Abstract

This study examines the political and socio-economic organization of Mbembe in Donga-Matung Division of the North West Region of Cameroon. Base on the objectives of political and socio-economic organizations in Mbembe, one can argue that its origin and evolution over time have received no attention from socio-economic historians and other scholars.

These organizations even though have played a pivotal role in development at Mbembe, have not received the attention it deserves making it difficult for the masses of the area to fully appreciate its role and supports its efforts towards development. Finding depicts that the political and economic institutions in Mbembe have greatly decline in influence in the contemporary time. This decline was mainly as a result of colonization and modernization.

The decline of these institutions partly explain the slow rate of socio-economic development in the area.To achieve the broad objectives, both primary and secondary sources were used. Oral interviews and archival materials were blended with information from text books and journals to make the argument sound and objectives.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

Background to Study

Governance is not a recent phenomenon in the world. Archaeologists, anthropologists, sociologists, historians, and geographers and other scholars have been interested in the attainment of a social complexity within human groups. More conservative and more popular authors have clung the 19th century Eurocentric idea of state setup, in the process giving attention to only those past societies whose material remains are obvious evidence of such complexity.  Such an approach has overlooked the large number of societies in Africa for which there is evidence of the existence of past social complexity in a variety of forms.

In West Africa, empires like Ghana, Mali Oyo and later Songhai were well organized around traditional institutions which played key roles in their emergence as great empires among other states in the area.

The situation was not any different in other parts of Africa. Trade flourished in these states and the proceeds were used to acquire weapons and train a powerful army that was used to subjugate and conquered weaker states. This was possible thanks to the powerful institutions that were built around powerful leaders.

In Cameroon, the drive to achieve a better life was not indifferent. Fondoms in the Western and Northern grass fields had this in mind and this was reflected in the ways in which their political institutions where organized.

In Mbembe community in the North West Region of Cameroon, traditional and economic institutions were very central to every facet of life. Every activity was guided by the roles enshrined in the traditional institutions of the land. However, their role even though very vital has been overlooked. Modernization has equally affected and greatly influenced the power and relevance of traditional institutions in Mbembe over time.

Statement of Problem

Mbembe is an ethnic group whose political and socio-economic organization have evolved over time. Economic activities in the area are guided by its institutional set up. These political and socio-economic organizations though very central in every facet of life in Mbembe have received no attention from scholars. This has created a vacuum in the socio-political history of the area. The only record that gives information about this area is the colonial records.

This makes it very difficult for the mases and other stakeholders to get literature on the socio-economic history of Mbembe. In this light, the current study will fill the lacunar in the area.  It is within this framework that this researcher is interested in examining the Political and socio-economic organization of Mbembe in the light of Development.

Objectives of the Study

This study examines the origin and evolution of political and socio-economic organization of Mbembe. Its further disuses the contribution of this organization to development in the area. Thus the specific objectives are:

1. To examine the geo-historical Setting of the study area
2. To discuss the traditional and administrative set up of Mbembe
3. To examine the Socio-economic organization and its contribution to development in Mbembe

Check Out: History Project Topics with Materials