SW GOVERNOR THREATENS TO DETHRONE IDP CHIEFS

By Paul Njie
25/04/2019

The Governor of the South West region has threatened to dethrone all chiefs, who have abandoned their chiefdoms to seek refuge in the Francophone regions.

Governor Bernard Okalia Bilai made the threat this Thursday at the conference hall of the Buea council, during a meeting with traditional rulers, ahead of the National Day celebration.

Mr. Okalia Bilai promised to replace chiefs who are internally displaced, if they don’t return to lead their villagers during the 20th May march past event.

He urged them to convince the populations in their villages to participate in the celebrations, which have been banned by secessionist fighters.

The governor also warned chiefs present at the gathering that failure to participate in the National Day celebration, will provoke hard consequences which he failed to reveal.

Chiefs in Buea and the South West as a whole are often chosen by their people. It’s not clear what powers the governor has to unilaterally dethrone legitimate chiefs who were enthroned by their own people, without consulting them.