Wolikawo kingmakers threaten to sue DO

The kingmakers of Wolikawo village in Buea Subdivision are spoiling to sue the DO of Buea, Paul Wokam Kouam, at the Southwest Administrative Court for “choosing the wrong person as Chief of their village.”

The nine kingmakers deposited a reminder of their complaint against the DO of Buea with Fako SDO, Zang III, on March 2.

Among the kingmakers were Jevis Yokwe Nikume who is the head of the Wonya Nanyongo royal family of Wolikawo, and John Ngwaye Ikome, among others.

The family is challenging the decision of the DO of Buea, who reportedly, on February 5, 2016, conducted consultative talks in Wolikawo village and designated one Marcus Motove Etonge as the Chief-to-be. Contrary to this decision, the Wonya Nanyongo family holds that the right person is the son of their late Chief, Stephen Ngeke Mafany.

Ngwaye Ikome told The Post that the former Chief of Wolikawo died in November 2014. He said, following his death, the DO of Buea, on February 5, decided to conduct consultative talks and chose rather one Motove to succeed late Mafany.

This prompted the Wonya Nanyongo family to challenge the DO’s decision on February 12, 2016, followed by a second reminder weeks later. In their third reminder, the Wolikawo kingmakers state; “considering the complaint against the DO, Mr.Kouam Wokam Paul, dated 12/02/2016, for forcefully declaring Mr. Marcus Motove as the Chief-elect of Wolikawo village, ignoring the Royal Family and the tradition of the Bakweri people…we plead with you for an urgent reply to redress this tense situation.”

The Wolikawo kingmakers said they were ready to head to court if Zang does not react this time around. They said they were prompted to rush back and remind the SDO because he has stayed mute on the first two protests letters.

They also said they had learned that the SDO was instead about to sign a Prefectoral Order to acknowledge Motove as the Chief, which they condemn as unjust.

The kingmakers argue that the Wonya Nanyongo family has ruled Wolikawo for a long time, and they did not see why the DO ignored them during the consultation talks and instead listened to other families that presented themselves as the kingmakers of the village.

They hold that the DO was misled, and there is the need for the situation to be rectified.

It is worth recalling that, in 2012, the then DO of Buea, Abraham Chekem, designated one Peter Molua as the Chief of Sasse village. But in early 2015, following complaints from one of the dissatisfied families, the SDO of Fako ordered for fresh talks and Kouam, as DO, went down to Sasse and did the consultations and a new person in the person of Abel Ndive was chosen as the Chief of Sasse village.