Calamity befalls NW House of Chiefs President!.

The much-trumpeted North West Heritage Festival, which he has been working towards staging in the first week of December, is now in doubt.

On another front, Fon Yakum is facing scathing criticisms for issuing query letters and summons to Senator Enwe Francis Abi and the Mayor of the Bafut Council, Ngwakongoh Lawrence, over wearing of certain designs of traditional regalia.

The series of unfortunate events and negative energy surrounding the initiative championed by Fon Yakum Kevin, are now being described by some observers as a calamity that has befallen the traditional ruler. 

NW governor indicts Fon Yakum, sets tough conditions for festival

The latest of what is being described as a calamity that has befallen the traditional ruler of Bambalang, is the call to order by the governor of the North West Region, Adolphe Lele Lafrique.

It concerns the festival being spearheaded by Fon Yakum. The maiden edition of the event, which Fon Yakum named: “North West Heritage Festival of Peace, Reconciliation and Sustainable Development”, is billed for the first week of December 2024.

However, the staging of the said festival, which sought to promote peace and the rich cultural values of the grassfield Region, is now in jeopardy. 

Governor Lele Lafrique, in a correspondence dated November 27, 2024, a copy of which The Guardian Post has stumbled on, has faulted Fon Yakum for not respecting the laws in place. 

The note was addressed to the President of the Regional Executive Council, Prof Fru Angwafo III, with subject: “Organisation of the Heritage Festival”.

In the correspondence, Governor Adolphe Lele has drawn the attention of the North West Regional President to the non-respect of a series of laws by Fon Yakum, who is his Vice President, in relation to the organsiation of the festival. 

Requests to legalise AHFONEWE rejected

The administrative authority disclosed that the request for legalisation of the Association of Heritage Festival of the North West, AHFONEWE, created by the House of Chiefs’ President, after his resignation from the Organising Committee of the festival, has been rejected.

The rejection, Governor Lele disclosed, is by letter No.340/L/E-29 of 08/10/2024, of the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO of Mezam, Simon Emile Mooh. 

Governor fingers Fon for violating laws

To buttress his point on  Fon Yakum not respecting the laws in force, the Governor wrote: “Cognisance of the fact that the organisation of cultural festivals is also governed by legal instruments like Law No. 2019/024 of 24/12/2019, to institute the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities, in its Sections 359 (1) and 337 (2) and Degree No.2021/746 of 28/12/2021, to lay down conditions governing the exercise of some powers devolved by the State upon Regions in the area of tourism and leisure, in its Article 2,8,9 and particular Article 10, which stipulates that: ‘Regions may authorise a natural or legal person to organise a leisure socio-cultural event, in accordance with the regulations in force’, none of which have been respected by your Vice President”.

Governor Lele requested the North West Executive Council President to draw the attention of his Vice President to “the strict respect of Republican laws and regulations governing the organisation of festivals in Cameroon”.

The governor warned that “failure of which any activities carried under the umbrella of this unrecognised association shall be considered as a calculated attempt to bridge the much-cherished public peace, yearned by North West population and may attract corresponding administrative sanctions”. 

Fon Yakum under fire for summoning officials over traditional regalia 

The North West House of Chiefs President is also under fire for summoning officials over the wearing of certain regalia.

Fon Yakum, had in a letter addressed to Senator Enwe Francis, on November 25, 2024, a copy of which The Guardian Post obtained, demanded clarification on the use of a particular traditional cap.

“I am writing concerning a matter that has been brought to my attention, regarding the use of traditional regalia. I have been reliably informed that you were seen in Yaounde recently, wearing a cap and such a cap has a cultural significance, which its use is reserved,” Fon Yakum wrote.

In the same note attributed to him, he added that: “I would like to invite you to provide clarification on the circumstances surrounding its use. I kindly request that you present yourself to the North West House of Chiefs, on Tuesday December 3, 2024, to discuss this matter. Please bring the cap in question for reference”.

He had also written a similar letter to the Mayor of Bafut Council, Ngwakongoh Lawrence, also requesting clarification over a traditional regalia worn by the municipal authority. 

“I have been informed that you were seen in Foumban, on Saturday 23, November 2024, wearing a cap with a cultural significance, which its use is reserved,” Fon Yakum wrote to Mayor Ngwakongoh, maintaining the same tone and date as that given to Senator Enwe.

Governor calls Fon Yakum to order again 

Smarting from the two summons, Governor Adolphe Lele has also called out the North West House of Chiefs President over his decision to convoke Senator Enwe and the mayor of Bafut.

His call to order is contained in a correspondence dated November 27, 2024, and addressed to the President of the Regional Executive Council, with subject: “Clarification on the use of Traditional Regalia”.

Governor Lele informed Prof Fru Angwafor III that: “Should this be true, and in order to put an end to such unorthodox mode of operation to ensure the respect of human rights, duly ratified by Cameroon, I hereby request you to refer him to Law No: 2019/024 of 24/12/2019, instituting the General Code of Regional and Local Authorities, in its Sections 359 and 337, and other relevant provisions, which clearly state the functions of the President and Vice President of the Regional Executive Council”

Governor Lele, while citing Law No.2019/024 of 24/12/2019, said: “The House of Chiefs is not a tribunal and therefore has no right whatsoever to neither determine nor question any individual on his/her dressing code, be it formal or traditional”.

He termed the letter from Fon Yakum to Senator Enwi and the Mayor of Bafut as “abuse of power as well as infringement into the personal rights of individuals, which is contrary to the laws and regulations of the Republic and with legal consequences”.

While some school of thoughts hold that Fon Yakum over-estimated his powers as President of the North West House of Chiefs, by summoning a Senator to his office, others say he did so in his capacity as the guarantor of the Region’s cultures and traditions.

Sources close to Senator Enwe Francis have, however, argued that Fon Yakum has no right to question him [Senator Enwe], over a traditional cap he was decorated with, by Widikum Fons. 

We gathered that he was decorated with the cap, after he was crowned with the highest title of Widikum land, Ata Widikum.

Going by Senator Enwe’s supporters, the recent outing by the President of the North West House of Chiefs, is just a continuation of the “victimisation he [Senator Enwe] has been subjected to, since his recent groundbreaking homecoming to Widikum, during which he pulled out many Amba fighters from the bushes, to the DDR centre in Bamenda”.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3305 of Friday November 29, 2024