Minister Atanga Nji poses for a family picture with the traditional of Bamoun and Tikar
By Etienne Mainimo Mengnjo
The Sultan of Bamoun, His Majesty Mouhammad-Nabil Mforifoum Mbombo Njoya, and the Sultan of Bankim, His Majesty Gah II Ibrahim, have reconciled their differences.
The two traditional leaders met at the Ministry of Territorial Administration, MINAT, on January 28, in a reconciliation meeting chaired by Minister Paul Atanga Nji.
Atanga Nji was accompanied by the Governors of the West and Adamawa Regions.
Although the reconciliation meeting was held behind closed doors, reliable sources indicate that the two traditional leaders made their peace and committed to working together for the good of their communities.
However, Atanga Nji indicated that the Head of State has called on both communities to bury the hatchet and promote unity and peace. Acknowledging that misunderstandings are a natural part of human interactions, the Minister stressed that the key to moving forward lies in dialogue and a positive outlook for the future.
Photographs taken after the meeting clearly showed that the reconciliation was genuine. This meeting follows a series of conflicts that erupted last year between the two tribes.
In February 2023, tensions escalated when the King of the Tikars, His Majesty Soule Ngamon III, was publicly undressed and molested by guards of Sultan Nabil Mbombo Njoya. The incident occurred after the King of the Tikars referred to the Sultan as “my son.” This event sparked a wave of violence and unrest, causing considerable damage to both communities.
Despite the escalating tensions, peace is said to have returned after various authorities urged each other to give peace a chance. The crisis has been a long-standing one between the Bamoun and the Tikars, who are ethnically related and share a common heritage.
Many have hailed the recent reconciliation as a significant step towards ensuring that these two communities can coexist peacefully. The resolution of this conflict is expected to bring stability and foster a more harmonious relationship between the Bamoun and the Tikars.
According to observers, the reconciliation is a proof to the power of dialogue and the importance of traditional leadership in maintaining peace and order within communities. The two communities have the same ancestry history.