Di nation wey believe say dia king no dey die

For north-west Cameroon, di Mankon pipo king, wey dem dey call fon or fo, no dey die, e go just disappear.

Na why Mankon pipo vex well-well for di regional govnor, Adolphe Lele wen im commit abomiation by announcing di death of di 97- year old Fon Angwafor last month.

Barrister Joseph Fru Amah, wey be Mankon say, "di fon na di custodian of all land for Mankon. E be di source of our cultural spring. E be di fountain of spirituality. E be d bridge between di yesteryears, di hear and now and di afta time".

Who be Fon Angwafor III?

Fon Angwafor III ascend di throne for 1959 as di first king to collect western edication. At dat time, dem bin no dey allow royal pikin go school as dem see am as tin for commoners.

E come further im study to become agrotechnician forr kontri wia farming na part of many pipo daily lives.

Liek all id Mankon mornarchs, e be polygamost although e dey against tradition to tok di number of wives im bin get but e pass twelve sha.

Im subjects bin call Fon Angwafor III say im be like King SOlomon di Wise.

One woman wey don meet di king plenti times, Eveline Fung say, "E always sound like teacher. Each time I meet am, I go comot with food for thought and plenti laugh".

But e get pipo wey no too like am. You see, wen colonial rule finsih for di 1960s, e be one of di pipo wey call for di unification of di English and French controlled territory to turn to Cameroon.

Mankon na one of di biggest kingdoms for di English-speaking Cameroon with hundreds of thousands wey dey call am dia hometown.

Some of di pipo wey dey ginger of session of English speaking Cameroon neva forgive di fon for supporting di unification.

Unlike oda royals, im serve for parliament as Camerronn first and only independent MP from 1962 to 1988.

For 1990, e become di national vice-president of di ruling party under President Paul Biya wia im dey till im "disappear".

Im critics det para say as King im bin no suppose chook hand for partisan policy but im defend imself say, e be "papa of all" and im join politics to boost growth of communities.

Abomination to cry

E take di Kwifor, wey be di supreme council of Makon king makers three weels to formally declare say di king don "disappear".

Until dthen pipo just dey tok tins like "smoke dey for palace" and even refuse tok say im don "disappear", even though dem don "inhume" am for sacred place wey di public no know.

Di Makon see am as tabooo to say dem bury di king.

Once dem announce im "disappearance" on 29 May, men no wia cap, and women no farm as mark of respect for di king.

Di mourning reach 7 June wen tens of thousands of pipo show for di 300-year-old royal palace in Bamenda, wey be city for di middle of Mankon wey get population of 500,000 pipo.

But not one pesin shed tear as na abomination to cry for missing fon.

Dem nack stone for di new king bodi

Both women and men wia skirt wey dem carry dry banana stems or bambo made, dem no wearany cloth aart from di women wey wia black bra.

Na o di new king, son of Fon Angwafor III, with di Kwifo, wey tie only white cloth fo waist waka go di palace courtyard.

Di crowd bin gently aim am with stones, grass and leaves, as ritual to mean dis na di last time any commoner go hurt am or disrespect am.

As dem dey stone am, e run enta palace as im pipo go stream to wash di ash dem rub for dia bodi.

Dem come change, wear dia best traditional clothes go back di royal courtyard.

Now na time of joy and jollification to mark di "reincarnation" of di missing fon for im sucessor.

Di secretary general of Mankon Traditional Council, Ntomnifor Richard Fru explain am say, "He, Fon Angwafor III, reigns, then im miss, as if e go back to rejuvenate and them reappear with ginger to rekindle di ever-burning and -blazing flame of Mankon nationhood ".

Na so Angwafor John Asaah , wey di "missing" king chose as im heir comot from di palace.

Now e dey wear reddish loincloth, as dem but am on top carved stool by di kwifor to show say e don dey "enstooled", na wetin Mankon pipo dey call enthronement.

Di crowd scata groud with jolly as di Kwifor announce im new names for di first time: Fo Fru Asa-ah Ndefru Angwafor IV.

Adeline Nguti wey go di palace to see di historic occasion say, "who wan miss dis kain event w take 63 years to happun? Di next one fit no happun for my lifetime."

Her twin sister Irene add say, "we all come here to welcome our new king for di traditional way. Na wetin our culture ask for. I hope di new fon go be great custodian o our traditon like im papa".

But one ritual dey missing, na do celebratory gunfire of di Mankon men with dia hunting rifles.

Di goment do ban guns wey dem dey normally shoot for cultural ceremonies, sake of insurgency wey dey demand di secession of English Speaking Cameroon.

Na reminded of di kasala wey don burst for di video for ova five years. Many dey hope say dis new king go fit bring about peace.