Kumbo
Encyclopedia
Kumbo, also known as Kimbo, is the second-largest city in the North West Province of Cameroon
and the capital of Bui
Département. It lies about 2000m above sea level
and is situated approximately 110km away from Bamenda
(the provincial capital of the North West Province), on the Bamenda Highlands Ring Road. Kumbo has a population of 80,212 (at the 2005 Census) and is split into three distinctive hilly settlements of Tobin, Mbveh, and Squares. The town is known for horse racing
(Tobin Stadium ) and traditional medicine
, and also for its palace
(Nso Palace), a market and two hospitals (Shisong Hospital & Banso Baptist Hospital ). Kumbo is the capital city of the Nso Kingdom of the Nso
people. The lingua franca is Lamnso
but
Pidgin
,
English,
French,
Oku
,
Djottin,
Fulfulde
, and
Hausa
are spoken.
The first German settlers were Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
who arrived in 1912 and established their mission in 1913.
The Musa Heritage Gallery museum also known as "The Grassfields Museum" was created in 1996, in memory of Cameroonian artists Daniel Kanjo Musa and his elder son, John, to preserve wood sculptures created by these departed artists. Over the years, Mus'Art has been expanding to diversify its collection. Among the 400 objects and works of art exhibited, visitors can admire carved masks, wood statues and other objects made by the Musas. There are other objects collected from the grass-fields, such as traditional musical instruments, hunting gadgets, metal works, bamboo objects and pottery. Temporary exhibitions are also sometimes proposed.
Seat of the paramount chief of the Nso
people (Sehm Mbinglo I), this place is the heart of Kumbo social and cultural life. It is composed of several traditional buildings decorated with wood carvings, around two courtyards where the Fon
uses to sit and receive his people or his advisers. In the middle of the first one, stands a statue of Ngonso, the legendary first queen of the Nso people. Around the palace, other traditional buildings are also decorated with wood carvings. They are the seats of the sacred societies in charge to help the Fon in his task : the Ngwerong society and the Nggiri society. A mosque
was built next to them, although most of Nso people are Christians.
Built in the 1950s, Kumbo Cathedral is constructed entirely from stones. The Cathedral is located at the top of the square hill, dominating the town's landscape. The Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop since its creation in 1983. The current Bishop of Kumbo is George Nkuo (ordained on 8 July 2006). Prior to that, Bishop Cornelius Fontem Esua served the Diocese of Kumbo from 10 September 1982 to 7 December 2004.
) with a settlement in the Bamenda plateau grasslands. An integral part of Mbororos culture is horse racing. Through their influence, there is a famous annual horse race which takes place at the Tobin Municipal Stadium organised by the Ministry of Youths and Sports.
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
and the capital of Bui
Bui
Bui may refer to:*Bui, a department of Northwest Province in Cameroon*Bùi, a common Vietnamese surname*An enemy character in the anime/manga YuYu HakushoThe acronym BUI may refer to:*Baptist Union of Ireland*Boating Under the Influence...
Département. It lies about 2000m above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
and is situated approximately 110km away from Bamenda
Bamenda
Bamenda, also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town, is a city in northwestern Cameroon and capital of the North West Province. The city had a population of 269,530 at the 2005 Census, and is located 366 km north-west of the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé...
(the provincial capital of the North West Province), on the Bamenda Highlands Ring Road. Kumbo has a population of 80,212 (at the 2005 Census) and is split into three distinctive hilly settlements of Tobin, Mbveh, and Squares. The town is known for horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
(Tobin Stadium ) and traditional medicine
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine comprises unscientific knowledge systems that developed over generations within various societies before the era of modern medicine...
, and also for its palace
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
(Nso Palace), a market and two hospitals (Shisong Hospital & Banso Baptist Hospital ). Kumbo is the capital city of the Nso Kingdom of the Nso
Nso
The Nso are a people of the Bamenda Grassfields in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Their traditional language is Lamnso and their capital is Kumbo...
people. The lingua franca is Lamnso
Lamnso
Lamnso is the language of the Nso people of Cameroon. A few may remain in Nigeria.It is a Grassfields language with ten major noun classes.The ISO 639-3 code is lns. This language is spoken by about over 100,000 people.-Phrases:...
but
Pidgin
Cameroonian Pidgin English
Cameroonian Pidgin English, or Cameroonian Creole, is a language variety of Cameroon. It is also known as Kamtok . Five varieties are currently recognised:...
,
English,
French,
Oku
Oku
Oku is Sub Division in the Northwest Cameroon. The term Oku also refers to the people who live in this region and the primary language that they speak . Oku is a rural area containing about thirty-six villages...
,
Djottin,
Fulfulde
Fula language
The Fula or Fulani language is a language of West Africa. It is spoken as a first language by the and related groups from Senegambia and Guinea to Cameroon and Sudan...
, and
Hausa
Hausa language
Hausa is the Chadic language with the largest number of speakers, spoken as a first language by about 25 million people, and as a second language by about 18 million more, an approximate total of 43 million people...
are spoken.
The first German settlers were Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart is a missionary congregation in the Latin Church,one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the Catholic Church led by the Bishop of Rome...
who arrived in 1912 and established their mission in 1913.
Musa Heritage Gallery (or Mus'Art Gallery)
The Fon's Palace
Nso
The Nso are a people of the Bamenda Grassfields in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. Their traditional language is Lamnso and their capital is Kumbo...
people (Sehm Mbinglo I), this place is the heart of Kumbo social and cultural life. It is composed of several traditional buildings decorated with wood carvings, around two courtyards where the Fon
Fon (Cameroon)
A fon is a chieftain or king of a region of Cameroon, especially among the Tikar and Bamiléké peoples of the Bamenda grassfields . Though once independent rulers, most fons were brought under the German rule or military subjugation during the colonial period...
uses to sit and receive his people or his advisers. In the middle of the first one, stands a statue of Ngonso, the legendary first queen of the Nso people. Around the palace, other traditional buildings are also decorated with wood carvings. They are the seats of the sacred societies in charge to help the Fon in his task : the Ngwerong society and the Nggiri society. A mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
was built next to them, although most of Nso people are Christians.
The Cathedral
Horse Riding
The origin of Horse Racing in Kumbo was influenced by The Mbororos, a nomadic tribe of cattle breeders originally from the west and north-west CAR (Central African RepublicCentral African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
) with a settlement in the Bamenda plateau grasslands. An integral part of Mbororos culture is horse racing. Through their influence, there is a famous annual horse race which takes place at the Tobin Municipal Stadium organised by the Ministry of Youths and Sports.