Kumba: Bafaw stage protest march against Bakundu “overbearing domination”.

Women, men, children and members of the Bafaw secret society, who were later joined by the Nfon of Kumba and Paramout ruler of the Bafaw, Nfon Mukete IV Ekoko, marched to the SDO’s office, the City Council, Mile One and other major spots in Kumba. They were also denouncing what they claimed was the holding of a meeting which was aimed at crowning the paramount ruler of the Bakundus.

The Bafaw argued that it is a provocation that their neighbours of Bakundu programme a sensitive ceremony like coronation of their paramount ruler in another chiefdom without consulting their host.

Prince Ndoki Mukete said: “If that is not a provocation, how will someone leave his house and come to your own house to put up a fire? This is the height of provocation and I don't think we can take it anymore”.

On his part, the head of the Kumba traditional council called on government to revisit the file instituting the original boundaries of Kumba, which will make the Bafaw tribe regain some of its loss territory.

On his part, Mac Akwo, a member of the Bafaw warrior group, BabaNgue, said: “For some time now, we have been hospitable people and it came to our notice that there was an attempt to install another chief within our chiefdom...our hospitality has been misunderstood by our neighbours. We came out to pass a message of warning that such attitude will not be tolerated”

SDO steps in to calm tension

Meanwhile, amidst the mass protest by Bafaw, the Senior Divisional Officer, SDO, of Meme, Ntou'ou Ndong Chamberlain, through his second assistant, rushed to the Kumba City Council and a private hotel in Kumba where the different Bakundu meetings were programmed, and cancelled them till further notice.

The SDO’s intervention was as a result of rising tension amongst the Bafaw who were calling for a total cancellation of the meeting of Bakundus in Kumba. The Bafaw have been insisting that the meetings should be held in any Bakundu village in Meme, not in Kumba central where they will be pouring of libation and incantations.

The SDO’s timely intervention, observers say, prevented what could have been a tribal war between the Bakundus and the Bafaws. The Meme SDO has advised both parties to exercise restraint as a solution to the problem is being sought.

Genesis of the problem

The problem stemmed from an invitation addressed to elite and chiefs of the over 37 Bakundu chiefdoms across Meme division, a copy of which The Guardian Post stumbled on.

The invitation read in part: “The Majesties of Bakundu Land....The President of the Bakundu Chiefs Conference hereby announce a very important meeting of the Bakundu Chiefs Conference to hold on the 4th of February, 2023...”.

“The agenda is to welcome some new Chiefs, discuss reconciliation with elite and make some important declarations ...We shall be having a brief meeting with our elite same day soon after our meeting by 3p.m. at the Kumba City Chambers," the invitation added.

The decision to hold the meeting, many argue, was too early and the timing was not right. However, the organisers believe it was the right thing to do.

Observers say the planned meeting was aimed at putting in place the paramount ruler of the Bakundu while receiving new chiefs. The appointment of the paramount ruler of the Bakundus in Kumba, by implications, keen observers argue, “will rob the Kumba man (Bafaw) of any political position given their minority status”.

The Bafaw also advanced that performing traditional rites in their land means sending their 'gods' away and installing the 'gods' of the Bakundu, which, they say, is unacceptable.

Secret meeting held at least with ghost members

Meanwhile, it is now emerging that a secret Bakundu meeting was later held behind closed doors where some major resolutions where arrived at.

According to our dependable sources, Benjamin Itoe Mutanga was unanimously accepted as the paramount ruler of the Bakundu pending his installation. All attempts to get to Chief Justice Benjamin Mutanga Itoe for comments were futile.