The Neo-Patrimonial Elites and the Sacrosanct of the Chieftaincy Institution in Cameroon

Since independence, the generation of political elites that took over the management of Cameroon after the end of formal colonial rule have continued to dominate and control the political scene till today. The dominance has be consolidated by several varied factors among which the support they received from old socio-political institutions incarnated by traditional leaders and today known as the chieftaincy institution. The pre-colonial, colonial experience and the legitimacy they wield make them indispensable for political control in Cameroon. the neopatrimonial elite in Cameroon since independence and particularly following the advent of partisan party politics in Cameroon has made the chieftaincy institution a trojan horse to monopolized and control the political space. In as much as neopatrimonial elites have maneuvered to exploit the chieftaincy institution for its own gains, traditional authorities in Cameroon have also some self-benefits from this exploitation to grab some economic and political compensation at the expense of their traditional role and the people they represent. This paper unearth that the neopatrimonial elite in Cameroon have not only neutralized chieftaincy as a potential socio-political and institutional rival, but has also exploited chieftaincy to consolidate their already monopolized power using state resources. However, despite these influences, chieftaincy continues to survive and to adapt itself with the vicissitude of times.