The traditional ruler of Nso, Paramount Fon of Bui in the North West Region, His Majesty Fon Sehm Mbinglo I, is set to officially launch a book that chronicles his experiences and reflections on the ongoing Anglophone crisis in Cameroon.
Titled: The Fon of Nso’ and the Anglophone Crisis: A Testimony for Reconciliation and Peace, the maiden publication will be launched in Yaounde on June 25, 2026, before subsequent presentations in other towns across the country and in the diaspora.
According to a press release issued by the author, the 170-page book is divided into seven parts with sub-chapters and includes a foreword, preface and acknowledgements.
Beyond its narrative, the publication, the monarch says, includes photographs depicting key events of the Anglophone crisis as well as significant moments in the history of the Nso Fonship, providing readers with both written and visual testimony.
The publication comes against the backdrop of the nearly decade-long armed conflict that has deeply affected communities in the English-speaking North West and South West regions of Cameroon.
At least 6,500 people have been killed, with 584,000 others uprooted from their homes, since violence erupted in 2027, according to the International Crisis Group. An additional 73,000 other victims of the crisis are refugees in Nigeria.
Like many traditional rulers from the North West Region, Fon Sehm Mbinglo I has spent much of the crisis period away from his palace. He has lived in Yaounde since his abduction by armed separatist fighters and his subsequent release in late 2020.
The author says the book seeks not to replace oral tradition but to complement, strengthen and preserve for posterity an important aspect of Nso’s royal narrative. It is also intended as a contribution to ongoing efforts aimed at fostering peace, reconciliation and historical preservation.
Rooted in the age-old Nso tradition of “Tooy Fon” — a practice of dialogue and wise counsel, the publication invites the people of Nso, Cameroonians and the wider international community to embrace dignity, mutual respect and peaceful coexistence. It further encourages reflection on the need to heal divisions caused by the conflict through fairness, understanding and forgiveness.
Organisers say the launch events will be conducted in the spirit of ancestral dialogue and community engagement, underscoring the role of traditional institutions in promoting peace, justice and unity.
Traditional rulers, community leaders, youth representatives, members of the diaspora, cultural associations and other stakeholders are expected to attend the inaugural launch in Yaounde. Government officials, civil society actors and members of the diplomatic corps have also been invited.
