Cameroon: Limbe Chieftaincy Stool Still Vacant
Francis Tim Mbom
11 August 2008
Three years after the Paramount Chief of Limbe, Ferguson Billa Manga Williams, died, the chieftaincy stool still remains vacant.
As tradition demands, the kingmakers of the Limbe chiefdom together with members of the ruling family were expected to find a successor.But immediately after the Chief's death, the SDO's office became inundated with applications from several quarters, each seeking to fill the vacant seat.
Among the lot were the elder brother to the late Chief, Prince Jesco Manga Williams and David Nanjia Carr.But since the death of Chief Billa Manga Williams, the Fako administration has at no time called up consultative talks to designate a new chief as it has been doing in other neighbouring villages such as Mukundange.
It was at the backdrop of government's silence over the issue that the elder brother of the late Chief, Price Jesco, called a press conference on Friday, August 8, at his Down Town Limbe residence to re-echo what he claims is his de facto right to succeed his late younger brother.
Jesco laid the blame for the lack of a paramount chief in Limbe squarely on the government. He said the Manga Williams family of which he is the eldest, had met over a year ago at his residence in the presence of some members of the then SDO of Fako, the Police Commissioner of Limbe, and his family designated him to replace his late brother.
"I wrote many letters to the SDO to state that I am now prepared to taker over the paramount chieftaincy of Limbe and that a meeting should be called. The SDO called a meeting where people came and, in fact, everybody who came was of the agreement that I should be the chief. But the SDO said he would send his recommendations to the Governor," Jesco said.
Following the inaction of the Fako administration, Jesco said that at one point he had to confront the Southwest Governor over the issue, but like the Fako administration, the Governor never acted.
"If the Governor knew that I am not the one to be installed, he would have given his reasons and not just sit quiet and leave matters to lie to the detriment of the country," Jesco bemoaned.
He added that he, in the midst of this feet-dragging, wrote to the Prime Minister's office. But he said till date, he has not received any reply.Prince Jesco said he is totally dissatisfied with government's attitude in handling the Limbe paramount chieftaincy palaver.
Basis Of Claim
Prince Jesco seems to hinge his claim to the Limbe paramount chieftaincy; first on the fact that he was born to the late Paramount Chief of Limbe, John Manga Williams.Secondly, Jesco says while their father died in 1960, he, as the elder brother of late Ferguson, was studying law in London.
He said he was called home to come and take over from his late father, but because of his studies, he passed the regency to his younger brother, Ferguson who ruled till his death on July 9, 2005.
Ferguson's Will At Variance
Contrary to Jesco's claims, the late Ferguson's will gives the next of kin to the present General Manager of Cameroon Development Corporation, CDC, Henry Njalla Quan.Jesco admitted that during the meeting that was called up at his residence some time ago, the SDO had produced a will supposedly left by Ferguson designating Njalla Quan as his successor.
But he stated that the will was at odds with tradition on grounds that a chiefdom was an institution whose successor cannot be determined by the fate of a will but rather by the people.
Jesco maintained that after the demise of his late brother, the Manga Williams family had met designated him as the next of kin as per tradition."What is wrong with the will is that a person cannot will an institution to someone or individual which is controlled by the people and by the government," he said, adding that by tradition, it is not the place of the chief to make a will and appoint someone.
Schemers
Meanwhile, Jesco has dismissed claims by other contenders to the throne, such as the Carrs. He presented to the press a certificate that was awarded to his late father in 1928 as recognition from the King of England at the time for his devoted services as ruler of the Victoria Province of the Cameroons.
Jesco said he was the only genuine candidate for the throne; "so far, there has been no clear case. I am the only one, the rest are just scheming." He said he was the paramount chief and wants the government to install him.
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Says “I Can’t Wait Any Longer”