In celebrating the 25th-anniversary celebration of His Imperial Majesty on the throne of Atoabechied, Fuankem Achakeng 1 from Southern Cameroon who is also a professor in Wisconsin Texas, who also celebrated his Birthday on the same day was honored with a Public Lecture by the Keynote Speaker, Professor Sati Umaru Fwatshak, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Jos.
Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor, Babcock University, Professor Ademola Tayo, stated that the program is to help us reflect on the way forward because peace is almost eluding our society today, we need to come together as one and make everything work out as it is supposed to be. He congratulated the Imperial Majesty on his 25years on the Throne, having juggling education and ruling, doing effortlessly well in it, and keeping his community together
The Keynote speaker, Professor Fawtshak Sati who is a professor of African History defined Traditional rulers as tribal lines, they were heavily involved with Peacebuilding activities and were actively relevant in Intelligence gathering. Listing the areas where traditional rulers were proactive, “traditional rulers have always cooperated in the area of sharing of intelligence information, some of which are highly valuable in nipping in the bud what could have created intolerable ethnic, religious and/or political clashes” (Aliyu Mohammed NSA, 2003).
He concluded his lecture by giving a few points that might have affected or changed the traditional system. Colonialism changed territorial and subject Jurisdiction: new administrative units, Repugnancy Tests for all laws; major offenses off traditional rulers, as formal police & courts were created where they did not exist. Traditional rulers now shared peace-building powers with the British; no longer solely responsible for Natural Rulers even though traditional rulers retained powers over civil subjects and other minor offenses.
The Celebrant of the Day, the Imperial Majesty, Fuankem Achakeng thanked everyone present at the event for pulling such a beautiful piece together, He stated that we have a lot to learn on how to move forward in Leadership and stay true to ourselves.
