Kumbo
View from Tobin looking towards Squares and the Catholic Cathedral.
Nickname(s): KIMBO
Kumbo Location in Cameroon
Coordinates: 6°12′18″N 10°41′6″E / 6.205°N 10.685°E / 6.205; 10.685
Country	Cameroon
Province	Northwest Province
Division
Elevation	5,906 ft (1,800 m)
Population (2001)
- Total	116,500 (est)

Kumbo, also known as Kimbo, is the second-largest city in the North West Province of Cameroon and the capital of Bui Division. It lies about 2000m above sea level and is situated approximately 110km away from Bamenda (the provincial capital of the North West Province), on the Bamenda Highlands Ring Road. Kumbo has a population of around 116,500 (2001 estimate) and is split into three distinctive hilly settlements of Tobin, Mbveh, and Squares. The town is known for horse racing (Tobin Stadium ^[1]) and traditional medicine, and also for its palace (Nso Palace), a market and two hospitals (Shisong Hospital ^[2] & Banso Baptist Hospital ^[2]). Kumbo is the capital city of the Nso Kingdom of the Nso people. The lingua franca is Lamnso but Pidgin, English, French, Oku, Djottin, Fulfulde, and Hausa are spoken.

The first German settlers were Missionaries of the Sacred Heart who arrived in 1912 and established their mission in 1913.

[edit] Culture and heritage

[edit] Musa Heritage Gallery (or Mus'Art Gallery)

Mother and child (Musa Heritage Gallery, Kumbo, Cameroon)

The Musa Heritage Gallery museum also known as "The Grassfields Museum" was created in 1996, in memory of Cameroonian artists Daniel Kanjo Musa and his elder son, John, to preserve wood sculptures by these departed artists. Over the years, Mus'Art has been expanding to diversify its collection. Among the 400 objects and works of art exhibited, visitors can admire carved masks, wood statues and other objects made by the Musas. There are other objects collected from the grass-fields, such as traditional musical instruments, hunting gadgets, metal works, bamboo objects and pottery. Temporary exhibitions are also sometimes proposed.

[edit] The Fon's Palace

Inner courtyard of the Nso' Fon's Palace in Kumbo

Seat of the paramount chief of the Nso people (Sehm Mbinglo I), this place is the heart of Kumbo social and cultural life. It is composed of several traditional buildings decorated with wood carvings, around two courtyards where the Fon uses to sit and receive his people or his advisers. In the middle of the first one, stands a statue of Ngonso, the legendary first queen of the Nso people. Around the palace, other traditional buildings are also decorated with wood carvings. They are the seats of the sacred societies in charge to help the Fon in his task : the Ngwerong society and the Nggiri society. A mosque was built next to them, although most of Nso people are Christians.

[edit] The Cathedral

Kumbo Cathedral on the top of Square

Built in the 1950s, Kumbo Cathedral is constructed entirely from stones. The Cathedral is located at the top of the square hill, dominating the town's landscape. The Cathedral is the seat of the Bishop since its creation in 1983. The current Bishop of Kumbo is George Nkuo (ordained on 8 July 2006). Prior to that, Bishop Cornelius Fontem Esua served the Diocese of Kumbo from 10 September 1982 to 7 December 2004.

Coordinates: 6°12′18″N 10°41′06″E / 6.205°N 10.685°E / 6.205; 10.685

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Kumbo Council
• Musa Heritage Gallery

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