DISCOVER THE BOYO DIVISION
Boyo is a division of Northwest Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 1,592 km². The capital of the division lies at Fundong. Boyo Division is divided administratively into 4 subdivisions and in turn into villages. The four subdivisions are : Fundong, Njinikom, Belo, and Bum (Fonfuka Council)
1. FUNDONG COUNCIL
1.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNCIL
Fundong Council is found in Fundong sub division in Boyo Division of the North West region. It is located within the grassland savannah area of the mountainous western highland region of Cameroon. It is situated about 68 km from Bamenda.
It is surrounded by Wum sub divisions to the west and to the east by Noni sub divisions while to the north it is bounded by Fungom sub division and to the south by Njinikum sub division.
The entire sub division covers a land surface area of about 519 square kilometres with 34 villages and numerous quarters : Aboh, Abuh, Achain, Achangne, Aduk, Ajung, Akeh, Alim, Aloin, Ameng, Anyim, Atoini, Atondum, Baiso, Bolem, Boyui, Ebosung, Fujua hausa, Fujua Native, Fundong, Iasibi, Ijim, Ikuijua, Ilung, Isaibuh, Juafeff, Kumtem, Laikom, Luh, Mbam, Mbengkas, Mbissi, Mboh, Mbongkisu, Meli, Mentang, Mual, Mughom, Muteff, Ngwah, Ngwainkuma, Nkomnkom, Ntehgum, Wainchia, Yuwi. The total population of Fundong council area is estimated at 90,000 inhabitants.
1.2 HISTORY AND PEOPLE OF THE COUNCIL
The Fundong Rural Council was created by the presidential decree no 77-203 of 29th June 1977 following the organisation of councils as laid down in law no 74-23 of 5th December 1974. Being in Menchum Division, Fundong Rural council had its administrative center at Fundong.
Between 1977 and 1996, Kom-Bum was made up of Belo, Njinikom, Bum and Fundong as one council until these other councils effectively became autonomous councils following the decentralisation of councils in Boyo Division.
There are 9 ethnic groups within the Fundong municipality namely Kom, Hausa, Mbororo, Fulani, Banso, Bayangi, Bali, Ngie and Bum. Amongst these ethnic groups, the Kom people constitute the highest number.
The Muslim community made up of mostly cattle rearers settled within the municipality because of the availability of grazing land.
2. NJINIKOM COUNCIL
2.1. DESCRIPTION OF THE MUNICIPALITY
The Njinikom Council is found in the Njinikom Sub Division in Boyo Division of the North West Region of Cameron. Situated about 54 km from Bamenda, the Njinikom sub Division is surrounded by the Fundong sub division on the North and West side and by the Belo sub division to the South and East and by Oku and Babessi sub divisions while to the North it is bounded by Noni sub division and to the South West by the Bafut sub division.
The sub division was created in 1996 and covers a surface area of about 173 square kilometres. The estimated population of the Njinikom Council is about 40,000 inhabitants.
The municipality has 15 villages and 3 quarters: Asuchu, Balikumato, Bobong, Bochain, Chuaku, Eleh, Fuanantui, Ijim, Iso, Kikfuini, Mbueni, Mugheff Ikui, Mugheff Itin, Muloin, Njinikom, Tinifoinbi, Wombong Ikui, Wombong Itin.
There are three ethnic groups in the Njinikom sub division which include the Kom who are Tikars, the Mbueni people who are from Widikum and constitute part of the Obang tribe which migrated from Momo division to the Menchum River valley and then moved from there to settle in Kom after the Fon’s permission and the Mbororos who constitute a minority.
These ethnic groups operate cordially as people of the same municipality under the rule of the Fon of Kom to whom the chief of Mbueni and the leader of the Mbororos pay allegiance to.
2.2 HISTORICAL PROFILE OF THE NJINIKOM COUNCIL
The Njinikom Council is a result of an evolution from the 1940s which began with the Tikari Group which had its headquarters in Ndop. This was later modified to the Wum Divisional Council in 1948 and then to the Kom Clan Council or Kom Native Authority in 1950 which included the Bum area in the Menchum Division with the headquarters in Laikom (now in the Fundong Sub division).
Thirteen years after, in 1963 it was once more modified as the Kom Bum Caretaker Council and the headquarters moved to Njinikom with the first appointed official chairman, Mr. Cyril Muteh Mbeh from Kom. All this was done under the Southern and West Cameroon administration.
Again, on July 15th 1968, the West Cameroon Secretary of State for the Interior, Hon. B.T Sakah issued a revocation letter that terminated the Caretaker Council and created the Kom Bum Council and the headquarters remained in Njinikom.
Later again in 1972, it was renamed the Kom/Bum Council and the headquarters moved to Fundong and again changed to Kom Bum Council but the headquarters remained in Fundong in 1978. From July 20th 1985, under the rule of Mr. E.N Ndi as Municipal Administrator, it was changed to the Fundong Rural Council.
That was not going to be the last change to be faced as in 1996, the Fundong Rural Council was split into four among which were the Belo, Njinikom, Fundong and Bum Rural Councils.
3.BELO COUNCIL
3.1. DESCRIPTION OF THE BELO MUNICIPALITY
Belo Rural Council was created by Presidential Decree No. 93/321 of 25th November 1993 and its municipality covers the entire sub division. The Council went operational in 1996 and till date three Mayors have been at the helm of the Council. Presently, it is simply called Belo Council.
The Belo council is found in Belo sub division in Boyo Division of the North West Region. It is located within the grassland savannah area of the mountainous western highlands region of Cameroon. It is situated along the Bamenda-Fundong highway, about 50 km from Bamenda.
It is surrounded by Fundong and Njinikom sub divisions to the west and to the east by Oku and Babessi sub divisions while to the north it is bounded by Noni sub division and to the south by Tubah and Bafut sub divisions.
The entire sub division covers a surface area of about 346 square kilometres. The Belo municipality covers 34 villages (Aboh, Acha, Afua, Anjang, Anjin, Anyajua, Asuh, Baingo, Belo, Bicham, Chuaku, Djichami, Elemighong, Fuli, Fungom, Ibalavin, Jinkfuin, Juambum, Kitchu, Mbesa, Mbingo I, Mbingo II, Mejang, Mejung, Mughom, Ndawara, Ngemsibo, Njinikejem, Ntum, Ntungfei, Sho, Sowi, Tumuku, Twalatwal) and has a population estimate of 90,000 inhabitants.
There are basically 5 ethnic groups in the municipality. These are: The Koms, Mbessas the Fulanis, the Mejungs and the Mejangs. The dialects spoken include the Kom, Mbessa, Mejang, Mejung, Baicham and Fulani. Pidgin is a lingua franca that is very popular, especially in the urban space and amongst the young.
3.2. HISTORICAL PROFILE OF THE BELO COUNCIL
Belo Rural Council whose municipality covers Belo sub division was created in 1993 from the then Fundong Council and went operational in 1996. Presently, it is simply called Belo Council. From creation till date, three mayors have been at the helm of the Council.
4. BUM SUB DIVISION
4.1 DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNCIL AREA
Bum Sub Division is located in Boyo Division with its headquarters in Fonfuka. The Sub Division has boundaries with Misaje Sub Division in the East, Wum sub division in the South, Belo and Fundong sub divisions in the West, Fundong and Furawa sub divisions in the North.
The Council area is made of 23 villages: Buobua, Fonfuka, Fusejou, Kichimi, Kichowi, Kichako, Kimbi, Konene, Laka-Bum, Mbuk, Mbamlu, Mulung, Mungong, Nfonfika, Ngen, Nguna Kimbij, Ngunavisi, Ngunabum, Njinijom, Saff, Songka, Sawi, Yunghachim.
The table below shows the villages and the population breakdown as provided by community members during the participatory village meetings that were organise to diagnose village problems. Official statistics put the population figure at 27,750 persons
4.2 HISTORICAL PROFILE
Before 1894 Lord Lugard the British Administrator introduced the local government system when Southern Cameroon was part of Nigeria. He divided Nigeria into the Northern and Southern regions.
The Southern region included Southern Cameroon. Councils were introduced in Southern Cameroon in about 1945 based on ethnic groups. The Tikari group that included Bum fell under South East Federation of councils with its administrative headquarters in Ndop. The chairman was the divisional officer of Bamenda who was a British man.
In 1948 the administrative structure of the council was modified and the Wum Divisional council was created and headed by Mr Lucas Ncham from Baingo in Kom. Two years later in 1950, another modification of the council structure was introduced and the Kom Clan council or Kom Native Authority was created.
The chairman was the divisional officer who was a British man. In 1963 the Kom_Bum caretaker council was created with it’s headquarter in Njinikom and its first officially appointed chairman was Mr Cyril Muteh Mbeh from Kom under West Cameroon.
On July 15th 1968 the Cameroon Secretary of State for the Interior, Hon. B.T. Sakah, issued a revocation letter reference NO. WCLN. 145 that terminated the caretaker council and created the Kom_Bum council. The headquarters remained in Njinikom and the first officially appointed chairman was Mr S.C.Wainfoin from Kom.
In 1972 the council was renamed as Kom Bum council. The headquarters was moved to Fundong while Mr. S.C. Wainfoin remained as chairman. By 1978 Mr. Itoe was the divisional officer and the administrator of the council and its name was changed once more to Fundong Rural Council. From 20th August 1982 to 20th July 1985 Mr. Solomon Prombo Pongong was the divisional officer and became the first Municipal Administrator under the new council law of 1972.
The Fonfuka council went operational in 1996 from a Presidential Decree. It was amongst the three new councils that were carved out from the then Fundong Rural Council that covered the whole of Boyo Division. The other councils created at the same time in the division include Njinikom Council and Belo Council.
TOURISTICS SITES
1. Djichami & Afua Community Forest Trek. The Djichami & Afua Community Forest is in close proximity to Belo, and after an hour’s walk through the forest a secluded waterfall can be reached. The waterfall is approximately 35m high and during the dry season it is possible to swim in the pool. If you wish to extend your visit you can also visit a secret spring, deep within the forest. There is also the option to do a homestay in Djichami if you would like to experience real Kom village life.
2. Boyo waterfalls. These 15m high waterfalls are hidden within Belo itself, a beautiful oasis close to the activity of the village. During the dry season it is even possible to walk behind the falls.
3. The Ndawara Tea Estate is the largest in West and Central Africa with currently around 5000ha of cultivated plantation and is set high in traditional Fulani land. A guide will show you around the estate, including the factory, vast tea fields and nursery.
After the tour of the estate, you can hire ponies which will take you on a trip to a nearby crater lake. Depending on the amount of time you have to spend in the region, you could also choose to spend a night with a nearby Fulani family. Alternatively, you could stay with a Kom family closer to Belo.
4. Belo Weekly Market. Experience the hustle and bustle of this busy village market. Every 8 days, traders come from across Boyo Division and further to sell their wares. These include fruit and vegetables, fish, meat, clothes, fabric and much, much more.
5. Baingo Cliff Walk. Baingo Cliffs, visible from Belo, lie between Belo and the nearby town of Mbingo. They offer panoramic views for many miles and on the walk, you also pass a mystical waterfall, some 100m high, which offers the perfect picnic spot.
6. Belo Natural Pools. Beautiful natural pools where you can take a dip.
7. Kimbi Game Reserve. Kimbi Game Reserve was created in 1964 according to the West Cameroon Gazette No 30. It is located in Boyo Division in Bum Sub Division in the North West Region of Cameroon.
The reserve is host to some tree, bird and animal species. No actual census has been carried out since the creation of the reserve; hence the need for management plans.
8. St. Martin de Porres Catholic Hospital in Njinikom, Cameroon. St. Martin de Porres Hospital is on a Catholic compound that also contains a convent, orphanage, schools and outreach programs.
Research by Rooney@ Fly4studycm.
Achieved by Joseph Enama.
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