CREATION & HISTORY

The Wabane council is one of the three councils in Lebialem Division of the Southwest region.

The Wabane council was created by decree No 95/082 of 24/4/95 in April 1995. It has a surface area of 180 km2 with a population of 63,818 people (field data). The council has been managed since then by four mayors in three successive mandates – Mr. Manfred Nkonganyi Fontem, Tanyi Simon Kedju, Jong Manasseh Teba, who came in to complete the turn of predecessor and Nembo Ketu Israel. The council headquarters is in Babong Bamumbu and manages an estimated population of 86,721 inhabitants occupying a total surface area of 180 km2.

Lebialem: History, Tribes, and Administrative Structure

According to the 1922 British colonial decision that established the Bangwa District and the Mundani District (as part of the then-Mamfe Division in the Bamenda Province of Cameroon), it is widely recognized that Lebialem is home to two primary tribes: the Bangwa and the Mundani.

Terminology and Identity

The people of Lebialem are commonly referred to as the Nwah-Mundani or Nweh-Mundani people. Within this framework, the terms are used as follows:

• Bangwa and Melabeh (or Belabeh): These terms represent the people as a whole.

• Nweh (or Nwah) and Mundani: These terms refer to the specific tribal identities or languages.

• Guenwah (or Guenweh): An individual from the Nweh tribe.

• Ndabeh: An individual from the Mundani tribe.

Administrative Sub-Divisions and Villages

Lebialem is divided into three administrative sub-divisions. The Bangwa people occupy Alou and Fontem, while the Melabeh people occupy Wabane.

Origins and Migrations

The inhabitants of Lebialem come from diverse backgrounds, reflecting a rich history of movement across the region:

• Fontem (Bangwa): Most trace their origins to the Bayang region (Mamfe).

• Alou (Bangwa): These populations primarily migrated from the Bamileke region in the West Region of Cameroon.

• Mundani (Melabeh): Their roots are said to be in the Bayang and Widikum regions (Momo Division of the North West Region).

Note on General History: According to historian Victor Julius Ngoh in History of Cameroon since 1800, the Lebialem people are part of the Tikar (Tika) group. They are believed to have migrated over time from the Lake Chad region through what is now the Adamawa Plateau.

While the majority in each village shares these specific roots, some individual families may have different origins, though the history of the majority generally defines the village’s heritage.