Cameroon: The process of naming a successor to traditional chiefs within the Metta ethnic group; consequences for refusing the title and whether there is state protection

1. General Information on the Metta

Sources report that the Metta (or Meta) live in the Northwest region of Cameroon (MECUDA-USA n.d.; Heath Evangelical Church n.d.). A Welsh church that manages a project to translate the New Testament into the Metta language specifies that "[t]he Metta people live in the grasslands of the Bamenda plateau" in the Northwest region (ibid.). An online synopsis of a book on the Metta language (also known as Menemo) states that approximately 45,390 Metta speakers can be found in Northwest Cameroon (Fogwe Chibaka 2006).

2. The Process of Naming a Successor to Traditional Chiefs

2.1 Selection of a Successor

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, an ethnologist and associate researcher at the Paris-based École des hautes études en sciences sociales' Centre of African Studies (Centre d'études africaines), who has published on historical sociology in West Cameroon, stated that the selection of the successor to a chief within the Metta ethnic group is usually done by the existing chief before his death, who generally chooses one of his sons (4 Feb. 2012). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a professor emeritus of anthropology at University College London (UCL), who has published on ethnic identity in Cameroon and conducted fieldwork in the country, similarly stated that a chief chooses a successor among the legitimate children born to his wives (3 Feb. 2012). Sources said that the chief's relatives (Ethnologist 4 Feb. 2012) or the elders of the community (Professor Emeritus 3 Feb. 2012) would be made aware of who the successor is. The ethnologist also indicated that the chosen successor is generally not involved in the succession decision and may not campaign for the title (4 Feb. 2012). According to the ethnologist, it is also possible that important persons in the chief's entourage make their own choice of a successor (4 Feb. 2012).

It is the opinion of the UCL Professor of anthropology that "[t]here can be serious disputes between potential succes[s]ors and their supporters," with "accusations that the elders had been corrupted" (3 Feb. 2012). Somewhat similarly, the ethnologist stated that [translation] "violent disputes" over successions to "important or prestigious chieftaincies" may lead to violent conflicts (4 Feb. 2012). However, the ethnologist nuanced that the succession to [translation] "small chieftaincies" is not highly sought after, as these chieftaincies impose responsibilities without providing the resources to perform them (4 Feb. 2012).

2.2 The Process of Naming a Successor

The UCL Professor of anthropology stated that the choice of a successor is announced at the death of the existing chief (3 Feb. 2012). The ethnologist explained that the chosen successor is forcibly taken to the chief's hamlet on the day of succession to show that the successor yields to the group's will (Ethnologist 4 Feb. 2012). However, the ethnologist explained that this forced confinement of the successor is usually staged (ibid.). According to the UCL Professor, the "successor is taken in the sense that it is as[s]umed he might try to escape. But this is usually part of the ritual of being stripped of his former life to become invested with the title" (3 Feb. 2012). The ethnologist indicated that a new chief usually stays cloistered within the hamlet for a variable length of time, depending on the importance of the chieftaincy and the successor's occupations (4 Feb. 2012).

3. Consequences for Refusing the Title of Chief

The UCL Professor of anthropology stated that "it is generally true that a successor, once named, has to take the title" (3 Feb. 2012). The ethnologist said that in the case of a refusal, the process of a naming a successor becomes a [translation] "showdown" between the chosen successor and the deceased chief's entourage (Ethnologist 4 Feb. 2012). He further explained that if the chosen successor has the means to flee and to go live in the city, the deceased chief's entourage has little recourse (ibid.). Similarly, the UCL Professor mentioned that the chosen successor "may try to disappear into the big city [of] Yaounde or Douala or across the border into Nigeria" (3 Feb. 2012). He added that in the Metta villages, the designated successor may then "simply be forgotten after a suitable time and a new successor created" (Professor Emeritus 3 Feb. 2012). However, the ethnologist nuanced that depending on the entourage's capabilities and influence, the chosen successor may be subject to a variety of [translation] "pressures," including "moral pressure, sanctions imposed by the group, ostracism and, sometimes, physical violence" (4 Feb. 2012). For his part, the UCL Professor of anthropology stated that if a chosen successor refused to be installed and flees, "if he is captured, he might disappear in some mysterious circumstances so that a new successor could be installed" (3 Feb. 2012). He added that there have been cases where individuals involved in succession conflicts in large chieftaincies of the Grassfields have been poisoned (Professor Emeritus 3 Feb. 2012).

The ethnologist indicated that he was not aware of any legal recourse that could be taken against someone who refused a succession (4 Feb. 2012).

4. State Protection

The ethnologist explained that a designated successor who has been victim of physical violence could resort to criminal proceedings, provided that he has access to counselling, although he added that succession quarrels are not seen as different that any other types of disputes that could lead to violence (4 Feb. 2012). However, the UCL Professor of anthropology said that "[g]enerally, the Cameroon government will not interfere in succession disputes" (3 Feb. 2012). Nevertheless, he also said that in some instances where the designated successor refuses the title and tries to flee, the government might "[step] in and [insist] the elders choose another successor who will be more compliant" (Professor Emeritus 3 Feb. 2012). In correspondence with the Research Directorate, a professor of anthropology who is also the Director of the African and African-American Studies Program at Carleton College, in Minnesota, likewise stated that in cases of disputes about succession of traditional chiefs within Cameroon in general, "[s]tate protection would be inadequate or non-existent" as "the state claims that it does not want to interfere with 'internal' affairs of chiefdoms" (26 Jan. 2012). He also stated that

royalty are often aligned with the party in power, while the greater populace in both eastern and western Grassfields chieftaincies are aligned with opposition parties (including the well-known SDF [Social Democratic Front], but also other opposition and pro-democracy movements/parties). A refusenik may be assumed to be part of the opposition and for this reason (often ungrounded) would not only not receive state protection but also be subject to police harassment. (Professor of anthropology 26 Jan. 2012)

Corroborating information could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Ethnologist and Associate Researcher, Centre d'études africaines, École des hautes études en sciences sociales, Paris. 4 February 2012. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Fogwe Chibaka, Evelyn. 2006. A Grammatical Description of Metta (Cameroon) in Relation to Focus Parametric Variation Evident in Focalisation and Wh-fronted Questions. Grammatical Analyses of African Languages. Vol. 28. Edited by Wilhelm J. G. Möhlig and Bernd Heine. Cologne: Rüdiger Köppe Verlag. [Accessed 1 Feb. 2012]

Heath Evangelical Church. N.d. Janice Spreda. "The Metta Story." [Accessed 24 Jan. 2012]

Meta' Cultural Development Association, USA Branch (MECUDA-USA.) N.d. "Home." [Accessed 31 Jan. 2012]

Professor of anthropology, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota. 26 January 2012. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Professor Emeritus of anthropology, University College London (UCL). 3 February 2012. Correspondence with the Research Directorate.

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: The following individuals were unable to provide information for this Response: a professor of anthropology, Amsterdam School for Social Research; a retired development sociologist, Bielefeld University; and a researcher at the GIGA Institute of African Affairs. Attempts to contact the following individuals were unsuccessful: a professor of anthropology, formerly at the University of Yaoundé; the Director of the Centre national de la recherche scientifique in France; and a professor of history, Humboldt University. A professor of comparative politics and development studies, University of Toronto, and representatives of the African Studies Association, in the United States, and of the African Studies Association of the United Kingdom did not provide information within the time constraints of this Response.

Internet sites, including: Africa Confidential; Africa Knowledge Project; Africa Research Bulletin; African Studies Association; African Studies Association of the UK; African Studies Center, University of Pennsylvania; Cameroon News; Cameroun-online.com; Cameroon Tribune; Cameroon Web News; Cameroun Actualité; European Country of Origin Information Network; Factiva, Heinrich Böll Foundation; Ireland Refugee Documentation Centre; Jeune Afrique; United Kingdom Home Office; United Nations - Integrated Regional Information Networks, Refworld; United States Department of State.