By Chris Mbunwe
The ousted Fon of Kedjom-Keku, otherwise known as Big Babanki village, HRH Simon Vugah II, who was dethroned last year, has urged the Mezam Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, to summons his former kingmakers, notables, sub-chiefs and quarter heads to a reconciliation meeting in Bamenda.
Fon Vugah II, now living in "exile" in the Fon of Mankon's palace, still calls himself "Fon Simon Vugah, the ousted traditional ruler of Kedjom-Keku".
In a letter dated April 13, 2005, addressed to the SDO of Mezam, copying Prime Minster, Ephraim Inoni, and Territorial Administration Minister, Vugah recounted how he was dethroned and his brother, Fon Benjamin Vutsibuong Vubangsi, enthroned.
He said on May 17, 2004, the Kedjom-Keku people had a farmer-grazier problem with one Alhadji Yousifou in the Bamenda High Court, which he attended.
"On my way back, I was illegally and unjustly blocked by Kedjom-Keku women and some men. I quickly reported the matter to the SDO for Mezam," he wrote.
Vugah said the SDO quickly summoned some Fons of Mezam to his village to look into the matter and they were told to remain calm, for a meeting was scheduled for June 6, 2004, to resolve the matter.
The dethroned Fon said, "before June 6, they had taken my brother, Vubangsi and enthroned him Chief in my palace when I am still alive. This is an abomination. Even if I am dead, it is my son to take over my throne not my brother".
He said his property was confiscated, "My wives and children have been driven from my palace and their belongings confiscated."
Vubah said his family has been stranded and plunged into "hardship for the past 11 months now."
He pleaded with the administration of Mezam to invite the kingmakers, notables, sub-chiefs and quarterheads, so that he can defend himself, then go back to his palace "with my wives".
Some Fons of Mezam who met in the palace of Fon Angwafor III of Mankon drafted a memorandum to the Mezam SDO dated March 27, in defence of the ousted Fon.
They called on the administration to protect chieftaincy institution, "from erosion, mutilation and attacks from groups and individuals."
Reminding the Mezam SDO, Robertson Tado, of a press release of 8/6/04 No. 00320/L/E.29/F5, which he signed declaring null and void the designation of Benjamin Vubangsi Vutsibuong as Fon of Kedjom-Keku village, the Fons called on the SDO not to budge.
Fon Angwafor III, Fon Fubuzie of Chomba and Fon Ndifkum III of Akum, who signed the memo, said the elite of Kedjom-Keku have "manipulated their unquestioning and gullible masses into mob actions which have deprived the Fon, his wives, children and dependants, numbering about 135, of a home."
The Mezam Fons say for over a year now, the Fon and his family have lost everything including the palace. "The present decision forestalling the installation of another Fon and promising punishment for defaulting groups or individuals by the Mezam SDO should be enforced," the Fons pleaded.
Describing the present ruler of Kedjom-Keku as an impostor, the Fons complained to the administration that he stealthily operates in the village in total defiance of current administrative injunctions.
Fon Angwafor and his group appealed to the administration to appoint a commission to probe into the matter to right the wrongs. They are requesting "the government to bring to book the impostor and his accomplices so as to halt these rebellious acts being perpetuated against traditional norms."
Speaking to The Post, one of the 16 kingmakers, Ngewih Asunkwain, distanced himself from the report purportedly written by the elite of Kedjom-Keku and presented to the Mezam SDO by the ousted Fon.
"It is too late for him to be begging for reconciliation now. His resignation letter of January 2, 2004, which he signed and coincidentally left in the palace before abdicating is with the administration.
One thing remains very clear, the Kwifon of the land that enthroned him as Fon, dethroned him because of his misdeeds," Asunkwain said.
He said the same Kwifon with all the kingmakers, notables and sub-chiefs did their job in enthroning the present ruler, HRH Fon Benjamin Vubangsi Vutsibuong".
It is interesting that the Fons feel at liberty to deviate from established cultural norms and yet consider it their prerogative to speak in defense of same cultural norms when it concerns one of theirs that has been acting in defiance of said cultural norms. it is against cultural norms for a Fon to think evil about a subject let alone killing the subject.
Have the petitioning Fons not been the silent observers when their members test the limists of these norms? The sooner the Fons realize that they owe it to those over whom they are Fons, they as an institution will soon be classed an endangered species. When the Fons begin to look to the administration for their preservation, the same administration that would have since had them on the garbage heap of history, it requires no science to see how much they are cultivating their own doom.
NDI MANJONG (Leominster, MA, USA).
Posted by: Ndi Manjong | Sunday, 01 May 2005 at 02:46 PM