- The breath of the sand
- BBC News, Bamenda
4 hours ago
The king who “disappeared”
For the Mankon people, who live in the grassy fields of northwest Cameroon, their king known as the “Fon” or “Fo” never dies, he simply disappears.
So regional governor Adolphe Lilly infuriated the Mancon people when he broke a taboo by announcing the death of 97-year-old Fon Angoafor III late last month.
“The Fon is the custodian of all the lands in Mancon, it is the source of our cultural spring, it is the fountain of our spirituality, it is the bridge to the old days…here, now and hereafter,” said attorney Joseph Fro-Uah, a prominent figure in the Mancon people.
After ascending to the throne in 1959, Fon Angoafor III was the first king to receive a Western education. And he went to school on the days when the royal children were out of the classroom, to protect them from what was considered a common sight.
Angoafor III continued his studies to qualify as an agricultural technician in a country where agriculture is a part of everyday life for many people.
Like all Mancon kings, he was polygamous, and according to tradition the number of his wives was never revealed. But to say he had about 12 wives would be a conservative estimate, and he is also believed to have had dozens of sons.
Fon Angoafor III is often referred to as King Solomon the Wise by his subjects.
“He always seemed like a teacher,” said Evelyn Fong, who has met the king on numerous occasions. “Every time I met him I would leave with some intellectual nourishment and a lot of humor.”
picture released, BBC/RANDY JOE SA’AH
The mourning for the king was followed by festivities after the inauguration of the new king
But it has had its fair share of criticism. When colonial rule ended in the 1960s, Angoafor III was one of the architects of the unification of the French and English colonial lands in what is now Cameroon.
The Kingdom of Mankon is one of the largest English-speaking kingdoms in Cameroon and is home to hundreds of thousands of people.
Some defenders of the secession of English-speaking Cameroon have never forgiven Fon Angoafor III for his support for unity.
It is rare to find a monarch who has also served in Parliament, and Angoafor III made history by being the first, and even the only, independent deputy in Cameroon from 1962 to 1988.
In 1990 he became the vice-chairman of the ruling party under Paul Biya, the autocratic president of Cameroon. He remained in office until his “disappearance”.
His critics felt that as a king, he should not engage in partisan politics, but he defended his decision insisting that he was the “father of all” and that his involvement in politics was aimed at advancing the development of societies.
Shedding tears is a taboo
It took 3 long weeks before the kuifor, the secret supreme council of king-makers of the Macon people, officially announced the “disappearance” of the king.
Until then, people would whisper phrases like “there is smoke in the palace”, refusing even to say that their king had “disappeared”, even though he was actually “buried” in a sacred place unknown to the public.
picture released, BBC/RANDY JOE SA’AH
Mancon men are not allowed to wear hats during the mourning period
It is reported that the Mancon people consider it a taboo to say that a king has been buried.
Once his “disappearance” was announced on May 29, the men did not wear hats, and the women did not work in agriculture as a sign of respect for the king.
The mourning reached its climax on June 7, when tens of thousands of people attended the royal palace in Bamenda, a palace that dates back 300 years. With a population of about 500,000, Bamenda is the heart of Mancon.
But no one sheds a tear. It is hateful to cry over the lost fon.
Throwing pebbles at the new king
Men and women wore skirts made of dried banana stalks or bamboo. The upper part of their bodies was bare, except for the women wearing black bras.
The new king, the son of the Fon Angoafor III, barefoot and bare-chested, a white piece of cloth wrapped around his waist, and flanked by members of the Council of Quefors, walked into the palace court.
picture released, BBC/RANDY JOE SA’AH
Presenting the new king, who carries a staff, to his subjects
The crowd gently threw pebbles, small stones, grass, and leaves at him, in a symbolic ritual to show that this was the last time a commoner would hurt him, or disrespect him.
As he was pelted, the new king rushed to the palace, while his subjects walked to the nearby streams to wash away the ashes they had smeared on their bodies.
They then don their best traditional clothing, including colorful handmade gowns and headpieces, before returning to the royal court.
It is a time of joy and celebration to commemorate the “reincarnation” of the lost Fon in his successor.
“The Fon Angoafor III took power, then disappeared as if withdrawing to be reborn, then reappears with renewed vigor, serving as an eternal flame for the Macon people,” says Ntomenifor Richard Frue, general secretary of the Mancon traditional council.
Thus, Angwafor John Asah, who had been chosen by the “missing” king as his heir, came out of the palace.
He wore a reddish loincloth, which members of the Kuifor Council raised on an intricately carved chair to signify that he was “reclining”, as the Mancon people call the installation of their king “reclining”.
picture released, BBC/RANDY JOE SA’AH
The new king sat on a chair symbolizing his throne
The crowd cheered on the palace square when, for the first time, the cuyphores announced the new names of the king: Alfon Fru Asa Ah Ndefro Angoafor IV.
“Who wants to miss an event that took 63 years to happen? It may not happen again in my lifetime,” said Adeline Ngoti, who went to the palace to witness the historic occasion.
Her twin sister, Irene, added: “We are all here to welcome our new king in a strict traditional way, this is what our culture requires… I hope the new Fon will be a great guardian of our traditions just like his father.”
picture released, BBC/RANDY JOE SA’AH
The coronation of a king is a once-in-a-lifetime event for many people
But one ritual was missing, the ceremonial shooting of Mankon men with their hunting rifles. The government has since banned gunfire, usually fired in traditional ceremonies, due to a rebellion by armed groups demanding the secession of English-speaking Cameroon.
It was a poignant reminder of the conflict that has plagued the region since 2017, and many hope the new king will help bring peace.