Description
The Mbum of the Nkambe Plateau, Cameroon: Settlement, Cultural Heritage, Belief, Governance, and Artistic Traditions, edited by Oliver Kimka Ndimbie and Gilbert Shang Ndi, is a landmark anthology and the first comprehensive, indigenous-led ethnographic compendium dedicated to the Mbum (Wimbum) people of Cameroon’s Western Grassfields. Comprising nineteen interdisciplinary chapters authored by Mbum researchers and intellectuals, the volume systematically deconstructs and details Mbum society “through Mbum eyes,” while correcting inaccuracies found in earlier colonial and non-Mbum accounts.
Organized into five thematic sections and anchored in rigorous fieldwork, the compendium explores the linguistic complexities of Limbum alongside the geography and agricultural land tenure of the high plateau. Contributors examine traditional socio-political structures, detailing the centralized authority of the Fons (Nkfu) and the checks and balances maintained by the Kibai (Great Lords) and Mayaa (Queen Mothers). Crucially, the volume provides an unprecedented look at consecrated sacred societies, including the legislative Nwarong, the princely Ngiri, the military Nfuh, and women-led institutions like Toh and Shimbien.
Moving into the modern era, the chapters trace Mbumland’s history through German and British colonial administrations, active participation in World War II, and the ongoing armed conflict surrounding Cameroon’s Anglophone Question. Offered as both a tribute to the past and a gift to the present, this volume serves as an indispensable reference for Africanist scholars, cultural curators, and readers interested in indigenous knowledge systems and cultural heritage preservation.
Contents
Foreword
 Part 1: Language and Geography
- Chapter 1: Limbum: The Mbum Language — Francis Wepngong Ndi
- Chapter 2: The Mbum Geology and Associated Touristic Sites — Njilah Isaac Konfor, Avitus Tacha Tamfu, and Nfor Kenneth
- Chapter 3: Settlement and Land Tenure in Mbumland — Humphrey N. Ndi, Richard Nfor Nganjo, Roland Nformi Ngeh, Beatrice Maluh Nformi, and Adamu Baba
 Part 2: Religion, Traditional Rule and Symbols
- Chapter 4: Mbum Religion and Belief Systems — Richard Ndi, Elias Bongmba, Ndi Manjong, and Stanley Nforba
- Chapter 5: Traditional Governance in Mbumland, 1800–1902 — Napoleon Sayani
- Chapter 6: The Evolution of Mbum Culture from 1850 to 2025 — Koyoh Nformi
- Chapter 7: The Future of Mbum Traditional Rule in the Modern World — Humphrey N. Ndi
- Chapter 8: Arts, Visual History, Palace Relics and Sculptures of the Mbum — Donatus Fai Tangem
 Part 3: Sacred Societies
- Chapter 9: The Nfuh Society — Emmanuel Kongnyu Nformi
- Chapter 10: The Nwarong and Ngiri Societies — Emmanuel Kongnyu Nformi
- Chapter 11: The Nchingong and Bsoh/Nko Societies — Emmanuel Kongnyu Nformi
- Chapter 12: The Mnkung (Ngang), Toh and Shimbien Societies — Emmanuel Kongnyu Nformi
 Part 4: Political and Sociocultural Life
- Chapter 13: Mbum During British “Colonial” Administration, 1916–1961 — Reymond Njingti Budi
- Chapter 14: The Mbum and the Anglophone Question: A Historical Review — Gilbert Ndzi Ndzi
- Chapter 15: The Dynamics of Power and Culture in Mbum Political History — Ngenge Ransom Tanyu
 Part 5: Intra/Inter-ethnic and Global Conflicts
- Chapter 16: Mbum under UN Trusteeship: Involvement of the Mbum in World War II (1939–1945) and Aftermath — Reymond Njingti Budi
- Chapter 17: Conflicts in Mbumland — Stanley Yengong Nforba
- Chapter 18: The Mbum and Inter-Group Wars — Stanley Yengong Nforba
- Chapter 19: The Mbum of the Nkambe Plateau — Anthony Ndi
- Appendices
- About the Editors
- About the Contributors
- Index
Reviews
“This anthology is a collection of invaluable insights into the Mbum from respected scholars and individuals who have lived the Mbum life and can speak to it with authority. […] It will be a reference resource for scholars who want to understand the Mbum people and their cultural and cosmic worldviews.”
— Willie Mushing Tamfuh, Associate Professor in Social Sciences, The University of Ngaoundere, Cameroon
