The Fon

HRH Prof Mbacham WIlfred Fon Tarkeh II

The Fon of Funam

HRH Prof Mbacham WIlfred Fon Tarkeh II is a Titular Prof of Public Health Biotechnology.  He obtained a Doctorat de Specialitéin Molecular Parasitology from the University of Yaoundé I (1989) and a Doctor of Science Degree in Tropical Public Health from Harvard University School of Public Health (1997). He researches on host and pathogen genomics and the interaction between Communicable and Non Communicable diseases.   He investigates a number of co-morbidities with inflammation as a unifying theme on these diseases.  He has served in leadership positions in many national and international programs.  He is the Executive Director of the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria Society Secretariat that promotes fundamental research on Malaria.   For 10 years, he coordinated the APALP (Assises Pan Africaines de Lutte contre le Paludisme) that brought together 35 National Malaria Control Program Managers from Anglophone, Lusophone and Francophone Africa, to discuss and exchange strategies for success in rolling out various anti-malarial interventions. Hedeveloped a philosophical approach for Professionalizing Planning Actions in Science & Technology Education & University-based Research (Pro-P.A.S.T.E.U.R.) that integrates platforms/technopoles for bioscience, hard core sciences and research-uptake and won the prestigious TWAS prize for 2017 for the promotion of science and technology in sub-saharan Africa.  He is the current coordinator of the graduate program unit in Life Sciences and the Biology of organisms at the University of Yaoundé I. He is a co-grantee of the DELTAS program MARCAD (the Malaria Research Capacity Development Consortium for West and Central Africa) and served as the elected chair of the Program Management Committee of the International Atomic Energy Agency-AFRA program of 45 African member states (2015- 2021).  He has supervised more than 110 Masters and 10 MD levelstudents, 30 PhDs and author to more than 250 publications including book chapters, books, manuals and scientific articles in peered reviewed journals.  He is a fellow of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences (FCAS), the African Academy of Sciences (FAAS) and The World Academy of Sciences (FTWAS). In 2021, he founded the Fobang Institutes for Innovations in Science and Technology which hosts the Centre for Health Implementation and Translational Research (CHITRES – 5 International funded projects) and chairs since June 2023, Cameroons National Ethics Committee for Research Involving Humans. He is also Chair the Board of Trustees of the Malaria Consortium, UK.

THE INSTITUITION OF THE FON

By the virtue of the fact that a Fon is considered as one of the first settlers in a village, he is also a Kum Si. However, he is kum si with a special status. This difference comes from the special powers he possesses and the responsibilities that he carries. He is the symbol of the people of his village and exercises combined mystical powers of his people. He has an assistant referred to as the Ndi Fon. The Ndi Fon is a half-brother to the new Fon and must be from another mother.

The Fon is the traditional ruler of the land. He is the custodian of the tradition of the land. He oversees the various aspects of the land which include administrative, cultural, developmental, education and social life of the people. The position of Fon is achieved by hereditary. He is then enthroned by the king makers who take time to groom and initiate him into royalty. The present Fon of Funam is HRH Prof. Mbacham Wilfred Fon Tarkeh II.

Some Economic Rights of A Fon

i. The Fon has the right to rally the entire village to work on his farm from time to time. In the same way, whenever a new house is to be built in the palace, it is his right to rally the entire village to assist in it.
ii. The Fon also receives tributes in the form of palm wine from the various Mɨkum of the village once a week. This is mostly done on the resting day of the village. It is on this same day that the Mɨkum si, meet in the Fon’s palace to discuss village issues and also feast on the wine donated from the village.
iii. Whenever the Fon is need of food and drinks for public entertainment, it is his right to get these items from every part of the village. This happens about 4 times a year.
iv. Customarily, family heads reserved most of their best harvest (crops and animals) for the palace.
v. The Fon receives fines from village criminals who plead guilty.
vi. Also, the Fon receives wealth from a villager who is to be installed as Kum, as well as anyone wishing to acquire a dancing field (Sami) a bamboo mat covering of the entrance to the compound (Mbeng) or two doors in his house (entry and exit doors).
vii. The Fon is also entitled to the bride price of all the daughters of the palace.

The above shows that the Fon has some many economic benefits from the village. But in return the Fon also has a number of duties to perform. For example:

Some Duties of the Fon

a. Whenever the villagers are to work on the Fon’s farm or participate in construction work in the palace, the Fon is expected to feed them after the task.
b. Whenever there is war, it is the duty of the Fon to throw a party to welcome the returning warriors.
c. The Fon feeds the village notables who converge in the palace on every rest day (Contri Sunday) to discuss issues plaguing the village.
d. The Fon is also expected to reward everyone who brought his harvest to the palace.
e. It is the duty of the Fon to entertain anyone who visited the palace in spite of the mission.
f. It is also the duty of the Fon to provide adults who don’t have land for settlement a place for settlement. In the same way, whenever there is a stranger who enters the village and lacks a place to stay, the fon provides him with one and eventually a piece of land for farming. All this is to depict the Meta man’s generosity and kindness.