The question of legitimacy and legality in traditional leadership: The case of Kedjom-Keku (Big Babanki) in the North West Region of Cameroon

Chieftaincy plays a vital role in the maintenance of peace, social harmony and cohesion among communities in Cameroon. This is made possible through the legitimacy traditional leaders enjoy among their people. With the coming of colonialism and later post independent modern states, the issue of legality also became an important requirement in the status and recognition of traditional leaders. In the Cameroon modern state, this feat gained momentum in 1977 following the Chieftaincy Decree issued by government. Here, the legal status (recognition) of traditional leaders was accorded by the state or government. Conversely, in the North West Region, the legitimacy of traditional rulers was derived from the customs and traditions of the people. Their legal status wass vested in the people whose consent was sort in the procedure of making a king or leader. With the rebirth of multi-party democracy in 1990, several communities in the North West rose against their traditional rulers, many of whom only survived due to government recognition and backing. This paper examines the case of Fon Simon Vugah II of Kedjom-Keku, an oppressive leader who lost all legitimacy after defying customs and traditions and turned against his own people, inflicting agony and suffering on his chiefdom. Counting on government support and the backing of allies in the ruling party, he clung on the Kedjom-Keku royal throne, but not for too long as the people finally took their revenge on him. He was dethroned and subsequently lynched. The act was horrific and thus provoked the question of legitimacy and legality in traditional leadership. We adopted a chronological approach to the historical narrative here and from primary and secondary sources, we concluded that the legitimacy and legality of traditional leadership rest in the people and their customs and traditions. Any contrary structure or opposition to it, generates conflict with grievous repercussions on the local community.