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Cameroon Traditional states


Note: Cameroon contains about 281 polities ruling over 192 different tribes in the north, south, and southwest. This includes the Bamileke Confederation which itself contains 90 chiefdoms (including Babete and Bana) and Tikar states (Bamkin, Ditam, Ina, Ngambe, Ngoume, Oue and Yakong).  The list below is a fraction of the traditional polities in Cameroon.

Adamawa: see under Nigerian traditional states

Babete 

Rulers (style Fon)
.... - Aug 1999            Soumo I                           (d. 1999)
Aug 1999 -                 Soumo II                          (b. 1993)


Baghirmi: see under Chadian traditional states

Bali Nyongha

Rulers (style Fon)
.... - 1856                Fonyonga I                        (d. 1856)
1856 - 1901                Galega I                          (d. 1910)
1901 - Aug 1940            Fonyonga II                       (d. 1940)
1940 - Sep 1985            Galega II
Sep 1985 -                 Ganyonga III



Bamoun (Bamun)

17th cent.                 Bamoun (also known as Mum) founded by Nshare 
                             uniting 17 chieftaincies.
1918                       Becomes a Sultanate.
1923                       Re-divided into the 17 original chieftaincies.
14 Jul 1884                Part of Cameroon.

Rulers (style Fon)
1672 - 1757                Kuotu
1757 - 1814                Mbuombuo
1814 - 1817                Gbetnkom
1817 - 1818                Mbeikuo
1818 - 1865                Nguhuo
1865                       Ngoungure
1865 - 1888                Nsangou
1890 - 1918                Njoya (Ibrahim Njoya)              (b. 1876 - d. 1933)
1889 - 1895                .... (f) -Regent
Sultans 
1918 - 1923                Ibrahim Njoya                      (s.a.)
1923 - 1933                .... -Regent
Jun 1933 - c.1997          Seidou Nyimoluh Njoya              (b. 1904 - d. c.1997)
c.1997 -                   Ibrahim Mbombo Njoya


Bana 

1830                       Bana founded.

Rulers (style Fon)
.... - ....                Hapi I 
.... - ....                Hapi II 
.... - ....                Hapi III 
1991? - 1997               Hapi IV 



Bibemi

1770                       Bibemi founded.

Rulers (style Lamido to ...., then Sultan)
1770 - ....                Aido Sambo 
.... - ....                ....
.... - ....                ....
.... - ....                ....
.... - ....                ....
.... - ....                ....
.... - ....                ....
.... - ....                ....
.... - ....                ....
.... - ....                ....
.... - 1945                Muhammadou Njidda                 (b. 1870 - d. 1945)
1945 - 1958                ....
1958 -                     Halidou Sali



Bonebela 

Chiefs
.... -  7 Dec 1876         Eyum Ebele Charley Dido I
1876 - ....                Ekwala Dido II
.... - ....                Epee Dido III 
.... - c.1900              Esaka Dido IV 
c.1900 - 1949              Interregnum
1949 -                     Ekwala Dido V 



Bonaku (Akwa)

1814                       Bonaku kingdom founded.

Kings
1814 - ....                Ngando Akwa I
.... - ...                 Mpondo Ngando Akwa II 
.... - 1884                Dika Mpondo Akwa III              (d. 1884)
1950? - 1965               Ernest Betote Akwa IV             (b. 1892 - d. 1965)
1965 -                     ....



Bonanjo (Douala) 

1792                       Bonanjo (Douala) kingdom founded.

Kings
1792 - ....                Bele Ba Doo (Bell I)              (b. 1746 - d. ....)
.... - ....                Bebe Bell II 
1884?                      Lobe Bell III
.... - 1898                Ndumbe Bell IV                    (b. 1838 - d. 1898)
1910 - 1914                Rudolf Douala Manga Bell V        (b. 1873 - d. 1914)
1914 - af.1922             Alexandre Douala Manga Bell VI    (d. af.1922) 
1950? -                    Lobe Bell VII



Buea (Gbea)

Paramount Chiefs 
.... - 1750                Njie 
1750 - 1770                Eye Njie 
1770 - ....                Vefonge 
.... - ....                Lionga 
.... - ....                Likenye 
.... - 1894                Kuva Likenye                      (d. 1895)
1894 - ....                Endeley I Likenye 
.... - ....                Emmanuel Mbele Lifafe Endeley II  (b. 1916 - d. 1988)
1960?                      G. Mbele Endeley III 
2001? -                    Samuel Moka Liffafa (Endeley IV?)


Kom

1900                       German protectorate.
1916                       Part of British Cameroons.
1961                       Part of Cameroon.
           
Rulers

c.1720 - c.1740            Jina
c.1740 - ....              Kumanbong
.... - ....                Kwo
.... - 1830                Nkwain
1830 - 1855                Tufoyn
1855 - 1865                Kumong
1865 - 1912                Yu
1921 - 1926                Nggam
1926 - 1954                Ndi
1954 - 1966                Lo'o
1966 -                     Nsom



Mandara (Wandala)

c.1500                     Wandala kingdom founded.
1715                       Mandara Sultanate
1902                       Part of Cameroon.

Rulers
.... - ....                Dabara
.... - ....                Ajawa Kossa
.... - ....                Chivakala
.... - ....                Digra
Sultans
1715 - 1737                Bukar Azi
1737 - 1755                Madi-a Makirza 
1755 - 1773                Bladi-a-Wandala
1773 - 1828                Buka-a-Jama 
1828 - 1842                Ilyara
1842 - 1895                Bukar-a-Narbana
1894 - 1911                Umar-a-Jara (1st time)
1911 - 1915                Bukar-a-Fadi
1915 - 1922                Umar-a-Jara (2nd time)
1922 - May 1924            Amada
May 1924 - 1926            Kola Adama
1926 - 1942                Bukar-a-Fadi
1942 - 1969                Hamidu 
1969 -                     Bichair



Rey Bouba 

1804                       Rey Bouba Sultanate founded.

Sultans
1804 - 1864                Bouba Ndjida
1864 - ...                 Bouba .... Ndjiba
.... - 1975                Bouba Ahmadou 
1975 - ....                Bouba Abdoulaye Ahmadou 
.... -                     Moustapha Abdoulaye



Victoria

1908                       Victoria chiefdom founded.

Paramount chiefs
1908 - af.1946             Manga Williams                    (b. 1879 - d. af.1946)
2001? -                    Billa Manga Williams 


Wandala: see Mandara



Wonyangomba (Bonangomba) 

19th cent.                 Wonyangomba founded. 

Chiefs
18.. - 18..                Nako I ("Old Nako") 
18.. - 18..                Mosuka I 
18.. - 1894                Nako II a Mosuka
1894 - 1914                Mosuka II Mo Nako
1914 - 1953                Otto Ikule Mosuka III
1953 -                     Sefo Muskua IV 




©2006  Ben Cahoon