My Africa Today

The Fon( King ) is the brother of courageous and powerful animals. At night, he has the power to transform himself into a panther, where he haunts the forest, runs through the savana and drinks from torrents. When a panther is killed by a hunter, the Fon from Bamileke region are afraid. Will one of them not perish from the death of his double.

Formerly a chief administator and cabinet chief for the finance Minister of Cameroun in 1964, Kamga Joseph is the thirteenth Fon of Bandjun. On the day of his predecessor's funeral, he was stopped in the Bandjun market by two Bamileke chiefs, "the hangmen", in the middle of the nobles and princes who wept the deceased King. Wearing a head dress made of sisal as a sign of humility, he was taken to the noblemen, the "tafo meru", where he learned during nine weeks how to be a King. Formerly this apprenticeship lasted nine months. During his retreat, the souverain is accompagned by the "nrounq"( love ), a woman he married before his coronation, and the "djvikam", the wife of a nobleman who becomes the first queen. He then returns to the palace, "tsa", where he is responsible for the wives of the defunct Fon, who become his wives.