Wone Bakundu Village gets new chief

HRH Chief NJASOMO MERTIN NJEMO was homologated by prefectoral order no. 72/2016 of 3rd March 2016, putting an end to the chieftaincy crisis that has existed since 2011.

By Atemnkeng Evaristius in Kumba

The newly Homologated chief of

Wone village

The dust has finally settled on the chieftaincy saga in Wone Bakundu village in Konye Sub-division, in Meme Division of the South west Region. Prefectoral Order No. 72/2016 of 3rd March 2016 has homologated and designated Mr. Njasomo Martin Njemo as the 3rdclass chief of Wone Bakundu Village in Konye Sub-division, Meme Division.

                Chief Njasomo’s homologation therefore puts an end to a long chieftaincy crisis that left Wone village without a chief for over four years, after the former chief, HRH Odime Peter Mokwelle died on 12 February 2011.

                As the villagers set out to select a new chief, the king-makers were divided as to the mode of selection. While some said access to the throne is by hereditary, the majority maintained that it was by election.

                The two aspirants to throne Nelson Odime and Njasomo Martin respectively also held contradictory opinions as to how chieftaincy is done in their village. While Nelson Odime said it was by hereditary, Njasomo held his grounds it was by election.  

                From historical facts investigated by this reporter, the following chiefs from different families have manned the Wone throne: The first was chief Mindako lazarus (Gazetted) from 1963, (from the Bombessi family); the second was Chief Yonne Bernard Lobe (prefectoral order) from 1990-2000 (from the Bianja family); the 3rd was chief Odime Simon Obase who ruled from 2000-2006 (prefectoral order) from the Bondongo family and 4th was Chief Odime Peter Mokwelle from 2008-2011 also from Bondongo family.

                From the foregoing therefore, it emerged that three (3) families have ruled over the throne of Wone village up to date, thereby proving that the throne is not hereditary as claimed by Nelson Odine and some of the kingmakers.

                The D.O of Konye of Konye also did not help matters in his handling of the chieftaincy crisis. Despite holding three successive consultative talks, notably on 22 November 2012; on 30 March 2013 and on 25 October 2014 with the kingmakers, the DO still wanted to impose on the people that chieftaincy should be by hereditary. This pushed the kingmakers to petition the SDO for Meme Division challenging the DO’s stance.

                In the midst of the crisis the SDO for meme, Koulbout Aman David, convened a meeting on 24 February 2016, which was attended by the D.O for Konye Sub-division, the seven (7) Kingmakers representing the seven families and the two aspirants to the throne- Odine Nelson Obase and Martin Njasomo Njemo.

                During the meeting all the seven Kingmakers confirmed that accession to the Wone Bakundu village throne is elective and not hereditary. They maintained that any industrious son of the village can become chief provided he is chosen by the people.

                With this clarification, the seven kingmakers were then requested to choose from between the two candidates who is fit to mount the throne of Wone Bakundu village.  The majority of the Kingmakers chose Mr. Martin Njasomo Njemo.

                In his closing remarks, the SDO congratulated the kingmakers for their positive contributions and requested them to convey their positive stand point to the villagers of Wone.

                Mr. Martin Njasomo Njemo was consequently requested to submit his file to the D.O of Konye Sub-division for onward transmission to the SDO’s office for further action. And that was how Martin Njasomo became homologated by the SDO for Meme as the new 3rd class chief of Wone Bakundu.

                It is the hope of the villagers that with the new chief now known, the hindrances to the progress of the village would be cleared and  much needed development will now come to the village.