Fon (title): Difference between revisions

▲ [[Widikum people|Widikum]], [[Tikar]], and [[Bamileke|Bamiléké]] peoples of the [[Bamenda grass fields]] (the [[Northwest Region, Cameroon|Northwest]], [[West Region, Cameroon|West]] Region) and the Lebialem of the South West Region. They were a creation of German colonial rule to facilitate their governance. Many legitimate traditional rulers were replaced by those who collaborated with colonial mandates and policies, thus establishing Fons, while the British and French consolidated them as administrative traditional Chiefs and are still today considered as auxiliaries of the colonial administration. They were only once independent family heads because the ethnic groups had cultural traditional leaders who weren't called Fons. For instance, the Tikars had Belaku for their original female traditional leaders of their kingdoms called Ngoung (Belaka) for the male leaders. Germans created and brought most Fons under German rule or military subjugation during the [[colonialism|colonial]] period and it has remained so till date. Following the defeat of Germany in [[World War I]], the Fons of [[British Cameroon]] came under British rule, and the Fons of [[French Cameroon]] came under French rule. Since Cameroon's independence in 1961, the Fons are under the jurisdiction of the [[Politics of Cameroon|Government of Cameroon]]. However, they maintain semi-autonomous union councils and jurisdiction over their hereditary land.