Maybe i worry a lot about trivial things or i just seem to have a different view to happenings within the OROKO tribe.
I don't know but i always find myself wondering about what's in this Chieftaincy Title,such that it continues to divide and rule the Oroko Man.Is it the "Pa Chief"; "Goats"; Women or the power to sell village land that causes this frenzy, commotion and uproar with daggers-drawn everlasting disputes?
Within the past twenty-five years, the Oroko people have witnessed an unprecedented upsurge in Chieftaincy disputes.From the Bakundus to the Mbonges, Balues to the Bimas,Ngolos to the Batangas, the chieftaincy title war game, witch hunting, fighting and killings are not new to all of us.Many illustrious Oroko children have lost their lands, homes, positions and lives as a result of these disputes.Countless people have either been duped or misled into chieftaincy disputes only to come out more impoverished than before diving into this duel.As far as i know, the Oroko people don't have this inheritance roadmap but that doesn't mean that,we should fight, divide and kill each other because of a mere TITLE".
As mush as i try, i still cannot understand, the reasons for this in-house gambit and how far people can go just to be come a village chief within the Oroko.Until three months ago, i had never known that Bole Bakundu had two chiefs and two villages in one.
Take a look at Bafaka Balue chieftaincy dispute that claimed many lives and where blood brothers were tussling for this title.What about the war between late Mr Ottobanje and the current Chief Mbotake of Ekwe Balue?What about the events leading to the enthronement and coronation of the Iboko Chief?What about the Somalia of the Oroko Land (Bekatokor Balue)?Years after the demise of its former chief, Bekatakor Balue still lingers without a chief?The issue here is that, the majority of the villagers migrated from Bafaka Balue.So a Bafaka Balue elite whose blood brother is also the chief of Bafaka Balue,wants to be the chief of Bekatakor Balue.From all my journeys around the world, i have never seen such a thing were two brothers rule over two separate villages,or maybe it's another Bonaparte Hegemony being enacted.
Take a look at Nganjo Titi or Small Nganjo,were the villagers had chosen their chief after their chief was struck by river blindness.Then,a letter arrived from the DO ushering in another person and even informing them of a coronation date without a prior consultation.
And what of Bekora Barombi after the death of chief Ndengi!It was a do or die for the Bagdad of Oroko to get a new chief. I vividly recall the days leading to the consultation, voting and installation of their new chief.Bravo to you Bekora Barombi, despite all the bombs and bullets,you peacefully have a new chief.How come Bekora Barombi of all could democratically select a new chief and places like Mbonge Marumba still have two chiefs?The situation of Mbonge Marumba beats my imagination because Oroko People don't have inheritance,therefore, it is the will of the people to select their chief.What is in this chieftaincy,please tell me.
The same goes for Big Nganjo where the current chief like Obiang Ngema of Equatorial Guinea had to dethrone,detain and eventually cause the death of his maternal uncle, just to take up the chieftaincy title.What of Dikome Balue?Ibemi Bakundu?Dibonya Bakundu?Mbongo?Toko?Pondo Balue?And what of Mabonji Bakundu whose chief after winning the chieftaincy title, has abandoned his Mabonji Palace to live with his wife in Ngongo Bakundu?
The complicity of local DOs and SDOs in these chieftaincy disputes have caused and continue to steer Oroko villages into a downward poverty and underdevelopment trap.It has caused and still causing a drop in our living conditions, fall in village revenues, internal and external elite conflicts and social strife hence a break in social cohesion.Great and promising Oroko villages plus their projects have come into a standstill because of poor leadership, wrong chiefs and his councilors. Much of our village lands have been sold out to companies or private individuals by these unscrupulous individuals whose aim is financially stocking their potbellies, waving brooms, trending red winter-caps, driving plush cars, building luxurious homes and feasting with bandwagons of council of elders while hundreds of villagers go without lands to farm on, build on, roads to pass or water to drink.
It is time for the Oroko to turn the tides, select and get the right chiefs to rule them,instruct the local ENAM boys to back-off and let peace reign within our villages.
Maybe am wrong again but i know that,for every ten Oroko villages just one will be happy with their chief and that, most villagers happen not to greet their chiefs because their opinions didn't count during his selection.But,do we really have chiefs and do they incarnate the typical OROKO Man?Do they live up to the task or are they competent enough or just band boys?Maybe,we should give women too the possibility!
Thank you for your comment especially with a different viewpoint and let's make the debate great.
Friend, you have written well and outspoken some worries. I am happy for that, however, the Oroko people would appreciate knowing you. In my opinion Chiefs will listen to their subjects and the Oroko sons and daughters if we come to them with proposals that will bring Change and development. The issue with Chiefs is a Little complex because some are inherited from a particular family while some are made by the king makers. Every one like title and it could be for one of the reasons you gave that some need These titles and positions soo badly. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteGreetings Sir and thank you for visiting my blog.I am just worried about the things plaguing us.Tata,those chiefs don't listen and about 75% of them are ruthless political prostitutes in the quest for financial gains and everlasting life.I don't know if you are a chief or related to one but the reason for that post was because most of our problems arise from these demagogues.
DeleteAs i mentioned via FB,i am against this OROKOPHOBIA as it is one of the greatest problems we have as it is a separatist doctrine.
Thank you again and please,keep reading my blog and tell other intelligent and concerned Bana ba Oroko like you.God bless you.
Excellently written article even though you could have expanded on some of issues you raised. You touched on some intriguing issues which are worth commenting on:
ReplyDeleteOn Hereditary vs Selection of the Oroko chiefs, it is worth for the Oroko indigenes to examine why so many problems selecting or re-selecting our chiefs. We do not fancy hereditary chieftaincy because it could be the source for incompetent chiefs ascending the throne in at a time when competency is wanting of our chiefs. Educated chiefs will provide a safe haven for rural development.
You also touched on the chieftaincy in Bafaka Balue, where Chief Dr. John Mokube is the chief and that of Bekatakor Balue,
where his younger brother, Mr. Robert Mokube is vying to become chief as well. I honestly do not see any problem with that scenario. If the people of Bekatakor feel that he is the best person to take the throne, their decision should be the most important. After all, based on the migration pattern which you eloquently described, they two villages are one and the same but for geographical demarcation.
ReplyDeleteYou stretched into another segment where you talked about the ENAM boys stepping aside while the villagers select their chiefs. Well, you maybe right; however, if the D.Os and SDOs step aside, there will be total chaos and lawlessness when the selection process starts. The ENAM boys and girls, if I may add, are there to preserve the integrity of the process. You know that these chiefs are paid and they are they one that the government entrust in the collection of state taxes and revenues. So , the DOs and SDOs must know the character of the persons to be elected or selected as chiefs of the respective villages.
The Dikome chieftaincy debacle is an issue and a model for conflict resolution which is topic for a write up.
Thank you my sister for my opinion on your blog. And congratulations for joining me as a blogger.
Dear Sir/Madame,thank you very much for your lengthy and intelligent words.I said somewhere that,Oroko people are very intelligent and very resourceful,you just proved me right.
DeleteI agree with you in certain aspects but permit me differ from the Bekatakor affair and ENAM boys/girls.It is crystal clear that most of these scenarios are the ripple-effects of ENAM boys/girls.If they could just let the wind to blow as it was done in Bekora Barombi then,we could be heading somewhere.
Geographical demarcation really?You think so?I don't else you will say Namibia should ruled by a South African,same for Swaziland,Lesotho and Botswana or that a Frenchman should the President of La Reunion or Mayotte.
Sir/Madame,that is annexation and a gross violation of a sovereign village's existential right via coercion, intimidation and indigenous polarization.All of us have migration patterns and roots originating from somewhere.For instance,did you know that the Tswana spoken in Botswana is similar to Oroko just like Lingala?Did you know that the Tswana people of Namibia also speak the Oroko language and even have names like Motale,Sakwe,Mukete,Ngoe and Besumbu?
Thank you again for visiting my blog and please do come back again.