Opinion: HRM Albert Njie Mbonde & the reawakening of communal destiny in Bokwango.

I am a son of Fako Division in the South West Region of Cameroon, with ancestral roots in Botaland, Limbe, nevertheless profoundly shaped by over a decade of lived experience in Bokwango, a community in Buea with great historical groundings and narratives, which has defined key moments of my spiritual and social life. 

It is in Bokwaongo that I was baptised and later solemnised my marriage at Bender Baptist Church, under the pastoral guidance of Pastor Enowkenwa. 

My father lived and served in this land for 15 years as a military officer after his transfer from Yaoundé, until his retirement and settlement in Limbe. 

My mother, a devoted Christian from Bojongo village, anchored her faith and service within this same community during the family stay in Bokwaongo. 

Thus, Bokwango is not merely a place for me, it is a living expression of Ubuntu, a communion of faith, kinship, and shared humanity.

It is from this deeply rooted standpoint of about 15 years of observation comparatively to the 1-year stewardship of the rise of the 5th Monarch, His Majesty Albert Njie Mbonde, that I pen down this call for the form of leadership needed in the world from the juice of African traditional values I term Afrocracy. 

Animated by the Cartesian doubt concomitantly to my little knowledge on the typology of contemporary traditional rulership and its quagmires in the southwest in particular, I devoted a great deal of my time and rise to celebrate a leader whose works embody the ethical essence of African communal life.

From public voice to traditional authority

Before ascending the esteemed stool of traditional authority, His Majesty distinguished himself as a seasoned journalist with the Cameroon Radio Television. A man with remarkable anchor styles who never kept his tele viewers and listeners sleeping. 

Full of comic journalism, he caught everyone in a web of attention and joy irrespective of person’s ongoing pains during his anchor at the then breaking of the day CRTV programme baptized “Hello”. 

One day I will never forget is the day he appeared in front of the camera in the traditional Government Primary School uniform of blue short-sleeve shirt over a brown “kaki” short trouser, and a white long socks in a well-polished black shoe. 

This was a sign of bringing the people closer to him as he identified himself in others’ shoes. 

Furthermore, for over 16 years, he served as a respected voice in his celebrated role as Master of Ceremonies for the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope. 

In this capacity, he demonstrated discipline, national commitment, and a refined understanding of society. His decision to step aside in 2026, declaring in his own words; “there is a time to start and a time to stop” was not a retreat, but a redirection of purpose: from narrating society to transforming it.

His enthronement on March 19, 2025, as the 5th Monarch of Membea Bokwango marked not only a political transition, but a philosophical rebirth. 

The Divisional Officer for Buea, in a moment of profound symbolic instruction, charged him: “Bring everyone onboard; you are now a father to all.” 

In that single injunction lies the ethical foundation of African leadership; inclusivity, responsibility, and fatherhood of the community. 

It is therefore no coincidence that he bears the title “AJANEA”, in the Mokpwe (Bakweri) language meaning; “he who brings” or “he who fights for us.” 

This is not merely titular; it is existential as it defines both identity and duty he carries as a burden for his people and with the people. 

Vision, mobilization, and afrocratic leadership   

From the very dawn of his reign, His Majesty initiated what may be described as a catalytic vision: the Transformer Acquisition Initiative; a holistic development project aimed at elevating the bio-communitarian welfare of Bokwango, and reimagining the village as a model of excellence, evocatively likened to Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in France or for Bokwaongo to become particularly that in Cameroon, and Africa at large. 

This vision ignited an unprecedented wave of solidarity. Contributions flowed from senators, ministers like the minister of secondary education Prof Nalova Lyonga, daughter of the soil I termed the “small-no-be-sick” of digital transformation of education in Cameroon, governors, directors, entrepreneurs, military personnel, academicians, clergy, sons and daughters of the land both at home and in the diaspora, particularly in the United States.

This collective mobilization reveals a profound truth: African communities are not lacking in resources, but in unifying visions and visionary capable of inspiring trust, dignity, and participation. His Majesty Ajanea provided that spark.

The fruits of this vision are already visible. From the rehabilitation of healthcare services at the Bokwango Health Centre to the construction of public toilets, from community-wide sanitation campaigns to the repair of pipe-borne water systems, from infrastructural illumination through solar lighting to environmental cleanliness; these are not isolated achievements. They are expressions of what the Cameroonian Philosopher Godfrey B. Tangwa conceptualizes as eco-bio-communitarian welfare, where the well-being of individuals is inseparable from that of the community and its environment.

The leadership of His Majesty Ajenea Albert Njie Mbonde equally reflects the Afro-constructivist imperative of the Philosopher of the soil called Pius Mosima who stresses on the combination of both alien and local positive values for the development of African communities. 

This is because the wellbeing of the community is inseparable from that of the persons making up the environment who all urge for progress, which resonates clearly with the communitarian philosophies of Mbih Jerome Tasom and Kwame Gyekye.

Servant leadership, ubuntu & the ethics of coexistence

Beyond infrastructure lies something even more profound: servant leadership. His Majesty does not lead from above, but from within. This was beautifully illustrated when he convened communities of farmers, many from the North West Region, cultivating along the slopes of Mount Cameroon. 

Seated on a simple stool, surrounded by the people in a semi-circle, the gathering evoked the timeless African image of deliberation under the village tree, much like the symbolic neem (palapala) tree, whose shade represents wisdom, healing, dialogue, and communal justice. 

In that moment, leadership was not hierarchical but relational. It was Ubuntu and Ujama’a in action. He welcomed them, listened to them, guided them on the ethical “DOs and DON’Ts” of the land, and reaffirmed Bokwango as a space of hospitality, coexistence, and shared responsibility. This same spirit of unity is evident in his cultural stewardship. 

His active participation in leading the sacred Malle Dance, particularly the Elephant Cult Group, transcends ceremony. 

The elephant, symbolizing strength, wisdom, and unity, becomes a metaphor for his leadership. The gathering of many villages and persons signals a renewed sense of solidarity and cultural pride across Fako. 

Equally significant, is his investment in youth and excellence. His enduring connection to the Mount Cameroon Race of Hope continues to inspire discipline, while his recognition of champions reflects a commitment to mentorship and future greatness. 

However, as a fervent Christian, he further strengthens the moral and spiritual fabric of the community. A traditional ruler who blends culture and religion, respecting their roles and values in the people’s life is remarkable as he promotes ecclesial activities and projects as a zealous practitioner. 

This is Afro-constructivism in action for transformational and servant leadership skills, making him God’s sent to the people of Bokwaongo, a man chosen and guided by his ancestors. 

Thus, a testimony of a traditional leader in line with the hierarchy of Beings in the African society; His Majesty Ajanea Albert Njie Mbonde, the “Lowah na Welimo” (God and the ancestors) perfect hybrid to render Bokwaongo the Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in Cameroon. 

Conclusion…

The aim of this piece of epistemic write-up is a call for a rebirth in traditional leadership and recognition of a servant leader as an epitome of Afrocracy in action. 

One year into his reign, on March 19, 2026, the people of Bokwango celebrated not just an anniversary, but a rebirth. In his own words: “It is one year since our joyful celebration…marking a rebirth of our village… Our determination is unwavering…We are just beginning. With your support, the best is still to come.” 

Too often, African societies celebrate distant figures while neglecting transformative actors within their own communities. The leadership of His Majesty Ajanea Albert Njie Mbonde challenges this tendency. What is unfolding in Bokwaongo is the living expression of what I term “Afrocracy”, that is, a governance philosophy rooted in African values, sustained by communal participation, and driven by moral responsibility. 

In celebrating him, we are not merely honoring a man; we are affirming a people, a philosophy, and a future. We are hereby inviting all the leaders, especially in other villages in Buea and Limbe to stand up from their dogmatic slumber, aware from all sort of land disputes and other related quagmires that render the people dungeonic rather than celestial coexistence. 

Eco-bio-communitarian values grounding Ubuntu and Ujama’a are the pillars of Afrocracy which every 21st century traditional ruler needs to emulate for jurisdictional development that will move from the micro to the macro society and renders a better eco-humanism. Bokwaongo is showing the path via its servant leader His Majesty Ajanea Albert Njie Mbonde. What about you?

By Dr Nalionge Maxmillianus Ewoko: He is a Cameroonian educationist, philosopher, digital pedagogue and school administrator. He is PhD holder in Organizational Leadership, ETU - Nigeria and MA in Ethics and Political Philosophy, UYI - Cameroon. 

He has been school principal for over a decade in both day and boarding schools, and is now heading Pinnacle of Success Academy and a Teacher of Philosophy at the Distance Learning Center under the Ministry of Secondary Education.