The Paramount Fon of Babadjou, Fo Kaffo Sambankeing Langevin, has called on the Babadjou community in Bamenda to embrace reconciliation, transparency and unity as the foundation for rebuilding trust and advancing the development of their community.

The Paramount Fon of Babadjou, Fo Kaffo Sambankeing Langevin arrving Bamenda event ground

Speaking during a community meeting with sons and daughters of Babadjou resident in Bamenda on Sunday, the monarch urged members to put past disagreements behind them and work together towards a common future.

The gathering, one of the major highlights of his two-day visit to Bamenda, brought together traditional rulers, administrative authorities, elites and members of the Babadjou diaspora in Bamenda. It was also enlivened by colourful cultural displays, including traditional dance performances from the friendly fondoms of Bafut and Kom, reflecting the strong bonds between the communities.

Opening his address, the Paramount Fon thanked God and the ancestors for making what he described as a historic gathering possible before expressing appreciation to the organising committee led by Gilbert Watsa and the Babadjou community in Bamenda for the warm reception accorded him.

"It is with immense emotion and profound gratitude that I stand before you today," he said.

"Your mobilisation, your affection and your hospitality demonstrate your deep attachment to our chiefdom and our shared heritage." he added

HRH Fo Kaffo Sambankeing Langevin told the gathering that his visit formed part of a wider effort to reconnect with Babadjou communities living outside their ancestral homeland since his enthronement in September 2024.

"I did not come as a simple visitor. I came as a father who wishes to meet his children. I came to listen to your concerns, to share your joys and your difficulties, and to remind you that no matter how far we are from our homeland, we remain one family." he said

He expressed satisfaction that members of the community in Bamenda had remained attached to their culture despite living away from home.

"I am particularly happy to see that the children of Babadjou living in Bamenda remain deeply attached to their roots. This attachment to our culture is a treasure that we must preserve with pride."

A significant part of the Fon's address focused on concerns raised by the leadership of the Babadjou community regarding years of misunderstandings, the absence of a functioning general assembly and questions surrounding the management of community contributions.

Without apportioning blame, the Paramount Fon acknowledged the frustrations that had affected the community and called for openness in resolving outstanding issues.

"I understand the frustrations arising from the absence of a genuine general assembly and the misunderstandings surrounding the management of contributions," he said.

"I wish that those who were entrusted with managing these resources should render an account to the community, not in a spirit of settling scores, but in a spirit of truth, transparency, reconciliation and peace."

He reminded members that disagreements should never destroy family ties.

"A family can go through difficulties without ever ceasing to be a family. Disagreements must never become permanent divisions. They should instead become opportunities for dialogue, truth and reconciliation."

Addressing both former and current community leaders, the monarch made a direct appeal for responsible leadership.

"As guardian of our traditions, I call on all those who have served the community, past and present, to demonstrate transparency, responsibility and humility. If accounts must be rendered, let it be done with respect for truth, justice and the dignity of everyone."

He stressed that forgiveness should be viewed as a pathway to rebuilding rather than forgetting the past.

"Forgiveness does not mean forgetting. Forgiveness means having the will to rebuild together."

Throughout his address, the Paramount Fon repeatedly emphasised that the future of the Babadjou people depends on unity.

"Our people need peace. Our people need unity. Our people need all their children, without distinction of gender, rank, political affiliation or religious belief."

He encouraged every member of the community to contribute to the development of their homeland by placing their knowledge and experience at the service of the people.

"Our community possesses immense human wealth. We have teachers, doctors, engineers, farmers, traders, entrepreneurs, civil servants, artists and brilliant young people. If we place all these talents at the service of our community, nothing can stop the development of our homeland."

Drawing on traditional wisdom, the Fon reminded the gathering that strength comes through collective action.

"Our ancestors taught us that a single raffia fibre breaks easily, but many fibres woven together can never be broken."

The Paramount Fon reserved special messages for different groups within the community.

He challenged young people to preserve the Babadjou language and traditions while rejecting hatred, jealousy and division.

"You are the future of our people. Preserve our language, preserve our customs, respect our traditions, work honestly and reject hatred, jealousy and division."

Paying tribute to women, he described them as the guardians of families and the foundation of community development.

"You are the guardians of our families, the educators of our children and the pillars of our development."

He also urged the elite to invest more actively in the development of Babadjou, stressing that lasting progress cannot depend solely on government support.

"The development of Babadjou does not depend only on public authorities. It depends first and foremost on our own commitment."

The monarch praised the cordial relationship between the Babadjou community and the people of the North West Region, thanking traditional rulers and neighbouring communities for their hospitality throughout his visit.

"I appreciate the excellent relations that unite our communities with the people of the North West. Peaceful coexistence remains one of the greatest strengths of this region."

The community meeting was attended by several traditional rulers, including the Fons of Bamendankwe, Bambili and Akum, alongside other dignitaries. The Paramount Fon had paid courtesy visits to several palaces in Bamenda, including the Nkwen Palace, where he was received by HRH Fon S.F. Azehfor III.

Concluding his address, Fo Kaffo Sambankeing Langevin said he was leaving Bamenda encouraged by what he had witnessed and optimistic about the future of the Babadjou community.

"I leave Bamenda with a heart full of joy and hope. I am convinced that the Babadjou community in Bamenda is ready to write a new chapter in its history, founded on solidarity and development."

He pledged to remain accessible to his people and to support initiatives aimed at strengthening the unity of both the Babadjou community and Cameroon as a whole.

"My door will always remain open. I will continue to accompany every initiative that strengthens the unity of our people and of Cameroon."

The meeting ended with renewed optimism that the Babadjou community in Bamenda is poised to move beyond past divisions and embrace a future built on reconciliation, transparency, solidarity and collective development.

By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Web

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