At least five people are reported to
have sustained bullet wounds, following a clash between palace guards
and angry villagers in Bangolan, a village in Babessi Subdivision, Ngoketunjia
Division, North West Region.
EARLIER VIOLENCE IN BANGOLAN |
“My
palace is under attack by some thugs from the village. We are trying to secure
the palace. They have shot my son.
I don’t have time to explain now,” Fon Chaffah XI of Bangolan said before hanging up. We are 9:00 PM Cameroon Time March 19
2016.
Gun shots have been heard late evening, March 19 , when angry villagers besieged the palace demanding the Fon to leave. Witnesses
confirmed that apart from the yet to be identified Fon’s son, four other people sustained bullet
wounds with no death reported. A stampede almost occurred when women of the
traditional secret society, the Takumbeng came out in opposition to the Fon.
PROTEST AT NW GOVERNOR's OFFICE |
At the time of filing in this report, security
had been beefed up in the Babessi subdivision with a security source not ruling
out reinforcement from Bamenda.
The tension between the Fon- cum
Magistrate and the villagers dates months back in what was then described as a
palace coup.
The Fon, Chaffah XI of Bangolan, was
accused by his villagers for embracing ‘western religion and giving his life to
Christ.’ They also want his head for reportedly setting on fire some artifacts,
antiquities amongst others, which they said were the symbol of Bangolan
tradition.
The angry locals had staged a sit in
protest at the North West Governor’s office February 24 2016, and were instead told
to return to the SDO for Ngoketunjia, Valery Kwela. The angry locals also
demanded an end to arrests and torture form soldiers deployed to the area.
FON CHAFFAH XI : GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME |
Although the Fon who is also alternate Senator, sued for peace at a February 27 2016 crisis meeting at the Babessi
Council hall, the continuous detention of hundreds of youths by security forces
is said to have provoked the clash at the Bangolan palace. At the time of
filing in this report, the Bangolan palace was still under siege.
*With
additional field reports from Hanson Nfor, Triyah Swebu and Jini Edmond
(Reporters)
POST
SCRIPT:
We stumbled
on this Youtube piece in which the Fon gives a testimony of his encounter with Christ.
A
must watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7h0iQSgpXPo
A born again Christian should show his devotion to Christ through love and show of compassion not the burning of artifacts.
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