Traditional Rulers in training
Cross section of the hall
A 3 day training program for the empowerment of traditional rulers by the North-West Regional Assembly took place in Bamenda from the 10th to 12th September, 2025 under the distinguished patronage of the Governor of the Nort-West Region.
Holding under the theme Strengthening Traditional leadership, Governance and Cultural Heritage, the essence of this session was to amongst other things share information with the Fons on historical sites and momuments conservation.
Modules to meet the objective of the training centered on:
- The 19977 Law, attributions and some challenges traditional rulers face,
- The role of traditional authorities in decentralization,
- Discussing historical sites and monument conservation, citing best practices in some villages,
- Organizing Cultural and traditional events,
- codifying traditional protocol in palaces and public events,
- Traditional ruler and land management,
- Collecting and documenting oral traditions and
- Application of community action plan.
Traditional rulers in the North-West Region have taken the commitment to preserve the customs and traditions of the people, despite the devastating effects of the Anglophone crisis that has in one way or the other desecrated palaces and other secret artifacts in it.
The Fons are considered as auxiliaries of the administration, the link between the administration and the people, therefore it is part of their duty to collect information, data on the problems faced by the people, document their needs and présent to the administration for response.
As time changes, culture gradually looses it's value as young people move from rural to urban areas adapting to changes and embracing different cultures. These could be avoided if children could live in their different villages of origin, learning about customs and traditional.
Traditional rulers on their own part are faced with challenges in leading and also communing with the people of their communities; some Fons are not residing in their palaces given the situation of the ongoing Anglophone crisis, loosing the grip of preserving custom and traditions as most people especially children and youths move out of the villages in search of greenee pastures.
The North-West Regional Assembly observed the loopholes in the customs and traditions in fondoms of the North-West Region and organized the training workshop for traditional rulers as a baby step towards change.
The workshop helps traditional authorities to situate themselves in areas of their function that need adjustment/reflection, adressing pull factors that continue to distort aspects of culture in the North-West Region.
The Fon of Mankon, HRM Fru-Asah Angwafor IV has adviced that it will be more sustainable upholding customs and traditions of the land by bringing children closer with the aim of teaching and practicing what obtains.
"History is being transmitted when we have contact with our children, as we have discovered that most of our children have lost contact with their cultural heritage. As traditional leaders that we are, due to the technological changes, we must have that constant contact with the people of our community to share values of our cultural heritage", Fon of Mankon.
Group picture: NW Governor and Traditional Rulers
Recommendations that emmerged from the training ranged from; documenting modules of the workshop for participants, providing Fons with a reference booklet on the laws that will guide them in the discharge of their functions and more support from the North-West Regional Assembly in the preservation of the Cultural Heritage.
Tags:
Culture