Historicl Backgrounds to Bamenda City Council

In 1964, the Mankon Urban Town Council was carved out of the Ngemba Council to serve the Urban Areas of the Mankon Town. The quarters concerned were Tambeng, Ntamulung, Mulang, Musang, Ntarinkon, Ngomgham, Nitop, Ntatru, Atuakom,  Atuazire, Azire “A” and Azire “B”. This split was not very much welcomed by some of the Mankon people because part of their territory was to be administered by the Ngemba Council and part by the Mankom Town Council. In 1968, the name was changed to Mankon Area Council that covered the whole of Lower Ngemba Area. From 1964 to 1968, the President of the Mankon Town Council was Hon. Fon S.A.N. Angwafor III, the paramount Fon of the Mankon people who disappeared in the month of May 2022 giving way to the coronation of H.R.H. Fo Angwafo IV. The Chairman was D.A. Atia. The Executive Secretaries were Mrs. M.K. Bongadu (1964-1966) and A.N. Essapa (1966-1968). There was a referendum in Cameroon in 1972, which saw the two Cameroons united to form the United Republic of Cameroon. After the Referendum, the name of the Council was changed to Mankon Rural Council.

In November 1977, the status of the Council was raised from a Rural to Urban Council. It was now called the Bamenda Urban Council, with a special status where the Administrator or the Executive Officer is appointed by the State. The Nkwen and Bamendankwe villages which were formerly under the Tubah Council were brought in to join the Bamenda Urban Council, while the Mundum I and Mundum II villages, which were part of Mankon Rural Council, joined the Tubah Council until the most recent developments.

Mr. Jomia Pefok was the Government Delegate of this Council from 1977-1992  while Mr. Sanjou-Tadzong Abel Ndeh came in from 1992 to 2009 as the Government Delegate to the Bamenda Urban Council. From 2002-2009, Prince Pius Amando was elected as the Mayor of the Bamenda Urban Council and upon his death, Mr. Fedelis Balick was elected to replace him.

Bamenda gained the status of a City on the strength of a Presidential Decree of 17^th January 2008, which created the Bamenda City Council (from the defunct Bamenda Urban Council). On the strength of another Presidential Decree of 6^th February 2009, Mr. Vincent Nji Ndumu became the pioneer Government Delegate to this City Council with the challenge of charting a new way forward, toward a city that should be the dream of all. He was assisted by a Secretary General in the name of Mr. Fomefret Victor now on retirement after serving for about 8years. He was replaced by an Acting Secretary General in the person of Mr. Waindim Jude Nsom to pilot the administrative affairs of the City in 2016 upon his retirement.