Luma Francis Ndumbe is Successfully Crowned Traditional Ruler of Likombe Village, Buea
By Moki S. Mokondo in Buea for Mount Fako News Centre
28 June 2011
Despite bad weather conditions that led to a heavy downpour, the traditional and official ceremony to crown the Traditional Ruler H.R.H. Chief Luma Francis Ndumbe of Likombe, a village in Buea Subdivision, went on successfully.
Despite bad weather conditions that led to a heavy downpour, the traditional and official ceremony to crown the Traditional Ruler H.R.H. Chief Luma Francis Ndumbe of Likombe, a village in Buea Subdivision, went on successfully. Even though it rained all day long, state officials, traditional authorities, elites, relatives and friends braved it all to witness history being made in Likombe on Tuesday, 28 June, 2011, when Chief Luma was crowned Third Class Chief of the Likombe village.
During the official installation ceremony, the Divisional Officer for Buea Subdivision, Abraham Checkem, called on the new chief to build a cordial relationship with his subjects, be dynamic, and seek for advice from state and other traditional authorities to successfully manage the affairs of his Chiefdom. Mr Checkem reminded the newly crowned that he is an auxiliary of the state and is expected to ensure that government policies are respected in his Chiefdom.
Before the official installation, traditional rulers headed by the President of the Buea Chief’s Conference, Chief Linonge Kinge of Bwiteva had taken Chief Luma into the shrine (Ndawa’a Mbanjo) for traditional rituals. Anything that took place in this shrine remains a secret to Chief Luma and the Traditional Rulers therein. It is a custom that a chief must pass through some fortification, cleansing and cross-examination before mounting the traditional throne. After successfully fulfilling the task during the ritual rights, Chief Luma was then presented to the indigenous people of Likombe and the Bakweri Clan as the crowned chief.
Likombe Kingmakers and the Royal Families unanimously accepted and elected Chief Luma Francis Ndumbe to succeed his father, Late Chief Ndumbe Samson Luma on May 3rd 2008. They proceeded to present the young chief to the Divisional Officer for Buea during a consultative talk on March 25th 2010. A prefectural order, Reference Number 002/2011 was issued on January 5th 2011 designating H.R.H. Luma Francis Ndumbe as the chief of Likombe.
Chief Luma Francis Ndumbe was born on January 28th 1981 in Likombe. After his primary education, he schooled at Government Technical High School, Ombe, where he did Motor Mechanics and Electricity.
Brief History of the Likombe Chieftaincy
According to records presented during the installation of Chief Luma, Chief Njonje Ekema Teke, the grandson of Ngoni Maliva of the Small Soppo Woteke family was the first chief of Likombe. This was the first chief who received the flag from the German Colonial Masters. Then his son, Mombi-Mo-Njonje, took over from him. Chief Mombi handed it to his younger brother, Kang’a Mosisa, when he became old. It was explained that there was no elderly person in the Woteke family so the Chieftaincy stool moved hands to the Wosingo family after Chief Kanga became old and weak.
Therefore, Chief Mokoli-Mo-Singe took over and was later succeeded by his own son, Luma Francis Mokoli. According to records, Chief Luma Francis Mokoli was gazetted in 1939 as chief of Likombe Chiefdom. At his death, his son Chief Ndumbe Samson Luma took over the baton of command and today, Likombe is blessed with another chief.
Likombe village is situated at the foot of Mount Cameroon in Buea, South West Region of Cameroon. It is bounded on the North by Mount Cameroon, South by Tole Tea Plantations and Saxenhoff Camps, West by Mafvanja (Mapanja), and East by Bwassa villages. The founder of this village is Ngoni Maliva from Small Soppo Woteke.
