By Ahone Heidi
The Limbe Community Field will on Saturday 21 December host the installation ceremony of the 5th Bakossi Chief of Limbe and Idenau, Chief Dr. Njabe Roland Nkwelle
The DO of Limbe,municipal and traditional authorities along side cultural groups and the local population and especially the Bakossi community nation-wide are all looking forward to taking part in the solemn ceremony.
It should be recalled that the entire Bakossi community in Limbe and Idenau leaped to their feet in acclamation of the nomination Chief Dr. Njabe Roland Nkwelle by the Bakossi notables of that city to replace the late Chief Zachee Nzohngandembou.
To many observers it was no surprise that the ebullient and result oriented college administrator and University lecturer quickly won acclaim among his kiths an kin as the right man in the right place.
If the nomination of Chief Dr. Njabe Roland Nkwelle suggested a rather routine replacement of one son from Bakossi land with another, a look beyond his college administration career and achievements of this exceptional breed from Higher Teachers Training College, ENS Yaounde and the University of Buea where he obtained his Masters and PHD, dispel any assumptions.
WHO is Chief Dr. Njabe Roland Nkwelle
Born in 1967 in Muelong-Bangem, KupeMuanenguba, Chief Dr. Njabe Roland Nkwelle is a graduate from the higher teachers training college, ENS Yaounde and holder of a PHD in Geography from the University of Buea. He is an experienced teacher, college administrator and part-time lecturer in the University of Buea.
He has served in several capacity in the public service, from Geography teacher, regional pedagogic inspector, Principal. He has held other positions like chief examiner Geography GCE Board, President of Southwest Association of Geographers where he executed his task with brilliant success.
It is hoped that these series of successes in the handling of national issues will clearly reflect in his leadership of the Bakossi community in Limbe.
The Bakossi Community in Limbe
History shows that the Bakossi are natives of nine sub-divisions; three in Kupe-Mwanenguba (Bangem, Nguti and Tombel) and six in Mungo (Njombe-Penja, Loum, Manjo, Ebone, Nkongsamba and Melong) spread over the South West and Littoral Regions.
From Moliwe through Bimbia to Idenau, Limbe hosts more than 3000 Bakossi and people of that pedigree. The Bakossi-Victoria-Limbe link dates back to the arrival of Basel Missionaries in Cameroon on December 23, 1886, the establishing of their first church in Victoria in 1889 and their spreading of the gospel to the heart of Bakossi in Nyasoso in 1895. The movement of converts within the 4 established Basel Stations (Victoria, Nyasoso, Buea and Bombe) eventually saw many Bakossi people regularly coming to Victoria.
In the 50s, 60s and 70s, a high number of teachers and preachers moved to and settled into some of these newfound stations which they regarded as their homes. Some of the places where they settled in Victoria-Limbe include the “Ndobe Hill” found between Bonadikombo and Wotutu Villages.
Meanwhile, the Bakossi were among the earliest to take up jobs at the Cameroon Development Corporation (CDC) and it was Victoria-Limbe which hosted the first early association of the Bakossi in the Diaspora. When in early 1950, they founded the ‘Mwan Ngoe’ Organisation, Victoria-Limbe played host and cemented the bond between the two. Since 1970, the Bakossi Community’s recognised Chiefs have been installed by the Limbe administrative and traditional authorities.
Thus, the Bakossi and their ancestral brethren of the entire Kupe-Muanenguba, more than ever fusing together and more appropriately renamed ‘Kupe Mwanenguba Community’ is firmly rooted in Limbe and contributing its quota to the socio-political and economic development of the Opec City.
