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Thursday 18 June 2015

Meet the African king with 100 wives

Abumbi II, the 11th fon, or king, of Bafut, Cameroon, has close to 100 wives. They weren't all his to start with. According to local tradition, when a fon dies, his successor inherits all his wives and then marries his own queens. He inherited 72 of the women from his late father. He has also taken on over 500 children from all of his wives.
"The queens have a great role to play in the fondom," notes Prince Nickson, also of Bafut, noting that it is up to these women behind the man to shape him in his kingly role.

"Behind every successful man must be a very successful, staunch woman," says Abumbi's third wife, Queen Constance.
"Our tradition has it that when you are king, the elderly wives remain to hand down the tradition to the younger wives, and also to teach the king the tradition because the king had been a prince, not a king."
Despite the fact that polygamy is legal in Cameroon, the data shows that there are far fewer polygamous marriages across the African continent. The practice is being challenged by changing values, the spread of the Christian faith, the growing appeal of the western way of life but also the rising costs of having large families. It is against this backdrop that Cameroon's traditional rulers must walk the fine line between two often conflicting cultures.

"During colonialism other values came in, of governance, different from the traditional values we had and therefore there is this constant conflict between the traditional values and modern western values," admits Fon Abumbi II, who has ruled Bafut, the largest fondom in the region, for 47 years.
 
Some of the king's wives
"My role is to blend them, to find the way forward so my subjects can enjoy the fruits of development and modernity without destroying their culture. Without a culture, you are not a human being, you are an animal. And therefore the chieftaincy institution is the guarantor of our culture."
"I understand that we might be quick to judge the lifestyle of the kings, but just like in the United Kingdom, African kingdoms and kings are bound to a rich culture and history. (Practices) like inheritance of all your father's wives is nothing but a moral obligation."
On meeting the queens of Fon Ndofua Zofia II of Babungo -- one of Cameroon's youngest traditional rulers -- Methu CNN correspondent said:
"All his young wives, forced on him by tradition, spoke fluent English in a French-speaking region and were great marketers."

His palace
It is this seeming contradiction that makes life in the fondom fascinating and confusing. Are they stuck in the past or keeping pace with the present? Fon Zofoa III doesn't think you have to choose. He may have "inherited" 72 wives and more than 500 children after his father's death, but he considers himself a very modern king.

"To run a kingdom nowadays in this era, you must be educated because things are moving very fast. Like they used to say, education is light, ignorance is darkness."
Source: CNN

91 comments:

ugo said...

Nice one

ASHANKA said...

WEREY NI ELEYI OOO

blaq said...

Good radiance.......

Anonymous said...

72 INHERITED FROM HIS FATHER???JEEZ....HW DOES HE MANAGE DS???TOMJERRYSWIT

Unknown said...

Jeez...sure he can't even recognise sum of dem.

Unknown said...

Congrats to him and his pple of Israel

COLLIN said...

So nw wha sense does he fink hz mkin

Unknown said...

Rubbish

ary said...

100 wives, Solomon certainly didn't have that much!!!

Angie said...

Akuku n'egwu!..
If I was forced into this circus, I'd get me a real husband somewhere else and be proud of it.

Unknown said...

Hmmmmm what a tradition

Unknown said...

Nawa o.

Unknown said...

To start with the palace looks small to me + how will he manage such a large family??? Linda take note!




Okiie, notice to all LIBERs. Didn't want to do dis before but I gex I just have to do it as a disclaimer. One idiot on dis blog stole my identity, my name & signage. So please any negative comments on dis blog is not coming from me but from the thief cos I would neva say anything bad about someone or wish anyone evil. So I have gone back to using my old pix & my email address is (julie3er@gmail.com). Linda take note!

Unknown said...

Wait a sec... Is it his Dick he uses to screw dem all or a Stick???
* * * Linda's 1st Daughter * * *

Unknown said...

#He Try!

Anonymous said...

HOME TRUTH

1) boko haram is killing people every day since nce 29th may 2015
2). Buhari is now inviting nearby countries to come and help in the fight against boko haram, the same moves that Liar Muhammad, APC and Buhari criticized GEJ for doing, hmmmmmm
3) Our new president has not announce his cabinet after weeks of coming into office, which shows he was not ready.
3). He promise to publicly declare his asset till now we have not seen any of such declaration.
4). The man is busy traveling from post to post, wondering when he will sit down and start working.
5). Our football team has been loosing out in almost all the tournament.
7). We have witness a whole number of tankers explosion I don't know if APC is bad omen, or God is repaying those tanker drivers who succumbed to APC and went on the heart breaking strike few days to GEJ handing over..
They have not started paying 5000 yet as a they promise to pay graduates, Dollars have not equals 1 naira yet,
They have not stabilize the world oil price yet,
My younger one have not started eating lunch yet,
The economy has not changeyet but am still watching them.
8). Last week we were mocked at as our president created a new country in Europe and call it ''west Germany'' and called the president of the country Michelle . The same thing they mocked Mama Peace of doing.

9)Less I forget, last week APC failed the acid test and were exposed for the whole world to see that they can never pass through what PDP pass through and still exist, they have been exchanging blows since Saraki and Dagora emerged as leaders of the Parliament against their illegal anointed candidate.

As I am sending this now I can't tell how hard they will attack me for this peace of truth. Me? I weep for my dear country.
We don enter one-chance now Buhari accept that old age go slow do. Nawa o

Anonymous said...

HOME TRUTH

1) boko haram is killing people every day since nce 29th may 2015
2). Buhari is now inviting nearby countries to come and help in the fight against boko haram, the same moves that Liar Muhammad, APC and Buhari criticized GEJ for doing, hmmmmmm
3) Our new president has not announce his cabinet after weeks of coming into office, which shows he was not ready.
3). He promise to publicly declare his asset till now we have not seen any of such declaration.
4). The man is busy traveling from post to post, wondering when he will sit down and start working.
5). Our football team has been loosing out in almost all the tournament.
7). We have witness a whole number of tankers explosion I don't know if APC is bad omen, or God is repaying those tanker drivers who succumbed to APC and went on the heart breaking strike few days to GEJ handing over..
They have not started paying 5000 yet as a they promise to pay graduates, Dollars have not equals 1 naira yet,
They have not stabilize the world oil price yet,
My younger one have not started eating lunch yet,
The economy has not changeyet but am still watching them.
8). Last week we were mocked at as our president created a new country in Europe and call it ''west Germany'' and called the president of the country Michelle . The same thing they mocked Mama Peace of doing.

9)Less I forget, last week APC failed the acid test and were exposed for the whole world to see that they can never pass through what PDP pass through and still exist, they have been exchanging blows since Saraki and Dagora emerged as leaders of the Parliament against their illegal anointed candidate.

As I am sending this now I can't tell how hard they will attack me for this peace of truth. Me? I weep for my dear country.
We don enter one-chance now Buhari accept that old age go slow do. Nawa o

Anonymous said...

Nigeria has the president with the thickest skull in Africa. He thinks Western Germany is a country with an imaginary president named Michelle.

Illiteracy and old age syndrome

Anonymous said...

Nigeria has the president with the thickest skull in Africa. He thinks Western Germany is a country with an imaginary president named Michelle.

Illiteracy and old age syndrome

Anonymous said...

Nigeria has the president with the thickest skull in Africa. He thinks Western Germany is a country with an imaginary president named Michelle.

Illiteracy and old age syndrome

Anonymous said...

His grandson will inherit like 200 wives from his father and then marry like 50 wives, increasing of wives #stupid tradition and country

I
K
P
OIKPONWA
N
W
A

BONARIO NNAGS said...

Wawu! He even inherited his father's wives. Ewww!

~BONARIO~says so via NOKIA LUMIA

Bishop Dammy said...

Wouldn't have believed if I read or heard from some other person? Another Solomon in our time!? Too bad. Gen 2:18-25

APPLE said...

Ode man. That is what the black man is good at..women matter...mtcheeeew.

Unknown said...

Then when he dies another person inherits the wives?!
Nonsense

Unknown said...

Mmmmmmmmh! Dat means he will also marry and inherit his own mother, grand mother and great grand mother nd oda. Na wa ohhh for d tradition

Unknown said...

I love d palace #natureatitspeak#

Anonymous said...

Africa will always be backward! Look at them looking like animals in the wilderness.! I so much love the western. Culture.

Unknown said...

No be small thing oooo

Anonymous said...

His male maids would defo be fucking some of his wife's

Anonymous said...

Chai am sori for Cameroon anyway they better pass South Africa way dey woman no dey wear cloth at all. Africa Change ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

APPLE said...

While the white man is busy inventing new things that will make the world better the black man is busy counting how many women they fucked in a week, month and year. They are also busy dancing away their future. Also busy looting their nations so they can go invest in the white man's land. SMH.

Pidgin Mistress said...

Like seriously? 100?

Unknown said...

Hmm interesting





~make I go take one bottle of beer~

Unknown said...

Anuman!! Bia naraka. Idiot! u dey inherit ur papa wives and he will still sleep with them, what a useless tradition

Alloy Chikezie said...

Good for him. I intend to marry 101 *shines teeth*

Your comment will be visible after approval

Bonita Bislam said...

Hajahahajahahahahaha no he borrows

yawanow said...

His own cup of headache. The more the merrier. Ewu

NaijaDeltaBabe said...

Correct man

Vibeafrik said...

Sounds Funny...100 wives ?

Unknown said...

a.k.a EDWIN CHINEDU AZUBUKO said..
.
This is just insane and no doubt about that i swear....
.
.
***CURRENTLY IN JUPITER***

THE NAIJAGRAPHY BLOG said...

Next story please!!!

Pls visit www.naijagraphy.com

Anonymous said...

The hate is real, he should change the mess of over 16 years in one month. Blocked skull

Unknown said...

Smh.....Are we using the same calender??...This is 2015 for crying out loud..

Anonymous said...

what happens if he doesn't have any sons? or say for? example sake he doesn't have any kid

Unknown said...

Dis one na everyday tidy

Unknown said...

What a tradition in this age and time Tufiakwa

eka said...

100 wives for one man
500 children & counting for the same man
How is that even possible...

himself said...

me likey,,,,(i lick my tongue

IFY said...

all join ...Africa my father land....

prettiyz said...

Wow

Unknown said...

Na wa oooo

Anonymous said...

No his toes.

Makingrealmoneyonline said...

fake info, Fon is in benin not cameroon.

Makingrealmoneyonline said...

fake info, Fon is in Benin not Cameroon .

Anonymous said...

Shut up

Unknown said...

This tradition sweet die#making sense

Anonymous said...

Shut your fliiiiithy trap! That's our president & somebody's dad/husband you are insulting. Perhaps old enough to be your father.

Roman! said...

Ride on king

Roman! said...

If he inherited his father's wife..that means he will inherit his own mother as wife also..Ride on king

Unknown said...

It will come 2 a time when every 1 in that Kingdom will b the processor to the thrown.....

Roman! said...

If he inherited his father's wife..that means he will inherit his own mother as wife also..Ride on king

Ladun Liadi said...

Dis is backwardness to u abi?
Bcos u don't knw wat goes on at buckingham palace.

Unknown said...

I wonder if he will also inherit his own mother from his father and have babies by her too. Just wondering!!!

Davido's driver said...

I see hiv prevalence

Unknown said...

More power to his d**k. The king should be given a local government like what's obtainable in the Northern part of Nigeria

Unknown said...

I was lookin out for a picture of him with all the 100 wives

Unknown said...

Welldone to him....

Unknown said...

Haaa na my country ppl u dey call werey
Tin ba ra e mu lolzzzzzz

Joy C said...

What??? Women abuse.
They r definitely trapped, another Mary Slessor pls.

Anonymous said...

Na waa oo, dat means his siblings r nw his kids cos dey r d children of his wife( his mother) funny indeed



@doubleo

Unknown said...

If it's their tradition and they are happy with it, that's their own cup of ogogoro.
King mehn take care so you don't die of heart related issue (if you know what I mean)

"Don't Mess with Free Will"

Unknown said...

Please Linda how many penis does he have?

Unknown said...

Won Ku inawo

Anonymous said...

Na only u enter 1 chance idiotic bunkum u think with ur anus onye Ara like u, biko si eba puo osiso pmb is the president go n drink acid or hug transformer

Unknown said...

See family

Unknown said...

Do you read your bible?

80 shades of tizzy said...

Somebody tell me, what good has he done to d world? Keep marrying many wives and keep gettin stupid, keep causing over population to d world. Stupid ass culture. I dont knw wat good, having more dan one wife do. Having two wives alone is problem, having almost 100? Nonsese!

andre kelvin said...

Oshey! 2nd King Solomon

Unknown said...

Such archaic tradition. WTH?



#TeamBlessed#

Anonymous said...

Solomon had 1000(700wives and 300 concubines) read 1kings11:3

Unknown said...

Reno Omokri is that u? Pls let it go already and cut PMB some slack. He's barely been there a month.



#TeamBlessed#

I B M bolubantin said...

Is this dudr okay?

Angelhil said...

WELL, DATS HIS CHOISE

Anonymous said...

Tell him, olodo

Anonymous said...

Oga u don't expect him to perform miracle. Dis things takes time so be literate and patience everything ll take place in due time......I hate it when some Nigerians want to see Buhari fails ...i really like jona then but he was clueless & too soft 4 d office now let pray Buhari excel so our country can move on .

Anonymous said...

Linda nothing special there...
In the West and the North West of Cameroon it is custom that every king inherits all of his father's wives therefore, most kings have over 100 wives.
In some villages like the Bamoun, The sultan is given 20 virgins when he is crowned and must sleep with all of them within 30 days. The first to get pregnant becomes his queen.it does not matter if he had a wife and children before he took the throne.

In other villages of the area, once a king is picked he must sleep with all of his father's widows to assert that they are now his wives except his mother. This custom does not only apply to royal families but all the nobility of the western part of the country although it is not as mandatory for them to comply as it is for the royal heirs...
In the north it is even worse... the wives are close to the thousands...

Bill said...

Linda im Cameroonian note this. These wives include his mother and grandmothsers and adopted people he takes care of. Most of them do not even live in the palace

Unknown said...

Ao he dey take satisfy dem 4 bed?

KIZITO~SANTIAGO said...

The culture should be abolished with immediate effect

Anonymous said...

The King does not need to have sexual intercourse with the ones he inherited from his dad. He is to look after their welfare. But if he is interested his culture is not frowning at it that is what it implies. This happens in some culture in Nigeria as well. However, to meet the financial obligations of such a large family will make him an egunje and very selfish traditional ruler that will make him unpopular among his subjects.

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