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His Majesty receives at the Palace of Kings, a 13th century buildingand century, located in an island of calm and greenery in the middle of the town of Bafoussam. Njitack Ngompé Pele is 97and representative of a dynasty that has reigned for more than eight hundred years and survived colonization and then independence. “My role is to occupy royal functions, that is to say those of a head of state, he declares to World. But today, we are forced to follow the laws of the Republic. As such, we help public authorities to administer better. For example, I have the responsibility of supervising the population on a cultural, social or economic level. »
Bafoussam, the third largest city in Cameroon, is the capital of the Mifi department and the West region. With approximately 340,000 inhabitants, it is the most important agglomeration of the Bamiléké country, a people of central Africa. This is where several meetings of the African Cup of Nations (CAN) have been played, and where the West African derby between Senegal and Cape Verde is taking place today (5 p.m.) . In this region of high plateaus, nothing would have been possible without the agreement of the supreme chief.
The tens of kilometers of roads made to accommodate the 33and CAN, as well as the construction of the 20,000-seat stadium, were achieved thanks to its ” blessing “ and several mediations. “We are the craftsmen of this CAN, assures Njitack Ngompé Pélé, who acceded to the throne in December 1988 after the death of his father, Elie Ngompé Tchountchoua, monarch for thirty years. We fought hard and did everything we could to facilitate the project,” particularly in terms of land “because the enclosure was built on our territory”.
“All the knowledge of our ancestors”
In Bamileke country, dozens of extremely hierarchical traditional chiefdoms are placed under the authority of the king. They function like microstates. Among them is Baleng, a village in the agglomeration of Bafoussam composed of 18 sub-chieftainships which must ensure several major rituals: initiations, purifications, parades… “We consider the mystical aspect of things, explains the king of Bafoussam who is called the “Fo”. We use all the knowledge of our ancestors. We believe that a panther or a lion, for example, does not appear for fun but to convey a message to us. During the opening ceremony of the CAN, the Head of State respected this by showing a video where a lion roared above the Olembé stadium. »
In many areas, local authorities, especially mayors, must obtain the consent of traditional chiefdoms to ensure the support of local populations. “Since 2012, the Baleng Kingdom has been ruled by its 21and king, Fo Negou II, explains Pierre Hilaire Tassa Nofewe, cultural heritage manager of Baleng. In our territory, we have spiritual sites and shrines that we consider sacred spaces that serve as places of worship for ritual practices. » In the surroundings of Baleng, one can discover certain clearings arranged in places of sacrifices or incantations.
The king regularly intervenes in customary judgments. “In the event of conflicts between people of the Bafoussam people, here or within the diaspora, I am the first person who must be seized, indicates Njitack Ngompé Pele. We do not render justice, but we make reconciliations between populations so that they participate in socio-economic development. »
“Sacred Lake”
With nearly 114,000 cases of contamination and 1,867 deaths since the start of the pandemic, Cameroon is one of the countries in the sub-region most affected by Covid-19. “even if there are only a small number of severe cases and deaths”recognizes Yap Boum, regional representative of Epicenter, the Research and Epidemiology branch of Doctors Without Borders (MSF). To attend CAN matches, the government and the Confederation of African Football had imposed the vaccination of supporters and the presentation of a PCR test. This obligation has gone badly in a country where only 6% of the population has received its first injection, and where adherence to traditional medicines is considerable.
The local chiefdoms had to act as intermediaries. “Africa has been less affected by Covid-19 thanks to its potions and prevention measures such as barrier gestures, enacted by our government, replies the Fo. Today we popularized these potions so that no one can ignore them. Those who cannot access it can obviously turn to modern medicine. »
About ten kilometers from downtown Bafoussam, at the end of a laterite track that ends in a cul-de-sac, is a peaceful lake surrounded by abundant vegetation. For several centuries, the lake has been said to have supernatural powers. According to belief, it would be enough to drink a little of its water while making a wish for it to come true. “I asked the sacred lake to finally find me a husband, assures Mariam, a supporter of Senegal. I also asked him that the Lions of Teranga win the CAN. » The Cameroonians of Bafoussam have requested the same for their team.
