THE KILUUN FONDOM

A Brief History of the people of the Kiluun Fondom in Nso Bui Division of Cameroon

By
Taa Mfoome wo Fon Kong (Dr. Emmanuel K Fai)

For Questions contact: taanfoomi@yahoo.com

December 2020

The Kiluun (Lun) Fondom is one of the Fondoms that make up the Great Nso Kingdom. Most of
the history of Nso that has been written is limited to the Fondom of Nso. There are several
Fondoms in Nso with untold history, and the Kiluun Fondom is one of them. It is quintessential
to document the history of these other Fondoms for a better comprehension of the complexity of
the Great Nso Kingdom, which is absent in other Fondoms of the North West Region of
Cameroon.

The Kiluun Fondom is located in a small village called Shiy in Jakiri Subdivision. Many Wirfon
do not know the history of this Fondom because it has been concealed in secrecy. During the
years of migration of the Tikari people, the Kiluun people moved from Bankim to Mbohnso
(Mbaw). In this essay, I will narrate a brief history of the Lun people. The limitation of this essay
is that I relied solely on oral information with a limited peer-review of the gathered information.

The people of Kiluun Fondom share the complexities of the other Tikari Fondoms of the
Grassfields of Cameroon, which include the centralization of powers in the hands of titleholders,
and individual polities of elements from a common core of cultural norms and practices. These
cultural idiosyncrasies are not unique to the Kiluun Fondom, but span across the other Fondoms
of the Great Nso Kingdom.

Most anthropologies have agreed that the Tikari people of Cameroon migrated from Egypt
around the 800AD and settled around the Lake Tchad region in Northern Cameroon [1]. From
the Lake Tchad region, they moved to the Adamawa area of Northern Cameroon. This date of
800AD is an assumed date because these migrations took place without documentation of events,
and they had no clear written language. Like many other Fondoms of the Great Nso Kingdom,
the Kiluun Fondom suffered from disintegration and fragmentation in the early ages and is
currently working on bringing her subjects under one common umbrella of the Lun Family.

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

Some authors have narrated the history of Nso from a competitive advantageous point by
erroneous conflate acquisition of data points. One of the main criticisms of the Nso oral history
is that some of the informants can deliberately distort information in order to present themselves
in a favorable epicenter. In addition, some anthropologists who write about their own history
tend to perform selective data collection techniques that will put their Fondom in a superior
advantage point. In this ethnographic study, I took the necessary precautions to minimize these
oral history biases.

Early anthropologists like Chilver and Kaberry laid the foundation framework of the origin,
culture, and tradition of some Tikari Fondoms. It is incumbent on the android generation to add
some flesh to the skeleton that these early anthropologists erected. We suggest that individuals
with more knowledge of the Kiluun Fondom should provide the flesh to embellish this work,
rather than crush it at face value without substantial addition.

Compare to the history of some of the Tikari Fondoms that has been poorly documented [2]; the
Kiluun history has never been documented. This lack of documentation is not unique to the
Kiluun Fondom, but span across smaller Fondoms of the Great Nso Kingdom. Most of these
Fondoms share common characteristics that are bounded in time, space, and dynastical origins
that project backwards in time and outwards in space [2]. Similar to some of the Fondoms that
claim their independent status from the Fondom of Nso, the Lun people practice a relationship of
collaboration and association with other Fondoms of Nso. These associations come in form of
kiman, menshang me wong, and shishur.

Origin of the Kiluun People

The Lun people migrated from the Lake Tchad Region to Bankim in the Northern Region of
Cameroon around the early 1600. For how many years the Kiluun Fondom was part of Bankim
dynasty before migrating to Mbohnso in the North West Region of Cameroon is unknown. Like
many other Tikari Fondoms in the Grasslands of Cameroon, the Lun people recognize the
paramountcy of the Fon of Bankim as well as the paramountcy of the Fon of Nso. Such cultural
conundrums do clearly reveal that the Lun people are part of the Bankim Fondom.

The Lun people left Bankim as a Fondom, and not as a prince who was fighting for chieftaincy
power. The Lun people hold that the numerous Fulani raids in Northern Cameroon was their
major reason for leaving Bankim. Many writers claimed that the major reason that many Tikari
Fondoms left Bankim was for the aspiration of a wider political sphere of influence [2]. This
could also be one of the reasons for the migration of the Lun people from Bankim.

The number of Kiluun Fons who disappeared in Bankim is unknown. The Fon of Kiluun who
took the Lun people from Bankim to the Mbohnso was Fon Ndzefoo Nchaangog. Fon Ndzefoo
Nchaangog was widely known for his traditional divination and magical powers. He could
command the winds and sent thunder with relative ease. When Fon Ndzefoo Nchaangog
disappeared in Mbohnso around the late 1800s, Fon Lumoh was enthroned. Fon Ndzefoo

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

Nchaangog was a likable Fon with great charisma. The Lun people had their Kwifon (Nwerong)
and Shiv Lun (Ngiri) when they arrived Mbohnso. Ngiri was unique to the Lun people, but the
Kwifon occult group was common among many Tikari Fondoms.

On the way from Bankim to Mbohnso, Fai Ntangri Lun started fighting for the Fonship with Fon
Ndzefoo Nchaangog, and Nwerong Lun murdered the Fai Taawong Lun. The Lun people then
entered into an oath taking called Kilih. The Kilih stipulated that the Lun people would never
enthrone another Fai Ntangri Lun (Fai Taawong) in their Fondom. The functions of Fai Taawong
were then handed to Shufai Lun Shiy, who is the first kibai ke Fon Kiluun. Shufai Lun Shiy and
Yaah Lun (Yaah Yeewong) were tasked with performing the functions of Ntangri in the Kiluun
Fondom. The Yaah Yeewong and Fai Taawong appellations were unique to the Fondom of Nso;
but, recently, other Fondoms in Nso have started calling their aFai and aYaah Ntangri as aFai
Taawong and aYaah Yeewong, respectively.

Fon Nkum (currently Shufai Tankum) welcomed Fon Ndzefoo Nchaangog and his people when
they arrived in Mbohnso. The Fon of Nkum did not have a cordial relationship with the Fon of
Kiluun and he went as far as selling some of the princes of Kiluun in slave trade. In around 1982,
the Shufai Yofla of Tankum sent people to the Kiluun palace for a peaceful sacrifice of Kidiv to
be performed following the rocky relationship between the Kiluun and Tankum people. Shufai
Lun Shiy and Yaah wo Laagom (Yaah Yeewong Kiluun) performed the Kidiv sacrifice. The
successful kidiv sacrifice restored a peaceful relationship between the people of Tankum and the
Lun people.

When Fon Ndzefoo Nchaangog disappeared around the mid1800s, there was a squabble for who
to ascend the throne, and Fon Lumoh was enthroned. Similarly, Fon Lumoh did not have a
cordial relationship with Fon Nkum and he took his people from Mbohnso to Kwahnso. The Lun
princes who were aspiring for the Fonship refused to follow Fon Lumoh to Kwahnso. Shufai Lun
Kuh Ntarr Mbam and Shufai Lun Ntsenla Mbam remained in Mbohnso. Shufai Lun Ngondzen
and Shufai Lun Mbiftinbang Kikaikom later on left Mbohnso and founded their Faiship around
Kimbo.

Later, Fon Nkum left Mbohnso and integrated with the Fondom of Nso as kibai ke Fon Nso in
Kovvifem. Shufai Lun Kimbo, who stayed behind, later on joined Tankum in Kovvifem and
integrated with Nso as the third kibai ke Fon Nso. The Lun people dispute the view of
Mcculloch, Littewood, and Dugast that the Lun people were in the French Cameroons when
Shufai Lun was already in Kovvifem [3].

Shufai Lun, was aspiring for the Fonship, but lost his bid for the throne after the death of Fon
Ndzefoo Nchaangog. By the time that Shufai Lun Kimbo migrated to Kovvifem, the Fondom of
Nso had only two great lords (vibai), and Shufai Lun Kimbo peacefully relinquished his
aspiration for Fonship and integrated with Nso. The initial Kovvifem great lords (vibai) were
Ndzendzev (who had emigrated from the Tang clan in the Nsungli area) and Tankum (who had

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

emigrated from Mbaw), and Lun (from Kiluun) [3]. These three vibais were the pillars of the
Ngonnso dynasty in Kovvifem.

Shufai Lun Kimbo had a sizeable population of the Lun people with him. Some oral historians
believed that Shufai Lun Kimbo introduced the shiv Lun (Ngiri) to the Nso dynasty at Kovvifem,
and that marked the beginning of Ngiri Sanctum in the Nso Fondom. This viewpoint is
collaborated by Chem-Langhee, Fanso, and Chilver who stated that [4]:

The origins of nggiri [in Nso] were a matter of lovely dispute in 1958. According to some
versions collected by Kaberry it was acquired from the refugee Fon Kiluun who had
derived it from Tikari and “gave’ it to Fon Nso at Kovvifem.

The authors of the above version disputed this view because they stated that the Lun
people joined Nso when the Nso people were already in Kimbo. Nevertheless, the Lun people
claimed that they came to the Nso land when Shufai Tankum was still in Mbaw as the Fon of
Nkum. Later, Ngiri Lun was introduced in several Fondoms including Nkar, Mbiame, Oku, and
other Fondoms of Nsungli in Donga-Mantum division of Cameroon.

It is unknown for how many years the Lun people stayed in Mbohnso, but Fon Ndzefoo
Nchaangog disappeared in Mbohnso. Some oral historians narrated that when the Lun people left
Mbohnso, they forgot their Kwifon with the Fon of Nkum. Some stated that the Lun people gave
their Kwifon to the Fon of Nkum in Mbohnso and when the Fon of Nkum integrated with Nso,
he handed the Lun Kwifon to them. This view of the etiology of Nwerong Nso as from Tankum
is supported by Mzeka [5]. The Tankum people has a special dance called Lala (Lahlar). The
etiology of the word Lala was a caution indication to the Nso people not to abolish their Kwifon.
Thus, that is how the people of Tankum acquired the Nwerong Lun and introduced it to the Nso
dynasty in Kovvifem.

This oral history is subject to debate among lovers of the Nso culture and tradition. Like, any
oral history, this topic about the acquisition of Ngiri and Nwerong can become a hot debate
topic. However, it is obvious that since a woman called Ngonnso founded the Nso dynasty, she
could not have been migrating from Bankim to Mbohnso and to Kovvifem with neither Ngiri nor
Nwerong. These occult societies must have been acquired along the line of migration in
Kovvifem. The Nso people were notorious for changing the names of objects that they acquired
from other Fondoms by adding Nso at the end. The village of Mbaw, which was part of Nsungli
later, become Mbohnso. The village of Ntuuntig later on become Kwahnso.

Integration with the Fondom of Nso

Fon Lumoh died in Kwahnso in the early 1900s, and his son, Fon Njoyir I, was enthroned.
Literally, Kwahnso means the farmland for the Nso people. The Lun people called the place
where they settled in Kwahnso as Tabvsi. One of the reasons for choosing this area was for
strategic reason to avert the Fulani raids. The area is marshy with many tributary rivers that

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

served as a cordon sanitaire that made it inaccessible to the Fulani people. In addition, they
wanted a nucleated polity with other surrounded Fondoms such as Ndzerem Nyam in Kwahnso,
which served as a defensive strategy against the Fulani raids. The Lun people were welcomed in
Kwahnso by Fon Fofir of Ndzerem Nyam. They settled in Kwahnso for some years and planted
raffia palms and colanuts trees. The Fulani raids of the 1800s disrupted most of local
organization leading to compaction of mixed groups in defensible positions for the survival [2].

Contrary to the view of Chem-Langhee and some ethnographic writers, that Nso conquered the
Lun people in a warlike fashion, [5] the integration of the Kiluun and Nso was never warlike.
The integration was centered on the competitive exchange of materials and object commonly
known as Shishur, meshang, and/or kiman, which were an oath taking of togetherness and
harmony. One of the reasons that the Nso and the Nkar people feared the Lun people was
because of their super magical powers and their technical knowhow of traditional medicine.
Fowler in his early research studies [2] supported this viewpoint. There were winners and losers
in the oath undertakings, but these oaths were essential because they ended in peaceful
relationships between the Fondoms. The welcoming spirit of the Nso people put their Fondom on
the edge in the competitive advantage of assimilation, subjugation, and integration of other
Fondoms that migrated to the Nso land.

The major problem that the Lun people faced in Ntuuntig-Kwahnso was death. There was a
particular insect [name unknown] with a deathly venom, which killed so many Lun people in
Kwahnso. In addition, because of the marshy nature of the area, mosquito bites were the order of
the day, and many Lun people died from malaria. Most of them survived because of their skillful
medicinal powers and their abilities to produce malaria medicine. During that period, the Nso
people had settled in Kimbo.

The Reign of Fon Njoyir I

Fon Njoyir I was a great lover of hunting, commanded some of the hunting grounds of Kwahnso,
and hunted right to Dumbo and Liv. He had several dogs, but the Lun people were not in support
of him hunting because they had never witnessed their Fon hunting. One night, Fon Njoyir I
went out with his dogs and some of his hunting mates, and when he pointed his touch, he spotted
the eyes of a pregnant horse from a distance. He fired his dane gun and killed a pregnant horse,
which belong to a notable from Bambalang (commonly called as Bangoran).

When the Bambalang people heard the cry of a dying horse, they came out with machetes, and
dane guns, and Fon Njoyir I escaped to the Bambalang palace. They followed him to the palace
and found out that the hunter was the Fon of Kiluun. It was reported that Fon Njoyir mistook the
horse for an elephant. The Fon of Bambalang negotiated a peaceful settlement between the horse
owner and Fon Njoyir I. The Fon of Bambalang cautioned his people not to be belligerent with
the Lun people for fear of their magical powers. The Lun people were taxed to pay the dead
pregnant horse. The Fon of Ndzerem Nyam Kwahnso was engineering the Bambalang people not

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

to reduce the levy. In order to avoid further casualties with the Bambalang people, the Lun
people sold their colanut and their raffia palm trees and paid off the horse owner.

After this incident, Fon Njoyir I took his people and left Kwahnso for Taa Shiy. Fon Sem III had
much respect and love for Fon Njoyir I and they formed a strong bond of unity. In addition, Fon
Njoyir I was loved by Fon Moolo I of Nkar. Some of the Lun princes with their families left
Kwahnso and went offshoot and some went to Nigeria. One prince of Kiluun called Nsam went
to Nkar and became an asset to the Fon of Nkar in terms of medicinal divination and the magical
powers. There was a time when a group of individuals wanted to kill the Fon of Nkar and Shufai
Nsam protected him by evoking tornados that damaged the homes of the Fon’s enemies.

When the Lun people left Kwahnso around the early 1900s, the Fon of Nkar welcomed them.
The Lun people then introduced Ngiri to the Nkar Fondom. The Fon of Nkar allocated a portion
of land in Taa Shiy and Fon Njoyir I settled there with his people. At that time, most of the Lun
people were scattered in Mbohnso and Kimbo. The Lun people had most of their land in
Kwahnso but abandoned the area because of ill health. After settling in Taa Shiy, the mortality
rate did not decrease. They left Taa Shiy and settled in Mbohnwig, near the Faar compound
where there is the Fon Kiluun farming land (Sum Fon). They later on left Mbohnwig to their
present location around 1946. However, the rampant mortality rate did not decrease, and many
diviners pointed the persistent death rate to their abandonment of Nwerong Lun. Thus, that is the
major reason that the Lun people reinstated their Kwifon in February of 2009.

While at Taa Shiy, the Fon of Nkar continued to demonstrate respect and love for the Fon of
Kiluun. The special palm wine in Ntoh Nkar was reserved for the Fon of Kiluun. The Nso and
Nkar people relied heavily on the Lun people for medicinal protection against the evil forces of
darkness. Shufai Nsam who was elevated as the number six kibai ke Fon Nkar continued to
provide divination for the Fon of Nkar, and the Fon of Kiluun continued to provide divination for
the Fon of Nso. Thus, the Fondom of Kiluun acted as an intersection point of the Fondoms of
Nkar and Nso in divination powers and the Nso traditional medicine.

After the death of Fon Njoyir I in 1960, the Fondom of Kiluun eliminated the direct succession
role of a son succeeding his direct father as new Fon. Similarly, in Nso, Fon Mfomikong
succeeded his father, Fon Sembum I. After Fon Njoyir I of Kiluun Fondom and Fon Mapri of
Nso, these Fondoms have avoided the direct succession role. One of the reasons of eliminating
direct succession role is to avoid a situation whereby a father and his son could father children
from the same queen mother (Wiyntoh). Similar to the Fondoms of Nkar and Nso, the common
fallacy that only princess born on a leopard skin are enthroned as Fons is untrue in the Kiluun
Fondom. Fon Fondap succeeded Fon Njoyir I, but Fondap was not conceived on a leopard skin.
Similar to the Nso tradition, the Lun tradition is based on symbolic non-rigid principles, or
guidelines, or rules, not laws.

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

When Fon Njoyir I disappeared, Fon Fondap I (Fondap means Fon Ndze kava) ascended the
throne. It is alleged that Shey Wirngam, the son of Njoyir, was supposed to be enthroned as a
Fon, but lost his bid because of his young age, and secondly, because the Lun people had
eliminated the direct succession role. Fon Fondap was a son of the princess of Kiluun, who never
got married and his mother was the daughter of Fon Lumoh.

Prior to enthronement as a Fon, Fon Fondap was a Tav Ngiri Kiluun and that position gave him
the authorities to officiate in the sacrifices of Ngiri Lun. Fon Fondap was a right-hand person of
Fon Sehm Mbinglo I, and Fon Sehm Mbinglo used to say, “death has kept the Fon of Kiluun
because God knows that I need him”. Fon Fondap was a likable father to the fatherless in Nso.
His unique smile and laughter were captivating to many. He had no western education, but his
familiar phrase of “but so no” made him proud of his little English articulation.

The Reign of Fon Fondap

Fon Fondap was enthroned around 1960, during the reign of Fon Sem III (1947-1972) of Nso
and Fon Moolo I of Nkar. He saw the enthronement of Fon Ngah Bi’Fon II (1972-1983), Ngah
Bi’fon III (1993-1993), and Sem Mbinglo I (1993- ). He saw the reign of Fon Tumi Ntaanin II
(1954-2008) and Fon Moolo II (2008- ) of Nkar. As an instrumental practical leader, he was able
to regenerate the Nwerong Lun that has been dormant for many years. Fon Fondap believed in
self-discipline and practiced it as an order of building his personal endowment. His reign was
endowed with hope and strength for Wirfon. His charismatic leadership style made him very
likable to those who knew him.

Fon Fondap transformed the Njoro’ manjong to Mfu’ Kiluun in April 2014. Fondap clearly
understood that if he did not perform some of these tasks, it would be difficult for his successor
to navigate through the traditional politics in Nso. Fon Fondap was one of the greatest Fons in
Nso who joint his ancestors on Tuesday November 20, 2018, and was succeeded by Fon Njoyir
II, who was enthroned on Saturday November 24, 2018.

In addition, Fon Fondap reinstated Nwerong Lun after many years of dormancy. He was known
as the father of development because he championed the construction of several structures in the
Kiluun palace, including the current Nwerong compound, the Mfu’ house, and the Vikiyntoh
houses. Fon Fondap claimed that he was more than 100 years, but that age was assumed. Fon
Fondap was the second Fon of Kiluun to be buried in their current location after Fon Njoyir I.

The Reign of Fon Njoyir II

Fon Njoyir II ascended the throne on November 24, 2018. Fon Njoyir II was the son of Fon
Njoyir I. His mother, who was Yaah Yesum and currently Yaah Yeefon, is a daughter of the Sov
compound in Jakiri subdivision. The reign of Fon Njoyir has been challenging because he
ascended the throne during the Anglophone crisis era, which is a period of turmoil and
turbulence in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon. Many cultural activities in Nso have

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

been halted, but Fon Njoyir II has managed to continue the celebration of activities in the Kiluun
palace.

The Vibai ve Kiluun

The distribution of power in the Kiluun Fondom is very different from the distribution of power
in other Fondoms of Nso. Overall, the Fon is the epicenter of authority in the Kiluun Fondom.
The second person in command is Mfoome Kiluun, commonly known as Fon Kong Lun (loosely
translated as the Fon of spear). After these, the next in command are the three counsellors: Shufai
Lun Shiy, Shufai Nchahri, and Shufai Mveh. Shufai Nchahri and Shufai Mveh claimed that they
joined the Kiluun Fondom as Fons and relinquished their Fonship during their integration with
the Lun people in Kwahnso. They are followed by the aYeewong. There are Yeewong wo
Laagom, Yeewong wo Mbishah, and Yeewong Fonsheh. The other great lords of Lun are Shufai
Chikong, Shufai Kiiy Wainamah, and Shufai Njii Kilam. Also, we have Yaah wo Fonsum
Kiluum.

The Ngiri Kiluun Occult Group

The Kiluun Fondom is well known for the Shiv Lun (Ngiri Kiluun). Membership of the Ngiri
Kiluun is open to any Wontoh and members of the Duy clan. The 4th generation of a princesses
and the 5th generation of princes belong to the Duy clan. Some oral historians narrate the origin
of Ngiri in Nso and other Fondoms in Mbum land to originate from the Kiluun Fondom [4]. This
is the same view that is widely held in the Kiluun Fondom. The Fondom of Nso acquired Ngiri
from Shufai Lun who integrated with Nso at Kovvifem. Some of the Fondoms that acquired
Ngiri Kiluun modified it to suit their cultural needs, aspirations, and desires.

Some writers such as Mzeka [5] have argued that the origin of Ngiri Nso was from Bamum. If
this version is, then who introduced Ngiri Bamum to the Nso people in Kovvifem? It is obvious
that Ngonnso being a female never migrated from Bankim to Kovvifem with neither Ngiri nor
Nwerong. Logically, one may agree that Shufai Lun Kimbo introduced Ngiri to the Nso Fondom
in Kovvifem.

In addition, because the Lun people settled closed to the Bamum people, the Mum people might
had copied the Ngiri from the Lun people. The arrival of Ngiri in Nso is widely considered by
most Nwerong members as a thing of yesterday [4]. The Lun people introduced Ngiri to the Nkar
people as Mbu’mi when they settled in Taa Shiy. The initiation of the Ngiri Nkar is something of
yesterday. Around the late 1960s, the Lun people were the people performing the Ntangri Ngiri
Nkar. Ngiri Mbiame and Vikuu are offshoots of Ngiri Nso. Using deductive logical reasoning, if
Ngiri Nso was an offshoot of Ngiri Lun, then Ngiri Mbiame and Ngiri Vikuu are offspring of
Ngiri Kiluun.

It was widely believed that in the early 1900s, the Wanmabuh from Kiluun was able to walk on
elephant grass stems that were planted along the roadside by its members. Originally, the only

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

masquerades from Ngiri Lun were Wan Mambuh and Mambuh (Shigwaala). The Yee Ngiri
existed only as mystical instrumental cult with no masquerade Yee Ngiri. Thus, Ngiri has existed
as Shiv Lun for many years.

Similarly, to the Fondom of Nso, some of the present masquerades of Ngiri Kiluun were copied
from Bamum. The Duy clan is less conservative than the Nchelav clan is. The liberal nature of
the Duy clan let to the acquisition of the many Ngiri masquerades. In Mbohnso, the Lun princes
belonged to Ngiri and Nwerong societies, but currently, they belong only to the Ngiri occult
society. This practice of princes belonging to both Ngiri and Nwerong is still practiced in some
smaller Fondoms of Nso such as Ndzerem Mbokam and Ndzerem Nyam.

The new masquerades that have been added to the Ngiri society are Moo (Taa Mandze), Momum
(Nsiy kibah), and jwi Ngiri. The liberal modification and creation of the many masquerades in
Ngiri was promoted and supported by Fon Sem III. It is widely believed that Fon Sem III created
the new masquerades to create a balance of power between Ngiri and Nwerong, and to mitigate
the power struggle that existed between Ngiri and Nwerong Nso.

The Nwerong Kiluun occult group

Most of the Tikari Fondoms had their Kwifon or Ngumba (Nwerong). The Lun people claim that
they left Bankim for Mbohnso with their Kwifon and abandoned it with the Fon of Nkum in
Mbohnso who later on handed it to the Fondom of Nso in Kovvifem. Fon Fondap reinstated the
Nwerong Kiluun in February 2009. When it was time for the Lun people to perform their ntangri
Nwerong, they asked the Ndzeen people to perform the first Ntangri for them, because the
Ndzeen people had also reinstated their abandoned Nwerong. Later, Nwerong Lun entered into a
menshang peaceful agreement with Nwerong Nso in 2018.

The reinstitution of Nwerong Lun almost resulted in rift between the people of Nkar and Kiluun
because the people of Nkar were expecting the Lun people seek their assistance for their initial
Ntangri Nwerong. The reason for the expectation might have been that the people of Nkar
wanted to perform the first Ntangri Nwerong since the Lun people performed the first Ntangri
Ngiri Nkar.

The junior house of Nwerong Kiluun has Shigwaala, Kibarakoh, jwi Nwerong, and kingayasi.
Generally, the Kibarakoh ke Kiluun is considered as njila’ Mfoome Lun. It is obvious that if it is
true that the Lun people had their Nwerong in Mbohnso, they did not have the current Nwerong
masquerades.

The Mfu’ Kiluun Manjong Group

Before 2014, the manjong of Kiluun was Nshoro’. Fon Fondap upgraded the Nshoro’ manjong to
Mfu’ Kiluun. It is unclear which Fon started the Lun Nshoro’ manjong. Some writers have
stipulated that the origin of Mfu’ in the Nso was from Bamum [7]. The Nshoro’ Kiluun had

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

strong medicine for curing wounded warriors. The initial Mfoome Mfu’ Kiluun is Taadom
Emmanuel Fai, popularly known as Fon Kong Lun. His immediate deputies are Ngwang and Tav
Mfu’ Lun. By being the second in command in the Kiluun palace, Mfoome Kiluun has a reserved
siting position in the Mfu’ house and Lav Ngangse Nwerong Lun.

In the absence of wars, the Mfu’ of Nso land have become more of a social gathering place for
men of culture and tradition. Occasionally, the men gather to consume palm wine and
occasionally beer, while discussing and taking important decisions about their communities. In
addition, the Mfu’ manjong groups play important roles in community development, and the
celebrations of life of deceased members.

The people of Kiluun were specialized in producing military weapons such as spears, cutlasses,
etc. The princely compound of Shufai Lun Kimbo operated as the Nso palace blacksmith (kilam
ke fon), which was principally for making spears and cutlasses that the Nso warriors used in wars
[7].

Currently, the bravery of any warrior is not measured by how many people he can kill, but on
how he can champion the development of local communities. Taa Mfoome Lun has championed
the development in Kiluun palace by promoting and transforming the Kiluun palace from its old
structures with dilapidating building to structures that are in conformity with the modern
civilization.

The Shaala Women Dance

Like many Fondoms of the Great Nso Kingdom, the Lun people had their female Tooh dance
called Shaala Mbuh. The word Mbuh in Kiluun language means women. The female Tooh dance
of Nso is called Lalir Nso, and other Fondoms and big compounds have similar female dances.

The Kiluun Cultural and Development Association (KICDA)

Like most Fondoms, the Lun Fondom has a development association called the Kiluun Cultural
and Development Association (KICDA). The KICDA operates as a tentacle of the Nso
Development Association (NSODA), and functions in tandem with NSODA. The current leader
of KICDA is Shey wo Kuhway who is assisted by Yaah Moye wo Bamenda. The KICDA has
been dormant because of the Anglophone crisis that is wreaking havoc in the English-speaking
part of Cameroon.

Conclusion

The essence of writing about the history of the Kiluun Fondom is to shed more light about this
Fondom that is not well known in the Grassfields region of Cameroon. The Kiluun Fondom is
known for its cultural heritage of Ngiri. The essence of this essay is not to elevate the Lun
Fondom to a different higher status in Nso, but to document about its history as it is narrated by
the Lun people. This history is subject to dispute or debate by many Wirfon, especially those

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

who ‘see nothing good’ in other Fondoms of the Great Nso Kingdom, apart from the Paramount
Fondom of Nso. Readers with different viewpoints of the Kiluun oral literature may review and
analyze this work in their publications, because oral history is not gospel truth that cannot be
questioned.

Declaration of interest:

1. This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public,
commercial, or not-for-profit sector.
2. There is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of
the research reported.

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THE KILUUN FONDOM

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