Literally meaning the land of the people who buy, the Bandjoun kingdom is an ancient African state that was located in the territory that corresponds to the current western region of Cameroon. Its inhabitants, the people of La’djo, are of the great Bamiléké ethnic group which until now inhabits the Grasslands in West Cameroon. Oral traditions attest that this people originated from ancient Egypt. Researchers also attest that linguistic similarities exist between the language of the La’Djo and the language spoken in ancient Egypt.
Birth of the Kingdom
The birth of the Bandjoun kingdom dates back to the 16th century. Its founder is Prince Notchweghom. Following a quarrel between Népenguè and Prince Tayo, Notchweghom left the chiefdom of Népenguè along with his brother Wafo. He settled on the eastern slope of the Bafoussam chiefdom. He expanded his kingdom through trading refugees from other chiefdoms and through slaves sold abroad.
After Notchweghom, his successors continued to expand the kingdom by conquering neighboring territories. His son and second king of the kingdom, Duygnechom, moved the capital to Tseleng.
Heyday of the kingdom
Through its military conquests, the Bandjoun kingdom became one of the most important in the sub-region. King Notuom is tributed to have garnered the best annexations. Indeed, he succeeded in conquering Bafoussam and Bamoungoum. Notuom also declared war on Baham after his daughter took refuge there to marry King Baham. After winning that war, the annexation followed.
Succeding his predecessor, King Kamga 1st subjugated the Bameka and Bamoun kingdoms. Fotso 1st, the following king, annexed Badenkop, Batoufam and Bangou. After a failed revolt attempt, the kingdom of Bayangam was also subjugated and ordered to pay tribute to Bandjoun. Through conquers, the kingdom expanded so that in the 1900s, it controlled about 30 territories ruled by vassal sub-chiefs. At that time in history, the Bandjoun kingdom with its army are at the pinnacle of power.
Decline of the kingdom
The Germans settled in the region in 1905. With that, a plethora of missionaries tried to impose Christianity within the kingdom. At the end of the First World War, the country came under French administration. And unlike the Germans, the French opt for the strong method. The then king, Fotso II, positioned his son Mbopda as his successor to the throne. But the latter was the victim of a coup by his own brother, Prince Kamga, who was supported by the French Catholic Church.
This coup led to a civil war between supporters of Mbopda and those of Kamga. Supported by the French, the Kamga camp prevailed and soldiers faithful to Mbopda camp were killed or exiled. After 1925, the kingdom became Christianized and gradually lost its aura. It was later totally subjugated and attached to the rest of Cameroonian territory under French and British control.
