Traditional Titles and Rank in Bali Nyonga

Originally published in the BCA-USA Mirror, Vol. 6 (3) May 2018. Now updated and expanded

Bali Nyonga ranks amongst, if not the most centralized political system in the Western Grasslands of present-day Cameroon. Military, political and religious powers all inhere in the office of the king (Fon) compared to other centralized polities in the region. Given such a concentration of power at the helm of the kingdom, one may be left with the impression that the Fon is the absolute despot in the kingdom and he shares his power with no one else. Is this in fact the case? Bali is a highly stratified society with plenty of hereditary offices (ascribed positions) and tremendous room for upward mobility (achieved positions) within the prestige economy of customary life – so the Fon per se shares a bit of his power. This article briefly examines some of the popular “titles” in Bali including the most basic, Ba – which ostensibly, flourishes in the kingdom and the Bali diaspora.

Established in the middle of the 19^th century, its pioneer King, Fonyonga I began building a new city-state, albeit with borrowed sociocultural and political structures from neighbouring kingdoms. It is in this sense that the Bali Kingdom is as much a Chamba polity as it is a Grassfields Kingdom. Highly stratified and well-differentiated, its political system is headed by the King, followed by sub-chiefs, priests, councillors, ambassadors, palace retainers and lineage (compound) heads just to name a few. For the sake of brevity, this article will focus on only four of the above-named titles, namely the sub-chiefs, councillors, ambassadors and finally lineage heads.

Sub-chiefs (Bà-Fontə̀’)

The origin of the office of sub-chiefs is traced to Fonyonga I who is reported to have bestowed the hereditary title to leaders of the contingents that made up his army during their migration to present-day Bali. Kaberry and Chilver (1961) suggest that a total of five sub-chiefs were first bestowed and are known as Fontə̀’ Bà’nì (see Kaberry & Chilver 1961:361). They included:

• Fò-Bunjeŋ, (Buti),
• Fò-Kembàn (Buti),
• Fo-Tikalì (Tikalì),
• Fò-Tì or Bângɨ, and
• Fò-Gàkɔ̀’ of Peli (Bali-Kɔ’ntan)

Others have contested the accuracy of placing Fò-Gàkɔ̀’ in this category, an issue that will not be dealt with in this short piece (see Ndangam 2014:82 for details). What is noteworthy is that there are two categories of sub-chiefs in the Bali kingdom, the first known as Fontə̌’ Bà’nì and the second, Fontə̀’ BǎNtən (Lolo). The sub-chiefs included in the Lolo category represent the contingent that pledged fealty to Fonyonga I during the Chamba sojourn in the Bamum area in the mid 19^th century. For these contingents, joining ranks with the powerful Chamba seemed the best path for them to escape Mbombo’s expansionist inclination in the Bamum region. The following Fontə̀’ represent the groups that make up the Lolo category:

• Fò-Kundèm,
• Fò-Ŋgìam,
• Fò-Saŋgàm,
• Fò-Sèd,
• Fò-Wòn,
• Fò-Ŋgɔ̀d,
• Fò-Sàŋ,
• Fò-Fɨlɨ̀ŋ, and
• Fò-Munyam

Historically, sub-chiefs assisted the king in administering their wards/villages and played leading roles in the traditional council. Finally, their positions are hereditary although the king may intervene especially in situations of succession disputes.

Councillors (Bà-Kɔm – plural; Ŋkɔm – Singular)

Unlike the Fontə̀’ who have territorial jurisdiction, the King’s councillors do not command any territory although they play an advisory role to the king. Some analysts have referred to these title-holders as “Ministers” but this term belies the reality of their functions. Preferably, they may be referred to as – Councillors or Knights, as their duties do not include the sort of ministerial portfolios we are accustomed to in the modern sense of the term. Similar to the Fontə̀’, there are two variants of councillors or title-holders known as Kɔm Bà’nì (hereditary – ascribed) and Kɔm Ŋgɔ̀ŋ (non-hereditary – achieved). Title-holders who constitute the Kɔm Bà’nì are members of the original Chamba contingent that migrated with Fonyonga’s grandfather, Gawolbe II from their homeland in the Benue region in Northern Nigeria/Cameroon. They include:

• Tìtà Kuna,
• Tìtà Kuŋkaꞌ,
• Tìtà Gwàndìku,
• Gwànsenyàm,
• Gwanànjì,
• Gwaabe and
• Gwandi

The other category, Kɔm Ŋgɔ̀ŋ are title-holders appointed by the King on the basis of meritorious services rendered to the kingdom. Since the reign of Fonyonga II, approximately 80 titles have been awarded to date. Increasingly, questions abound about the legitimacy of some of these titles, a charge that’s not unique to the Bali kingdom but rather, symptomatic of a broader trend, fraught with questions about the legitimacy of traditional leaders, many of whom have sided with an unpopular central government headed by a despot who’s been in power for almost four decades. For details on the naming and installation of Bà Kɔm, see Titanji 2016. A female equivalent of this title was recently introduced in 2015 by Ganyonga III known as Jàlla. Its holders are expected to play an advisory role as their male counterparts and going by the logic of Kɔm Ŋgɔ̀ŋ, these titles are equally non-hereditary.

Tadmànjì (Ambassadors)

This office was established by Galega I as part of his attempt to consolidate Bali hegemony over neighbouring vassal villages in the early 20^th century. Appointees were stationed at the capitals of vassal villages as patrons or intermediaries. Those eligible to hold this office included princes, Fontə̀’, or any individual who had distinguished himself in service to the kingdom. During Galega I’s reign, his eldest son, Tìtà Njì was Tadmànjì for several Widekum villages.

In precolonial times, the principal duties of the Tadmànjì included the following:

• Keep the King apprised of the affairs in their respective stations (villages).
• Punish insubordinate individuals under their jurisdiction.
• Acted as intermediaries between chiefs in their jurisdiction with the Bali king especially where the former sought audience with the Bali king.
• Channelled tributes (gifts and women) from vassal villages under their jurisdiction to the Bali king (often taking their share of it) (see Kaberry & Chilver 1961).

Subsequent Bali kings retained the office of Tadmànjì which has survived to this day. However, a full list of all Tadmànjì needs to be compiled and their respective locations established. It is also important to note that their functions have evolved and should be understood in the light of new socio-historical conditions. Tadmànjìs are best understood today as “intermediaries”, not in vassal villages, towns or countries, but more appropriately as “ambassadors”. Hence, it is befitting to state that Tadmànjìs are the new Bali “Ambassadors” or High Commissioners. Similar to the Kɔm, they play an advisory role and are expected to carry out any duties assigned to them by the King.

Lineage (Compound) Heads (Tu ŋgə̀d)

A lineage, simply defined, is a descent structure or unit whose members trace their origin from a common verifiable ancestor. This means that lineages are generally made up of several families, headed by a lineage or compound leader. Lineages vary substantially in terms of their numbers which may range from a few dozen people to several hundred members. Several extended families make up a lineage.

As Bali Nyonga is a patrilineal society, every family is customarily headed by a father who enjoys the title of Ba. However, the lineage head (a hereditary position) commands the highest prestige within his compound. Any given lineage may have many Bas but the ultimate “Ba” is the officially installed lineage head, who in pre-Christian times also doubled as the family’s chief-priest. It was he who poured libations in honour of the ancestors and ensured that all disputes were settled amicably and that lineage members enjoyed all the privileges to which they were entitled; (for a detailed description of the succession process and installation of lineage heads in Bali Nyonga, see Titanji, 2016). Ba as a term of honour may also be used to refer to any adult male figure, irrespective of the presence or absence of a kin connection. But the “Ba” that has become rather ubiquitous is the one that supposedly pertains to the office of lineage head.

It would not be erroneous to talk of a proliferation of Ba-ships.  Many individuals, including persons who aren’t lineage heads insist to be prefixed and greeted as such. This is misguided and warrants rectification. Every Bali man is rightly entitled to be called “Ba” by his children but amongst his peers or friends, he may be appropriately referred to as “Ni” – a prefix that could easily be translated in English as Mr. or Sir.

But why the obsession with Ba-ness, especially in the Bali diaspora? I submit that the absence of a cultural environment in which these titles and terms enjoy widely shared meanings have provided Balis in the diaspora to begin “inventing” their own traditions. The same pattern is true of successors who insist on elevating the prestige of a given title beyond the rank of its original bearer. These and other obsessions constitute the invention of tradition with little or no historical precedence in Bali society.

Nevertheless, these trends depict what may be understood as the traditionalization of modernity – whereby, modern accomplishments and certifications are perceived to be deficient of “customary” cultural capital. Such individuals make up for this deficiency by appropriating “traditional” titles especially that which is most easily and freely covetable – Ba. A second conjecture could be the sheer paucity of so-called modern accomplishments by certain persons, who readily remedy their predicament by defaulting to a mythical Ba-ness.

Ultimately, a worthy take-away is the need to re-educate ourselves on the essentials of lineage etiquette and to be respectful of all persons, men and women whether titled or not. Those heavily invested in the cultural politics of titles should measure their “worth” not so much on the “prestige” of their specific titles, but rather on the lives they’ve uplifted and the role they’ve played in advancing Bali society and humanity at large. Unto whom much is accorded, much is expected.