was vandalized by unknown individuals. The sacred place in the forest had been prepared to start the screening process.
Manyemen has no ruler, and the situation has gotten to a point of fighting and no return with fresh tension between proponent of a chief appointed by the SDO against opponents who demand that the tradition be respected.
