Bamenda

Bamenda, also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town, is a city in northwestern Cameroon and capital of the North West Region. The city had a population of about 500,000 people, and is located 366 kilometres (227 mi) north-west of the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé. Bamenda is known for its cool climate and scenic hilly location.

History

The city is an amalgamation of Seven villages - Mankon, Mendakwe, Nkwen, Chomba, Mbatu, Nsongwa and Santa

Bamenda's principal ethnic group is the Ngeumba for defense purposes. However, Bamenda also encompasses the Nguemba people. The Nguemba tribe became so large that the people decided to name the upper part Santa and the lower part Bamenda which consists of 7 villages: Mbatu, Chomba, Nsongwa, Mankon, Nkwen, Mendankwe and Santa.

Bamenda was subjected to German colonialism in the late 19th century, and evidence of Germany's former occupation of Bamenda can still be seen today in structures such as the Fort at the Bamenda station; (the present day fort is used as the Bamenda High Court, the Court of first instance and the office of the Senior Divisional officers) the nearby Bafut Palace. After the defeat of the Germans in World War I (1914–1918) the League of Nations shared German colonial territories among victorious nations. Western Cameroon (the present day North West and South West Regions) were administered jointly with Nigeria under the protectorate of the British until 1961 when following a plebiscite it attained independence by joining the then already independent Republique du Cameroun.