Tag Archives: exhibition

Southern (Cameroonians) Validated restoration of their Independence Oct 1st 2018

Southern Cameroons:

It is no longer news to the republic of Cameroun in particular and to the world at large that, on Monday October 1st 2018, all counties in Southern Cameroons (Ambazonia) took to the streets all over the national territory to commemorate the restoration of their Indepemdence which took place last yeat Oct 2017 but met with the barabric colonial forces that massacred more than 1000 unarmed civilians who went out on the street to celebrate with leaves and peace plants. Yesterday was the validation of that event, as they braced all odds despite La republique’s Governors decree and prefectorial orders that banned movements and activities in the two anglophones regions.

An activitiy that was commorated in all counties surprised even their leaders as they had earlier advised the people of Ambazonia to stay indoors and pray for their independence but the people thirty and hungry for Justice, Freedom and peace took to the streets with peace plants and leaves while other counties like Boyo had a well organized event in a field with a fleet of activities from cultural dances to all forms of displays.

This collective action and determination of the Southern Cameroonians have put to rest the “silly” excuse the regime of Cameroon used to hang on as manipulation of the population. Last year close to 2 million people took to the street for this same celebration but met with all forms of atrocities with more than 150 people shot and killed same same.

This year, the event did not go completely hitch free as the military opened fire in some counties like Kumbo, Mezam, Donga mantung and most regrettably Fako where people were grilled in homes burnt down by the barbaric regime.

The people did not relent despite that the president of the republic of Cameroon while on his campaign visit to Maroua the Far north region of that country promised hell to southern cameroonians, that he will crush them after the elections, a sign that those people do not belong to them as he has refused to dialogue with them. First they called them all sorts of names like terrrorist, rebels, manipulators, armed robbers, state breakers etc and now secessionists.

Shey Tatah Sevidzem

President Biya’s Campaign Team Scams thousand of youths in Yaoundé

President Biya’s Campaign Team boasted over Crtv to have mobilized close to 40,000 youth to parade the streets of Yaoundé as support for the continuation of President Paul Biya come Oct 7 presidential elections. They were after the march past stranded in town.

Scandy Media later learnt that these youths came from all over the national Territory claiming they received phone calls to come to Yaoundé the Capital of La Rep for a CPDM meeting only to be brought, used and dumped after parading the streets.

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Amongst those who came from other regions were Damarice Abendou all the way from Bamenda in the NWR,  Diane Ndzie Nama from the South Region, Elysee Koroko from Yaoundé 2 Soa who expressed their dissatisfaction to the organizers who were nowhere to be found but got them stranded and abandoned.

Another category of group duped by the same CPDM campaign team were the motorbike riders also known as Okada boys. They were hired to ride throughout the city from the main town through Essos and Omnisport only for the organizers to disappear into thin air leaving them with no balance for the whole day.

This would mean that the exaggerated figures of 40,000 youths which were not up to 20,000 were tricked to come to Yaoundé for an urgent meeting only to be used to come to the streets and parade themselves as rallying behind President Paul Biya only to be abandoned on the streets after achieving their aim to get them on the camera for their media and candidate.

This should be a serious warning to those going to give their votes to the CPDM as sign of bad faith and that more of such disappointments await them after the elections. A word to a wise is enough.

Shey Tatah Sevidzem

Calm has returned to Manyu, villagers can return, Minister says

Akwaya- Manyu, Cameroon:

The Cameroon Minister of defense Joseph Beti Assomo says villages under the secessionists rule have been recaptured and that refugees could not return to their villages as security forces dispatched there have fought and defeated them.

The Minister was in the South West Region in Manyu during this New year as he met with the military forces as they jointly watched the president of the Rep of Cameroon Paul Biya deliver his New year speech.

The Minister and Military officials said their actions chased everyone from the villages but for two lwomen who could not escape due to their inability to do so based on health.  One village of close to 2000 Inhabitants as they were chased completely out to neighboring Nigeria, the forest and bushes.

They claim their action was in response to the video that circulated online about the Ambazonian Defense Force (ADF) headed by the commander in chief Cho Ayaba. The images were shot in a building  Dadi in Akwaya- Manyu Division. This according to the Minister is the reason the population had to go through much pain of many lives and property lost.

It should be recalled that this action was first prompted by the head of state Paul Biya upon his return from the Africa-EU summit in Ivory Coast when he declared war on the people of Manyu for death of 4 Military and 2 police men upon arrival at the Yaounde-Nsimalen airport.

The SDO for Manyu later issued an order asking that more than 16 villages be evacuated for the impending doom. This led to world wide exposure of the pain inflicted by the Government on its citizens. A contrary communique immediately and later came from the Governor, referring to the SDO’s order as fake but the evidences against the regime were already documented and shared even by some human rights organizations. The case was alarming on the social media as it went far and wide.

For the Minister and his Top Military officials to declare that they waged a war because of the video by Cho Ayaba that did not start any war is another exhibition of bad faith, manipulation and Government’s continuous use of military force to suppress the genuine grievances of Southern Cameroonians. Asking the villages to come back to destroyed and burned homes is interpreted by many as another ploy to arrest and inflict more pain on the citizens. With the Cameroon flag flying over Dadi, after pulling down the Ambazonian flag, the military believe they have won the war. The casualties of the military in the war is not being reported. There are fresh sporadic shootings today in Mamfe, yet they claim to have captured the territory.  Only time will tell.

Shey Tatah Sevidzem

Cameroon: Nso: Titles in the Paramount Fondom of Nso (part 4) Yah

If you missed part one to three on Nso Titles, do not worry, you can still read part 1 here; part 2 here; and part 3 here;

II-3. YAH

There are many categories of Yahs, almost all of whom derived directly from the palace in earlier years. Of late, beginning with Ngah Bifon I (1910-1947) Yahships have been awarded to certain important lineages without regard to direct derivation from the royal lineage.

Yah Yefons

The highest-ranking Yah is Yah Yefon (Fengay or Queen Mother). She is the third ranking personality in the land (after Shufai Ndzendzev and Shufai Taankum) by status, administrative and religious function.

Upon assuming the throne the Fon appoints a Yah Yefon from among his female  children or  his sisters if his birth mother is no longer alive. Yah Yefon is treated like a Fon in all aspects except in special greeting (“bun”). She represents Yee Nso (Ngon Nso), the founder of the Nso dynasty.

The present Yah Yefons that are still alive today are; (At the time this article was written)

Yah Yefon Sehm Mbinglo I

Yah Yefon Ngah Bifon III

Yah Yefon Ngah Bifon II (Yah Adela Nsaidzeka Meyeh)

Yah Yefon Sehm III (Yah Rose Wirnkar)

Yah Yefon Ngah Bifon I (Yah wo Faa)

Yah Yefon Mapri (Yah wo Nso La)

The next Yah in rank is the Yah Yeewong  (mother of Nso). She is the second representative of  Yee Nso (Ngon Nso), the founder of the Nso dynasty.

When Ngon Nso died around 1421, her son Leh who assumed the throne created the title of Yeewong and Yefon to be combinable and held by a single individual. The two titles were later on separated with Yefon holding the higher title (very silently) and Yah Yeewong the next (very publicly) with  a rank equal to Fai Taawong who is also appointed by the new Fon at the same time as Yeewong.

 A few Yah Yewongs that are still alive today are:

Yah Yeewong Sehm Mbinglo I (Yewong wo Ntoh Nso)

Yah Yeewong Ngah Bifon III

Yah Yeewong Ngah Bifon II

Yah Yeewong Ngah Bifon I (Yeewong wo Kim Kikaikom)

Yah Yeewong Sehm II (Yeewong wo Jem)

Most Yahs of status in Nso today are descendants (inherited) of former Yah Yefons and Yah Yeewongs.

A few notable examples of these reigning Yahs are:

Yah wo Kai Jakiri (Successor of Yeewong wo Nturkui)

Yah wo Abakwa Jakiri (Successor of Yeewong wo Kih Kiyan)

Yah wo Mile 3 Bamenda (Successor of Yeewong wo Roo-Kong)

The next rank of  Yahs is based within the palace household, Yah Nkonin and Yah Yeela (leaders of the Fon’s senior wives – Kfem se Fon). They act as managers of the Fon’s household. These two Yahs must be of Mtaar origin. They also organize the Fon’s farm work in collaboration with the Yeesums.

Every Shufaiship of high standing and with historical underpinnings can also have a Yah. A famous Yah in this category is Yah wo Taankum. It is still unclear why some of the big Shufaiships are allowed to create secondary Yahships but the lineages themselves do not have a Yah of the main lineage compound.

The last category of Yahs are those that are crowned by the Fon in collaboration with the Shufais or Fais. The process of naming and enthroning a Yah is very involved. The Fon cannot name a Yah without approval from the Yah’s lineage or extended family. The Yah needs to do the very public “kibunfon” and a grand “kitar yiy” for the family and the public at large to recognize her as a Yah of standing. Recent examples include the “kibunfon” carried out by Yah wo Shusum (Sov), and Yah wo Mbassy in Nso Palace.

Researched Shey Stephen Shemlon (PHD)

Complied and edited by Shey Tatah Sevidzem

Cameroon: Nso: Titles in the Paramount Fondom of Nso (part 3) Fai

If you missed part one on Nso Titles, do not worry, you can still read part 1 here; and part 2 here;

II-2. FAI

The highest rank of Fai is the Atarntoh (all Nchelav), with the “Atarntoh ve Samba”, leading this group. These are family heads of some of the most influential lineages in Nso. In Fact some of them actually submitted themselves to Nso as Fons between 1450 and 1800, but it is unknown why they were made Nwerong leaders instead of Duy or Mtaar Vibai.

Unlike the Vibai who are councilors of the court, the primary role of the Atarntoh is that of Palace stewards, priests and guardians of the royal household. Atarntoh also sometimes act as advisers to the Fon.

In addition, the Atarntoh are members of the “Shishwaa” society whose principal duty is to keep Nso land free of famine. “Shishwaa” members are also responsible for protecting Nso institutions from any destruction and also act as the Fon’s peace envoys.

Here in order of seniority are the “Atarntoh ve Samba

1. Fai Maamo (Nchelav)

2. Fai Faanjang (Nchelav)

3. Fai Mbingiy (Nchelav/Mtaar)

4. Fai Kuyntoh Nchelav (Nchelav)

5. Fai Kuynseh (Nchelav)

6. Fai Tsenkay (Nchelav)

7. Fai Nseeni (Nchelav)

All “Atarntoh ve samba” are only lower in rank to the ten (10) ” Vibai ve tiy se taakibu”.

The next category of Fais is the “Won jemer se Fon” (the Fon’s sisters’ sons). Since most of these are Mtaar (aboriginal Nso), they have a separate quarter called TaaMban (next to Nwerong’s compound). Their principal duty is to carry out inquisitions, expiatory sacrifices and cleansing rituals.

Here in order of seniority are the Fai “Won jemer ve samba

1. Fai Nsame (Mtaar)

2. Fai Mbivtinmbang (Mtaar)

3. Fai Kii Mbala Nseeni (Mtaar)

4. Fai Jem Njavnyuy (Mtaar)

5. Fai Menjey Tooy (Mtaar)

6. Fai Jem Kinga (Mtaar)

7. Fai Kii Kiyan (Mtaar)

All “Won jemer se Fon” are higher in rank to ” Vibai ve duy ve kpu”.

The last category of Fais are lineage or sub-lineage heads. There are scores of Fais (too many to be listed) in this category and are drawn from all the segments of Nso society the commoners (Nchelav), the aboriginals (Mtaar) and the extended royal family (Duy). All Fais in this category are lower in rank to all Vibais, the Atarntohs and “Won jemer”

The process of en-stooling is elaborate, grande and very public, whether the Fai assumes the stool by inheritance, extension (“kisheer”), elevation (from Shey) or appointment by the Fon (fhum or buh).

Shey Stephen Shemlon (PHD)