Politics versus tradition:

Dirty Fako CPDM politics infects Buea chieftaincy succession

- Presidency, PM’s Office, MINADT petitioned

- Royal family urges Humphrey Monono and Co. to stay off royal matters

By Moliki Jacob Njoke in Buea

Late Chief SML Endeley

The attention of President Biya has been drawn to the nefarious scheme of some Fako CPDM politicians who are all out to disrupt the peaceful and lawful process of selection of a new chief for the Buea town chiefdom, to succeed the late Nakuve Chief Justice S.M.L. Endeley, who died in May 2015.

                In a petition addressed to the SDO for Fako and the Presidency of the Republic, The Prime Minister’s Office, the MINADT, the SW governor and the DO of Buea copied, the Royal Family of the Buea first class chiefdom – The WonyaLikenye, are accusing Mr. Humphrey EkemaMonono, registrar of the GCE Board and chairman of the Buea Traditional Council, of “poking his nose and scheming to water down the efforts of the King makers and notables of Buea to pre-empt any unfavorable eventualities in the making of the paramount chief of Buea.”

                According to the petition dated 27 June 2016, the WonyaLikenye said they consider Humphrey Monono’s “deviant and destabilizing moves” as shocking, embarrassing and unacceptable.

                “It is shocking and unacceptable that while the people of the chiefdom have toiled and moiled over the last few months to pre-empt any unfavorable eventualities in the making of the chief of the Bakweris, our actions are being watered down by the thieving and ego-seeking tendencies of Mr. Humphrey Monono,” noted the WonyaLikenye in their petition to the SDO.

                The kingmakers and notables noted albeit with utter embarrassment that Humphrey EkemaMonono, the chairman of the Buea traditional council, unilaterally summoned an enlarged meeting of the council, on Sunday 26th June 2016, with the aim to surreptitiously frustrate the peaceful transition process that the Buea throne already knows.

                They expressed fears that with the confusion, animosity and rancor that might now bedevil the succession process, heads may start rolling again and blood spilling, as was the case before the ascension of the late Nakuve SML Endeley to the throne.

                Buea Kingmakers and notables also noted in their petition that in spite of the fact that it is not part of the prerogatives of the traditional council to select a chief, Humphrey EkemaMonono committed the sacrilege of inviting “complete strangers” from other autonomous villages to sit and discuss the vacancy of the Buea town throne, something which is reserved exclusively for the Royal Family and the indigenous notables, as per the traditions and customs of the Bakweri people.

                It was no surprise therefore that several attendees at the controversial enlarged traditional council meeting took turns to criticize Humphrey Monono for smuggling impostors into the royal realm.

                A certain Ekeke Moses for example was quoted as chastising Humphrey Monono for taking chieftaincy matters to the market place.

                “You don’t talk chieftaincy matters in the presence of strangers,” Ekeke was quoted as saying to Monono, wondering what the chiefs of Great Soppo and Small Soppo were doing in conclave.

                Another attendee, EsungamiMokake simply staged a walk-out of the meeting, when Humphrey Ekema presented his one-point agenda for the meeting.

                “This is not the right forum to talk chieftaincy matters. Besides, the new king is already known. Only the administration is now being awaited to endorse our choice,” Esungami was quoted as saying, as he walked out of the meeting venue.

                Yet another speaker, AlabiNjoh, who argued in the meeting that chieftaincy succession in Bakweri land is from father to son, was simply reminded that the late NakuveEndeley did not inherit his throne from his father, but rather from his uncle. Alibi was told that if he considers that the Nakuve’s uncle was his father, then the Nakuve who was also the uncle of Prince Robert EsukaEndeley, the popularly designated heir to the Buea throne, should also be considered as Esuka’s father.

                For his part, the 2nd class chief of Buea, HRH EtinaMonono, told those who questioned his presence at the meeting that he did not come to the meeting to give his opinion on the chieftaincy issue. He said chiefs from other villages have no say in the selection of the chief of another village. His Majesty EtinaMonono said he came to the meeting because he had much respect for the late Nakuve Chief Endeley, and because he wanted to press home the point that in matters of chieftaincy, only the royal family should chose a candidate and present to the villagers, as tradition demands. HRH EtinaMonono therefore urged the WonyaLikenye to come to a consensus, and soon too, on the choice of the Nakuve’s successor.

                According to an informed source in Buea, Humphrey Monono called the meeting because he said he was not satisfied with the way Robert EsukaEndeley was selected.

                But the question many are asking is this that: if Monono says he is not satisfied, he is not satisfied in his capacity as who?

                It is understood that as chairman of the traditional council, Humphrey Monono was only hand-picked by the late chief. He is therefore not a king-maker; only members of the royal family and some quarter heads and notables are.

                The confusion that has now infested the selection process for the next Buea chief is said to be the handwork of some extraneous political forces that are working underground and who are only using Humphrey Monono as their hatchet man.

                The Median learnt that petitions have already been addressed to the president of the Republic, the prime minister and the speaker of the National Assembly to denounce the devilish and ego-seeking activities of these Fako politicians.

                We also learned that Humphrey Monono hails from the WonyaMolio family, an indigenous notable family whose elder, Tata LingongoMokoko, has already endorsed Robert EsukaEndeley as the best choice for the Buea chieftaincy stool.