Chieftaincy and local governance in the Moghamo 1888 -1961

Abstract

The study titled Chieftaincy and Local Governance in Moghamo Clan: 1888-1961 examined the state of chieftaincy in Moghamo clan prior to penetration of European colonisers and the role played by traditional institutions and authorities in local governance during the colonial period. However, the institution of chieftaincy in Moghamo clan was not a colonial creation but an institution that existed before the coming of the Whiteman. Before the arrival of the Whiteman, chieftaincy institutions in Moghamo were already organised socio-politico and ecnonomically and commanded much respect from the indigenes. Like in other areas in the Bamenda Grassfields before the colonial rule, chiefs carried out combined legislative, executive, judicial and military functions assisted by their traditional councils. But the arrival of the Whiteman brought a lot of changes and transformation to this institution. For concrete analysis, the study makes good use of qualitative and quantitative research techniques using both exploratory and content analysis of primary and secondary sources. Based on the assessment made on its role and challenges in local governance in the Moghamo clan area, the study underscored that traditional rulers played a crucial role in local governance in Moghamo clan during the colonial rule but the state of these roles were altered and ushered by a transformation of change as the yesterday‟s monarchs became the errand boys of today during the colonial rule. Traditional governance in Moghamo clan in particular and in the Bamenda Grassfields in general during the German and the British periods, was an example to emulates though it created some frictions that led to future problems. Despite the discord and transformational changes imposed on the traditional authorities by foreign delegates, this work reveals that traditional rulers remain relevant actors in administration and local governance, though law No. 77/245 of 15th July 1977 organizing chieftaincy in Cameroon had limit their functions, they still remain an indispensable force to reckon with and in fostering Cameroon‟s new decentralization agenda.