Mankon Fon confers rare title on Abakwa Boy, Felix Mbayu.

This was during a ceremony organised by the Mankon community in Yaounde, Sunday April 28, to welcome their traditional ruler, who was on his maiden visit to the capital city, since his enthronement.

Attended by sons and daughters of Mankon, the event was graced by the presence of the US Ambassador to Cameroon, H.E Christopher John Lamora; representative of the British High Commissioner to Cameroon, as well as the Fons of Bali Nyonga and Mbe villages. 

One of the high points of the event was the traditional distinction conferred on Minister Mbayu Felix. 

Minister Mbayu, fondly called Abakwa Boy, was during the ceremony clad in traditional attire. He was decorated with a red feathered cap.

The Minister Delegate to the Minister of External Relations in charge of Cooperation with the Commonwealth, was conferred a rare title of ‘Nkyanti’, loosely translated to mean organiser or coordinator of the palace. 

Well-deserved recognition 

The President of the North West Regional Assembly, Prof Fru Angwafo III, who doubles as a prince of the Mankon Fondom, asserted that the title conferred on Minister Mbayu is well-deserved. 

“Our minister from Mankon has been elevated to the rank of notable in the royal court of Mankon. He comes out with the wonderful and rare title of Nkyanti,” Prof Fru Angwafo III said. 

The prince of the Mankon Fondom, further explained that the royal title conferred on Minister Mbayu makes him someone who organises, coordinates and make things happen in the Mankon Fondom. 

“I think it is just recognising what the minister has been doing, not just for Mankon, but for the entire North West Region,” he added.  

Titles awarded only to outstanding personalities 

For his part, the President of the Local Oranising Committee of the Mankon Fon’s visit to Yaounde, Nde Fofang Nicolas, explained that Mankon traditional titles are awarded only to individuals with great contribution to the Mankon Fondom, irrespective of where they originate from. 

“We live in an era where Mankon is not limited to a geographic area…this means that a Beti man who is born in the geographical location of Mankon and decides that he is a Mankon son or daughter, is recognised as such,” Nde Fofang explained. 

Nde further underlined that: “We saw that today with the decoration of Minister Mbayu, who is a Mankon child. So being a Mankon person doesn’t suffice having parents who are of Mankon origin but one being dedicated to the Mankon customs and traditions…”.

The Organising Committee President also noted that Minister Mbayu’s contribution to the Mankon Fondom, including the maiden visit of the Fon to Yaounde, have been enormous. 

“There are so many things that have contributed to him getting this title. Some may say his parents are not from Mankon but that is not how we see it. Being a Mankon child is having Mankon at heart. That is what Minister Mbayu is,” Nde Fofang told The Guardian Post. 

He insisted that: “He was born in Mankon, raised in Mankon and did his Secondary Education in Sacred Hearts College Mankon…Minister Mbayu Felix has done everything a bonafide Mankon son or daughter can do for his or her Fondom. He is one of the biggest rallying factors of the Fon’s maiden visit to Yaounde today”.

It’s a call to serve - Minister Mbayu 

Speaking after the royal recognition, Minister Mbayu said the title accorded him is a call to serve. He pledged to be at his best for the Mankon community. 

“It is a call to service and to serve the Mankon people…I will put in my best to render the services deserving of the honour the Fon of Mankon has bestored on me,” the government official said. 

The newly decorated Nkyanti of Mankon Palace added: “We come to this world emptyhanded, will leave emptyhanded. The difference is what we do or leave behind as a legacy. I consider myself as an instrument in God’s hand to be used as the Lord wishes. I humbly put myself at the disposal of my Lord and the Mankon Fondom.”