Ǹlɨ̀gə Bɨ̀fɨɨ̀

BRIEF HISTORY
The Bafut kingdom is typically a rural setup with a strong history that dates back long before the precolonial era. In fact the people known today as Bafut originate from the Tikari people near Foumban who migrated through the Ndop plain from Easter Nigeria. Others came in through the Menchum Valley channel while others came from the Momo clan all arriving in waves at different periods during the establishment of States and societies in Africa due to power conflicts and population pressure. However, the indigenous settlers of the people of Bafut are the Mbebili reason why a history of the Bafut people without mentioning them is incomplete.

GEOPOLITICAL AND SOCIAL SET UP

Geographically speaking, the Bafut kingdom is typically a rural set up with 70% being forest or grassland. The prime occupation here is agriculture, craftsmanship with other minor activities being hunting and natural resource exploitation. The landscape is mostly hilly and undulating with many rapids and some few waterfalls dotted within. It has a prominent river basin along the lower Bafut area (that is Tingoh Nchoho and Obang) which is a huge habitat for fish and also a major source for sand exploitation. Some prominent Touristic sites are the ASANJE waterfalls, the Ngo'oku'u rock pedestal at SWIE, the Nifo'o waterfalls at MUCHWINE, the river Mezam basin at lower Bafut, the Mbaa shrine at Mbebili, the Magnificent Bafut Palace at Bujong and others you would see on this website. The geopolitical and social set up of the Bafut Kingdom can be pictured through, the stratification of the people in groups of villages and languages spoken which is a direct reflection of the waves of their arrivals. The Kingdom has 52 villages broken down into 6 linguistic sub zones with the dominant linguistic zone being the Bafut proper. The Bafut proper is also broken into 8 sub geopolitical entities which have semi autonomy with 7 having their own chiefs or Fons and a paramount Fon who is supreme traditional ruler to the entire Kingdom. The remaining one which are the Followers of King Feulu (Fèəlù), the first King of Bafut who came from the Tikari area. The Name Bǎ (People of) and Fə̀ə thus the name BAFƏ̀Ə (BAFUT), short form of Bafə̀əlù, other wise understood as People of Fə̀əlù.

Mû ŋ̀gàn Bɨfɨɨ̀.

Bɨ̀fɨɨ à nɨ bə̀ mə bɨ ləə nɔ̂ŋsə̀ àlaʼa wàà. Àghaʼa ŋgàn Bɨ̀fɨɨa a burə nsàʼàtə̀ ǹyweʼe a noò yìi à tswe nlɔ̀gɨ̀nə̀ m̀bɔŋ tâ àkarə ka nzi a mbùʼù Àfrikà. Bə̀ bìi mə bɨ twoŋə waa nɨ Bɨfɨ sii aa, bo lo aa a Tikari a kəʼə̀ rifùm (Fumban). Bo lo aa a mbɨ̌ Nàjɛrəyà ǹtsỳa nɨ Ǹdɔ̀bɔ̀ (Ndob) bɔ̌ŋ ghɛɛ yweʼe a Fumban. Bǐ mɔʼɔ zî aa nɨ̀ m̀bɨ̌ M̀bùʼùntìì (m̀bələ̀fâŋ/Befaŋg). Bǐ dàŋ zi aa nɨ mbɨ Bɨtaʼà nzi ntswe a nɨ mbɨɨ Mambuʼu bo Mâŋkàà nɨ Mâŋkwì. La bə̀ bìi à nɨ bɨ̀ jwe jwe bɨ Bɨfɨɨ aa, à nɨ M̀bəə̀bɨ̀rə̀. A bə ànnù yìi mə kàa m̀bə ò waʼà ŋgǎn Bɨ̀fɨɨ taŋ ŋghɛ̀ɛ̀ m̀mɛ tɨ ghə̌ mə ò twòŋtə ɨ̀kùm Mbəə̀bɨ̀rə̀ ghu aà.

Ǹtswê Bɨ̀fɨɨ̀.

Ò bə ghə̌ mə o lèntə̀ alaʼa Bɨfɨɨ boŋ ò ka yə mə Bɨ̀fɨɨ àa bə̀ mə bo ləə àlaʼa yaa tsǒ ŋ̀gǎŋ alaʼà. Alaa Bɨfɨɨ tsɨ̀m a tswe a mum ŋkɨrə bǎmbii, ǹdɨʼɨ aa mə kaa bɨ sɨ alaa Bɨfɨɨ bɔɔ tsǒ ajaŋə bɨ bɔɔ alaʼa akarə aà. Bɨfɨɨ bə ŋgaŋ nlɨgə mɨnsoò, ŋgaŋaboo, bo bɨ ŋgaŋ naŋsə njoo alaa tsǒ mɨŋkobə, ŋkyɛ̀, ɨ̀baà nɨ njoio jǐ mɔʼɔ̀. Nsyɛ̂;bɨfɨɨ ɨ̀ nɨ yii mə ɨ kɔɔkə tsii a mbə ànnù,(mɨnta nɨ mɨmfarə̀). Bo tswe nɨ ɨdɨgə jî ghantə̀ tsǒ Nɨ̀foʼo, Ntarɨbaŋ, Mbàà, Ŋ̀gɔ̀ʼɔ̀kùʼù, Ntɔɔ Bɨfɨɨ yii ɨ̀ tswe mə̂ a njɨ̌m ɨloo 400, Mɨyaa yii a tswe a mbuunii a alaa Bɨ̀kaa nɨ ɨdɨgə̀ ji mɔʼɔ̀.

Bìʼì ka dorɨtə a ŋkwɛrə àwoʼolə̀ yô.