Abumbi II, the 11th fon, or king, of Bafut, Cameroon, has close to 100 wives. They weren't all his to start. According to local tradition, when a fon dies, his successor inherits all his wives and then marries his own queens.

"The queens have a great role to play in the fondom," notes Prince Nickson, also of Bafut, noting that it is up to these women behind the man to shape him in his kingly role.

"Behind every successful man must be a very successful, staunch woman," says Abumbi's third wife, Queen Constance.

"Our tradition has it that when you are king, the elderly wives remain to hand down the tradition to the younger wives, and also to teach the king the tradition because the king had been a prince, not a king."

Despite the fact that polygamy is legal in Cameroon, the data shows that there are far fewer polygamous marriages across the African continent. The practice is being challenged by changing values, the spread of the Christian faith, the growing appeal of the western way of life but also the rising costs of having large families. It is against this backdrop that Cameroon's traditional rulers must walk the fine line between two often conflicting cultures.

"During colonialism other values came in, of governance, different from the traditional values we had and therefore there is this constant conflict between the traditional values and modern western values," admits Fon Abumbi II, who has ruled Bafut, the largest fondom in the region, for 47 years.
On meeting the queens of Fon Ndofua Zofia II of Babungo -- one of Cameroon's youngest traditional rulers -- Methu said:

"All his young wives, forced on him by tradition, spoke fluent English in a French-speaking region and were great marketers."

It is this seeming contradiction that makes life in the fondom fascinating and confusing. Are they stuck in the past or keeping pace with the present? Fon Zofoa III doesn't think you have to choose. He may have "inherited" 72 wives and more than 500 children after his father's death, but he considers himself a very modern king.

"To run a kingdom nowadays in this era, you must be educated because things are moving very fast. Like they used to say, education is light, ignorance is darkness."

source: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/17/africa/the-king-with-100-wives-cameroon/index.html

inheriting 72 problems.

hmmm, see tradition that means naija kings dem dey learn work

72_ palava




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3rd to comment........... front page...




dedicate this space to the king with 72 wahalas

One of d reasons y Africa still far far behind

Am not sure about cameroon women but if any King try am with naija babes he no go last a month before he die.

Some traditions though...

hahaha....72+ the ones he had before =almost 100

this guy get heart o....
lalasticlala

This guy must really know how to sing ROTATE- Wande Coal

He inherited nonsense, . . Shame

K

Here in Afghanistan it's against the Law!!


King woju o!!

funi, 72 wives, more than 500 children. he Probably wants 2 beat king solomon's record....behind every successful man deriz a woman, if u want more success, increase d number of women lol, it didn't apply in solomon's case doh.

Gr8

my 1 gf is giving me problems upon problems...... am doubting marriage

Does he inherit his mother as well??

He still can't compare to king Solomon with over seven thousand wives and concubines

kazzonline:
Does he inherit his mother as well??

probably

angieberry:
He still can't compare to king Solomon with over seven thousand wives and concubines

at least...oga solo no inherit from davo na

OH lala

hmmm,
good inheritance

Kingship or sex game?
Barbaric it is in all ramifications as he will have more issues to deal with internally than having time for his kingdom.

sure i knw him he ordered fr our extender and delay products nt long to satisfy his over 100 wives