Global Journal of Human Social Science, D: History, Archaeology and Anthroplogy, Volume 23 Issue 3

Divine Fuhnwi Ngwa Abstract- This study looks at the perception and manifestation of the concept of ‘states’ in African communities. A state, in African context, is an organisation of human beings connected by a system of relations. Within the states, different groups of people exist and different individuals have different roles to play. Some exercise special powers or authority, capable of giving command, which is obeyed by the people they rule. In the Bamenda Grassfields of Cameroon (present-day North West Region), these individuals are called fons and chiefs and they rule fon doms. In Westernised societies, they would be called kings. Since colonial period, government administrators refer to them as traditional rulers or natural rulers. Amongst these rulers are some who rule over what is commonly referred to as semi-autonomous polities within the fondoms. They are called sub-chiefs on grounds that colonial administrators came out with this appellation to differentiate the authority and position of a ruler from that of his subalterns. In Bafut this classification spark waves of wrangles and conflict between the fon and his subalterns. The problem revolves around rights over people. The chiefs in Bafut claim to have brought their people into Bafut from various places of origin. Thus, according to them, the Fon’s right to exert local control and authority over their people is not legitimate. Such claims threatened the survival of traditional authority in Bafut as the subaltern chiefs on several occasion attempted to declare their independence or autonomy inside Bafut. They also incited ethnic diversity in the fo ndom. The conflict since colonial rule has sharpened and thus endangers social peace and cohesion among the people. All efforts or attempts towards peace seemed to have been futile. This situation generated our interest in the study of the various dimensions and dynamics of the conflict and its impact on the Bafut society. The origin of the conflict, its evolution, magnitude; the role of the colonial authorities and Cameroon Government administrators in the conflict, constitute the research problem of this study. We adopted a chronological approach to the historical narrative here and exploited both primary and secondary sources of information to buttress our discussions. From our sources we concluded that the concept of states (semi-autonomous states) within a state as adopted in African communities today is a serious potential to conflict. Its existence deters cordial relations, integration, unity and peace building in a community. Such tendencies are speed brakes to progress, and development of a people. They must be redressed in time. Semi-autonomous states in African context are smaller entities or groups of people within the bigger or heterogeneous polities. A number of criteria determine the existence of these states amongst which are conquest, ethnicity and indigenous (autochthone) status. Often, ethnic groups of smaller sizes and population constitute semi-autonomous states within bigger ones. In the Northwest Region of Cameroon, the colonial master attributed the appellation ‘chiefdom’ to distinguish a semi-autonomous state from the fon dom. This automatically distinguished the territorial jurisdiction and power of control of a subaltern Leader (sub-chief) from that of his superior, the fon. The power legacy and paraphernalia of semi-autonomous states revolved around the following: Their leaders were attributed hereditary dynasties and royal titles over their people and area of control. These titles were those the leaders brought from their places of origin as they led their followers in the process of migration to the new site or settlement. Once settled, the leaders established ruling dynasties over their people and maintained the royal titles of origin. Examples of semi-autonomous chiefdoms (states) of this character in the Northwest Region are found in Nso and Bafut fon doms. © 2023 Global Journals Volume XXIII Issue III Version I 1 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2023 D Author: Ph.D, Department of History, FALSH, University of Ngaoundere Cameroon. e-mail: divinefuhnwi@yahoo.com Keywords: states, conflict, peace building, bafut, cameroon . I. C onceptual F rame state, in the African context, according to Fortes and Evans-Pritchard, is an organisation of human beings connected by a complex system of relations. In this study, emphasis is on this aspect which says that a state is any organisation of human being connected by a complex system of relations. The complexity of the system of relations is also a serious area of interest to us here given that at one point it is the complexity in the system of relations that generates the conflicts under study. The various dimensions in the relations within the organisation or system equally constitute the sensitive areas of analysis made in this study. Generally, as the definition goes, a state is an organisation of human beings connected by a complex system of relations. Some of the states are centralised societies while others are decentralised entities. The centralised ones are large, composite, and heterogeneous polities made up of people of various ethnic groups and cultural background living together in one location (Fortes and Eans- Pritchard, 1967:15). A The Concept of ‘States within a State’ Amidst Conflict and Peace Building Ventures in Bafut, Cameroon