Fon of Bafut

The Fon of Bafut is the fon or Mfor (traditional ruler) of the town of Bafut and its adjoining areas in the Northwest Province, Cameroon, which comprise the erstwhile Fondom of Bafut. At present, the Fon of Bafut is still a local ruler, but under the jurisdiction of the Government of Cameroon, and a board of Fons. Bafut is one of the largest villages in the North West Province.

Once autocratic, the Fondom of Bafut was turned into a part of the German protectorate of Cameroon (Kamerun Schutzgebiet) due to increasing tension, military conflict, and finally defeat at the hands of the Germans in the Bafut Wars (1901–1907) during the reign of Abumbi I. After World War I, the Fon of Bafut and his people became part of the British protectorate of the Cameroons or British Cameroon.

The Fon of Bafut is perhaps best remembered due to Gerald Durrell's humorous portrayal of the Fon Achirimbi II in his books describing animal-collecting missions to Bafut in the 1940s and 1950s – Bafut Beagles and A Zoo in My Luggage.

The Fon had titular powers in pre-independent Cameroon. He had multifarious functions:

The Fon was assisted and advised by titled royals – the most prominent among them being the Mamfor or the mother of the Fon, either his real mother or a sister. In addition there were two fraternal assistants called Ndimfor (the elder brother) and Muma (younger brother). However, none of these royals served as regent in the case of the Fon's death or indisposition.

The body which actually shared power with the Fon and deputised for him was the council of elders or Kwifor. The strength of the Kwifor lay in its role as a council of kingmakers; it was thus a check on royal power. The Fon acknowledged this and tried as much as possible to avoid confrontation with the Kwifor.

The Germans tried to put a puppet ruler in place of the Fon after the Bafut Wars, but failed. The Fon Abumbi I was openly hostile to the Germans, and diplomacy was not pursued.

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