The Dynasty
H.R.H. Foh George Ngwashi Ndikum II
Unlike the diverse sources which have alleged without any proper finding that the chiefdom of Akum has so far witnessed the departure of eleven chiefs, we uphold after our research, that since the settlement of Akum on the present site, only eight Fons have ruled. The present H.R.H. Fon George Ngwashi Ndikum (Enthroned on January 5th 1958) is the eighth to ascend to the Akum throne, even though two were actually dethroned.
Herewith the list of the rulers of Akum from the present to the first:
8) Foh George Ngwashi Ndikum II
7) Foh Ndikum I
6) Foh Cheboh
5) Foh Chinelum
4) Nchangkwe
(He was dethroned by the natives because he wanted the Benbelek to be exiled. But when he got wind of the intention to execute him, fled to a certain nebugh, which means a terrible place. He lived here for sometime and when the affairs of the village were not moving well, the natives brought him back. At this time they named him Tabi (meaning father of the compound). He became a noble by this title and when he died was buried as such)
3) Taniform
2) Atanga Fon
(he was dethroned by Taniform. This reduced him to the level of a noble and was buried at his death as such)
1) Atanga Nkeh Nchang
(was nicknamed Atanga Mbum because of his age. He lived for so long that the natives believed that weevils had infested him)
This list of eight Fons is the most reliable because right in the cemetery of the former palace, we see only four graves, which confirms our testimony. Here we have the grave of Atanga Nkeh Nchang at Ntinelah but at a different location from those of Taniform, Cheboh and Chinelum. The grave of Foh Ndikum I, is at the present palace. It is to conclude that no Akum Fon has been buried out of the village.
It would appear that those who claimed that more thatn eight Fons had ruled in Akum could have been misled by the nicknames of some of these Fons. These narrators are, therefore being victims of double counting out of ignorance. For example, Taniform bore the nickname Azafor (which means “taking over from another Fon”. This very Taniform was also called Foh Fumugom, which also means a Fon with a palace covered with banana leaves. His intention was to maintain his privacy. These nicknames could not be misunderstood to belong to three Fons. Secondly, Atanga Muchangne was nickname Atanga Lab whereas his real name was Sufor. Indeed, with the nickname, we cannot say that Atanga’s real name and Muchangne’s nickname constituted the existence of three successors. Even if it meant counting all the leaders who led our great-forefathers then the number of eleven is small(as some people believe). Furthermore, we cannot unearth the threads of that history. So, we have tried to trace our history up to when our oral narrators could remember, and tell us. It is this narrative that now permits us to promote, maintain, propagate and diffuse for the benefit of our younger generation and the rest of the world.
According to Cameroon history, the migrations of the North West and West regions do not date more than three hundred years ago. (Chilver and Kaberry, 1967, Aletum, 1971; and Gabauer, 1974, p.18). Therefore to suggest the loss (death) of nameless eleven Fons in the history of the Akum dynasty will be presupposing that Akum was founded some 700 years ago, if we give each Fon a minimum of 60 – 70 years of existence.
Signed: Pa Peter Shinwin Atanga