Cameroon :Fon Chafah of Bangolan ‘dethroned’,But embattled Fon says it’s all lies

Simo Shuh
Feb 21, 2016
2 min read

Uneasy calm seems to be reigning in Bangolan, Ngoketunjia division, Northwest region on the heels of claims and counter claims of a palace coup that has dethroned Fon Chafah Isaac XI. The population of Bangolan contended to have witnessed a dramatic twist of events in their Fondom on Wednesday, February 10, 2016 when village king makers drawn from the village’s dreaded secret society surprised Ngoketunjia administration, forces of law and order and some fons, when they dethroned their Fon, Chafah Isaac XI in broad day light.

Contacted by telephone, Fon Chafah supposedly replying from Yaounde, where he was attending a meeting bearing on his position as Fon of Bangolan described as unfounded and mischievous any attempts to impute instability into his fondom. “It is a lie. I have not been dethroned. I’m currently attending a meeting of traditional rulers in Yaoundé where I am Secretary General,” Chafah said. However, spokesperson for the coup plotters, Musa Munyanda, has called on villagers to remain calm amid unprecedented action taken against their fon. He posited that it had reached a level where Bangolan people could no more persevere but take immediate action declared Bangolan royal throne vacant with Fon Chafah having nothing doing in the palace. The spokesman went further to name one Ndifor Njingteh as care taker of the village. Beside, Musa Munyanda continued that quarter heads appointed by the dethroned Fon have been summarily sacked. He therefore, called on all Bangolan quarters to elect new quarter heads and present same to the care taker and traditional notables for commissioning. Speaking to the Ngoketunjia administration led by the SDO, Kwela Valeri in the company of D.O central for Ndop and Babessi including the fons of Baba I, Babessi and Bambalang, the spokesperson averred that they have taken their destiny into their hands following pains Bangolan villagers have been suffering in the hands of Chafah Isaac XI. “We, the people of this village are peaceful people, reason why we took a peaceful decision to dethrone our Fon” He said henceforth, their dethroned fon will be known as prince Isaac Mbunkah. The population was told that Fon Chafah Isaac dethroned himself the day he dug up the village’s tall ancestral stone which is believed to protect the entire village. Curiously, Fon Chafah remained in the palace through out the period sanctions were meted on him while the SDO’S entourage and Fons of Baba I, Bambalang and Babessi remained mute at the palace plaza watching the event as it was unfolding. Before last Wednesday February 10, 2016 dethronement, Fon Chafah had served president general of the Northwest Fon’s union (NOWEFU) and current secretary general of Cameroon’s Association of Traditional Rulers.