Mamfe – Cameroon: The crowning of South West Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai as “Nfor Ba Nfor”—Chief of Chiefs of Manyu—must rank among the most embarrassing and degrading spectacles witnessed in Manyu in recent memory.
According to the chiefs who bestowed the title, the Governor deserved the honor because of his role during the nine-year conflict and because the Kumba-Mamfe road was completed during his tenure. Let us begin with the road.
Since when did the construction of a public road funded by taxpayers become grounds for crowning a government administrator king? Was the road built with Bernard Okalia’s personal money? Was it a gift from his family? Is it not the duty of the government to provide infrastructure?
If roads are now the qualification for becoming “Chief of Chiefs,” then every Minister of Public Works should immediately be crowned king wherever a bridge is constructed. The argument is ridiculous. Even more insulting is the claim that the Governor deserves the title because of his “efforts” during the conflict.
What efforts? The chiefs owe the people of Manyu an answer. Are they referring to the thousands displaced from Eyumojock, Akwaya, and surrounding areas? Are they referring to families who fled into neighboring Nigeria and remain there years later? Are they referring to communities that continue to suffer insecurity and military operations? Are they referring to civilians whose lives have been shattered by a conflict that has devastated the social and economic fabric of Southern Cameroons?
Yet they somehow found the energy, time, and enthusiasm to crown a colonial administrator as Chief of Chiefs. That is why this act deserves to be described as chieftaincy prostitution. The comparison is harsh, but very appropriate.
A prostitute sacrifices dignity in exchange for anticipated reward. What happened in Mamfe bears uncomfortable similarities. These chiefs laid down the pride of their institutions, sacrificed the honor of their customs, and disregarded the sentiments of their people in exchange for proximity to power and the possibility of future favors.
The title was not bestowed because the people demanded it. It was bestowed because some chiefs wanted to demonstrate loyalty. That is not leadership. That is submission. History warns us about such behavior.
In 1984, President Paul Biya was crowned “Fon of Fons” in Bamenda. The fanfare was enormous. The praise was endless. The promises were many. But what did Bamenda receive in return? For decades, the city became a symbol of neglect. Roads deteriorated. Infrastructure crumbled. Entire neighborhoods were buried under dust during the dry season and mud during the rainy season. The title brought prestige to the recipient but little benefit to the ordinary people. Have the chiefs of Buea and Manyu learned nothing from that experience? Apparently not.
The timing of this coronation makes the situation even worse. At a moment when many people across The Southern Cameroons openly reject rule by administrators sent from Yaoundé, traditional rulers gathered to elevate one of those very administrators above all indigenous chiefs.The symbolism could not be more offensive. It sends a message that the feelings, sacrifices, and aspirations of ordinary people matter less than political convenience.
And what exactly does it mean for a non-indigene to become Chief of Chiefs? Titles carry meaning. Titles carry authority. Titles carry symbolism. Today it may be ceremonial. Tomorrow it may become something more. One cannot help but ask: What prevents an ambitious politician from using such honors to claim influence over traditional affairs, land matters, and local authority?
The question may sound exaggerated today, but history teaches us that power has a habit of expanding beyond its original boundaries. The chiefs may laugh now. But institutions are weakened when titles are distributed carelessly. Most disturbing of all is the message sent to future generations. Traditional institutions were supposed to preserve identity, culture, and collective memory.
Instead, some appear increasingly willing to transform sacred offices into instruments of political patronage. That is not honor. That is desecration. The chiefs involved owe the people of Manyu answers. They owe explanations because this title was not bestowed in a vacuum.
It was bestowed in the midst of a conflict that has displaced families, divided communities, and transformed the lives of countless Southern Cameroonians. The people will judge whether this was an act of wisdom or an act of cowardice and surrender. History certainly will. And history has a way of remembering those who traded the dignity of their institutions for applause from power.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Bernard Okalia Bilai?
Bernard Okalia Bilai is the Governor of the South West Region of Cameroon, a senior government administrator appointed by President Paul Biya from Yaoundé.
What does Nfor Ba Nfor mean?
Nfor Ba Nfor is a traditional title in the Manyu Division of Cameroon’s South West Region, meaning “Chief of Chiefs” — the highest honorary chieftaincy rank in the area.
Why is the crowning of Okalia Bilai controversial?
The crowning is controversial because it was bestowed on a non-indigene government official during an active conflict that has displaced thousands of Manyu people, raising serious questions about the political motivations behind the honor and the dignity of traditional institutions.
What is the Anglophone crisis?
The Anglophone crisis is an armed conflict that began in 2017 in Cameroon’s Northwest and Southwest regions, where English-speaking communities took up arms demanding independence or federalism after years of political and cultural marginalization by the French-speaking-dominated central government.
