Vacant Limbe stool: All clear for John Elufa Manga William

The race to the throne of the Limbe Paramount Chief has narrowed with the official nomination of Prince John Elufa Manga Williams by the Nambeke/Manga Williams family as the one to replace the late Chief Furgusson Billa Manga Williams, who passed away some 10 years ago.

The news was being awaited by many, as if it was the election of a new pope in the Vatican.

The Manga Williams family, it is reported, have been holding a series of meetings to choose someone to replace the late chief as demanded by the administration of the Region.

John Elufa Manga Williams, the Crown Prince of Limbe is the first male child of the Late Prince Jesco Manga Williams, brother to the Late Paramount Chief.

As tradition demanded, the kingmakers of the Limbe chiefdom, together with members of the ruling family were expected to find a successor immediately after the demise of the late paramount ruler. But immediately after the chief’s death, the SDO’s office was flooded with applications from several quarters, each seeking to fill the vacant seat.

Kingi Liwoto from Bomboko, the Carrs and Mokeba’s have come up time without number to challenge the Manag Williams over the paramount chieftaincy title. The ten-year tussle has seen a very vocal Nanjia Carr constantly stating his claim over the royal stool of Limbe which is classified as a first class chiefdom.

His claim is explained by the fact that his family is one the three king-making families of the area. Another contender has been HRH Chief Liwoto II who has also justified his claim to the royal stool by pointing to the fact that he is of the direct lineage of the original natural leaders of the Bamboko Kingdom even before the invasion of the area by the Germans.

He explains that the first peace deal with the Germans when they landed in Victoria was done with his grandfather, King of the Bambokos at the time. Another family, identified as one of the three king making families of the area is that of the Mokeba’s.

This party has however shown very little interest in the throne, especially since the family head is the former Member of Parliament Mrs. Mokeba.

While the other contenders to the throne were at work, the Manga Williams have not been sleeping all these ten years.

With government’s silence over the issue, the elder brother of the late chief, Prince Jesco, called a press conference on Friday, August 8, 2008 at his down town Limbe residence and re-echoed what he claimed was his de facto right to succeed his late younger brother.

He averred that, “in the midst of this feet-dragging, he wrote to the Prime Minister’s office but till date, I have not received any reply”.

The Late Prince Jesco said he was totally dissatisfied with government’s attitude in handling the Limbe paramount chieftaincy palaver.

Late Prince Jesco’s youngest son, Prince Jerry Manga Williams seems to have taken off where his father died and is reported to have sent very strongly-worded releases to the administration and the media on why the Paramount Chief must remain within the Manga Williams.

Meanwhile on May 13, 2010, the former Governor of the South West Region, Koumpa Issa, said he will end the outdrawn dispute that has left the seaside resort without any paramount traditional ruler for several years.

On his first visit to the town, which is seat of Fako division, the governor said that he intended to work out a succession plan with the South West Chiefs’ Conference, the region’s umbrella union of traditional authorities.

Since then, no major declaration has been made by the administration. Lately the Manga Williams family was asked to present a candidate to the administration for enthronement; which they have just done.

Prince John Manga Williams after enthronement will definitely be called HRH John Manga Williams II since HRH Chief Fergusson Billa Manga Williams who ruled for 46 years took over from HRH Chief John Manga Williams who ruled for 41 years that is from 1908 to 1949.

Carr’s, Mokeba’s oppose

In the midst of all these, the Carr’s and the Mokeba’s seem not to have given up the battle for the throne.

Media reports went wild last week after the Manga Williams family meeting that all is set for the enthronement of a new paramount chief.

Nanjia Carr, one of the contenders to the throne, told THE SUN in front of the SDO’s office that “ We have joined forces with the Mokeba’s to fight for the throne, it cannot go to the Manga Williams, I am going to Buea to deposit a document, I will be back soon”.