Fontem, Melong Fons clash at Chief’s enthronement

The new paramount ruler of Lebang clan in Fontem Sub Diviion, Lebialem Division, HRH Fon Fontem Asabaton, recently clashed with another Lebialem Fon, HRH Fon Fonjinjuh, who is resident in Melong in the Littoral Region.

The duo clashed recently in a village known as Minkah, in Fontem Sub-Division during the traditional enthronement ceremony of the Chief of that locality.

Reports say HRH Fon Fontem, who is the paramount ruler of Lebang clan had programmed the traditional coronation of the Chief of Minkah that falls within his jurisdiction. Normally, traditional pundits say, as tradition requires, no other Fon was supposed to answer present with traditional decorations and entourage more than that of the Fon of Fontem.

To prevent a clash or any confrontations from the various masquerades, the Fon of Fontem is said to have called for a dialogue between him and the hitherto Lebialem Fon in Melong, whose entourage and traditional honour is alleged to far exceeds that of any other Lebialem Fon.

It is reported that the Fon from Melong accepted not to enter the ceremonial ground with his entourage, traditional umbrella and security. The Fon of Fontem is said to have declared that no other Fon could enter his territory with delegation without his authorisation.

The gentleman agreement was respected and the traditional enthronement of Minkah Chief was successfully carried out. But just at the time when Fon Fontem Asabaton was closing the ceremony, the Fon from Melong arrived with a high-powered delegation made up of the Senior Divisional Officer of Lebialem, the Divisional Officer for Fontem, forces of law and order and a host of other Fons from the West, North West regions and Lebialem Division.

The Fon of Fontem, who had left the scene, saw it as an outright challenge to his royal prerogatives and ordered his grandmother to invoke the gods of Lebang to strike HRH Fonjinjuh of Melong for causing disorder in Lebang Fondom.

With the help of administration and the forces of law and order, the Fon of Melong performed his own traditional ritual and quit the scene with is delegation, while the Fon of Fontem could not carry out any action on the alleged intruders.

It is worth mentioning that it is not the first time Fon Fonjinjuh of Melong, a second class Fon was clashing with Fons of Lebialem. He has on several occasions clashed with his own paramount Fon of Lewoh in different funeral celebrations.

Most of the Fons of Lebialem have failed to recognise his position as a Fon as he is based in Melong and not in Lebialem. The clash has most often resulted to severe casualties such as material losses and human injuries, while the Sub Fons of Lebialem have been split into two camps with some for the Fon of Melong and others not recognising him.