Royal family under threat after heir abandons throne

BY Tarhyang Enow Tabe

The Royal Family of Anjake Village is reported to been under threat following the disappearance of the heir apparent Egbe Roger Egbe. He was proclaimed the successor to his father who died since 1999. It is over 14 years and the throne is run by a reagent while a frantic search had been launched to track him down for abdicating the throne, an act which is considered a taboo in the village.Egbe had disappeared in unclear circumstances, after he had sneaked away when the village kingmakers had accosted him and tried to force him with traditional rites.Egbe, a known practicing Catholic youth was caught between tradition and religion but maintained his loyalty to the latter.

It is in this light that the youngster reportedly moved to Douala and back to the village with the hope that memories of him would be forgotten, but with respect to the rigid tradition, none of his siblings would be made king while he is still alive. It is believed that such decision would anger the gods and the ancestors, who is believed to have a strong influence in maintaining order in the village through the throne. It is presumably against such a background that Egbe reportedly left the village for Douala where he reportedly stayed in hiding till nothing was heard of him after several years.

Recently there were reports that his mother and siblings have not been free from the hands of the villagers and kingsmen who believe Egbe has violated tradition. Sources at the village confirmed Egbe’s mother a fervent Catholic Christian has been arrested and detained several times in the police station without a charge in an attempt to get to know the where about of his son.

Reports say Egbe’s mother was beaten several times while in police custody. Information from close source revealed that Egbe’s mum and siblings had couple of times ran away for safety from their hometown , but unfortunately for them the kingmakers always use the police to peruse them.

A person who pleaded anonymity told this reporter that Egbe had made two secret trips to Cameroon in an attempt to resettle her mother and siblings in another region where they could be free from the hands of the kingsmen, but despite that the kingsmen are able to track their where about and bring them back. Since the kingsmen now believe Egbe is alive and hiding somewhere, there are now mounting pressure on his mother and siblings to have them revealed the whereabouts of Egbe.

It should also be noted that Egbe’s mother and siblings are going through this torments and persecutions because of her Christian believes. She and her children are catholic Christians and have nothing to do with traditional rites and rituals. They have all along supported Egbe not to take the chieftaincy position, and because of that, they had received constant threats and maltreatments from the kingsmen and the police. They have on several occasions been beaten in an attempt to persuade them from their religious beliefs and to lure them to say the where about of Egbe, the heir apparent. 

Egbe’s case is not an isolated one as another promising student in a University in the country’s capital, Yaounde, was compelled to leave studies to assume his late father’s throne in nearby Nkwenbong Village. 21-year-old Ngongwa Kum was almost maimed by kingmakers two years ago as he tried to escape being made king. Kum now sits on the village throne with his numerous inherited wives and a lost educational future.

Forceful Coronation

While it is difficult to curb something like witchcraft, which is another vice perpetrated in most villages, issues like inheritance and forceful coronations have remained entrenched in the North West and West Regions. In these areas, it is normal for a dying father to designate his successor who manages his property and assumes his position in the village secret society. It is even more difficult for those of the royal family who are likely to succeed their fathers as chief.

In coastal regions like in the Littoral and Southwest, it is more prestigious to be chief. Here chiefs are enlightened, less inclined to secret societies and marrying many wives. However, in the North West, Chiefs (usually called fons) marry many wives (some are known to have over 100 wives), most of them inherited from their fathers including their own mothers. Besides, they are expected to be custodians of their traditional institutions such as secret societies and perform their conjugal duties as husband. When a young man has been designated by his father, he is forbidden to turn down the decision.

Knowing that many ambitious young people would escape if they have fore knowledge of the decision, kingmakers keep such decisions of the chief secret and upon his death this would be disclosed and the king makers would do all to enforce it. Many prospective chiefs are now living as fugitives away from home for fear of being identified by their people. Meanwhile, despite government’s subtle condemnation of such practices, it is unable to actually intervene since traditional is very strong and an integral part of the over 250 ethnic groups.

However, it is not true that all designated chiefs detest the throne.

Hard core traditionalists seek it with all their might and are warm towards the prospects of marrying hundreds of women and exerting power over mostly illiterate subjects. But the influence of Christianity and the lure of better life offered by education cause youngsters to resist such pecks that keep them in the village till old age.