The Traditional Institution Of Manyu Division Cameroon 1990-2011 An Intersection Of Chiefs And Party Politics

This article attempts to analyze the changing attributes and role of the Traditional Institution within the framework of new political dispensation in Cameroon since 1990. The Institution came under immense pressure from politicians. The advent of multiparty politics placed the chiefs who were at the apex of the institution in the difficult position whether they should be partisan non partisan or stay neutral in an election the image and importance of the institution as the epitome of the customs and tradition of the people was undermined. The study made use of secondary and primary sources for the collection of data. Concerning the secondary sources use was made of an extensive literature that offered some general and specific information about the study. After critical analyses of archival data and interviews tangible evidence emerged as to the fact that Manyu inhabitants at the time be they indigenes or non-indigenes were affected either positively or negatively by the involvement of Manyu chiefs in party politics. To ensure an easy understanding of the study we adopted a conventional analytical pattern. We used both the chronological and topical approaches. These approaches aimed at chronologically illustrating the evolution of chiefs involvement in politics and thematically examining the changes that the division noticed during the period under study. Our findings reveal two central issues Firstly the fundamental human rights of subjects was tempered with. Secondly they lost respect before their subjects given that some of their subjects doubted their legitimacy as divine rulers or true leaders. This article also argues that despite this the institution still remains a very important instrument in local governance and nation building in Cameroon. The article ends with a perspective view for a better interplay between traditional institution and the state for the benefit of the divisions development.