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Chiefs and colonial rule in Cameroon: inventing chieftaincy, French and British Style

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2011

Peter Geschiere
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Résumé

Etant donné la crise actuelle du véritable pouvoir de l'Etat dans le Cameroun (comme ailleurs en Afrique), les chefs sont parfois envisagés comme une possible alternative d'exercice de l'autorité. Toutefois la chefferie est un phénomène très variable, dépendant du contexte, même si son origine remonte seulement à la période coloniale. L'article illustre ce point en examinant les fortunes diverses de l a fonction de Chef au sein de deux sociétés camerounaises, les Maka (qui furent sous administration française) et les Bakweri (qui furent sous administration britannique). Dans aucun des deux cas, (mais pour des raisons différentes), la chefferie n'apparaît comme étant l'instance alternative, de moyen pouvoir, dont l'on aurait besoin.

Type
Foci for fresh powers?
Information
Africa , Volume 63 , Issue 2 , April 1993 , pp. 151 - 175
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1993

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