In a dramatic assertion of traditional authority, the Mbombog, an esoteric circle of the Bassa-Bati-Mpo communities, has expelled Dieudonné Yebga and several other members for violating the sacred laws of the lodge.
The decision, announced after a gathering of 35 Mbombog on September 1 in Botmakak, Nyong-et-Kelle, imposes a 15-year exclusion on Yebga.
The circle accused him of using partisan political maneuvers that undermined Maurice Kamto’s presidential candidacy.
Sources say Yebga had filed a second candidacy under the Manidem party, claiming to be the legitimate president of the UPEC party, while replacing Anicet Ekane’s name on the Ministry of Territorial Administration (MINAT) website with his own.
Attempts to retract the move and reconcile with MINAT Minister Paul Atanga Nji came too late.
“The Mbog’s mission is to unite his people, to bless them,” said Mandeng Biboum, speaking for the purifiers.
“They ran for the presidency, speaking on behalf of the Mbog, when they were not mandated by the Mbombog.
They went for their own belly dance.”
Yebga was not alone. Other members who had engaged in political activity, including openly supporting President Paul Biya’s re-election bid, were similarly ostracized.
The ceremony in Botmakak was described as a rite of “purification,” intended to cleanse the circle of internal violations and reaffirm its mission of social cohesion rather than political interference.
Despite the expulsions, the Mbombog emphasized that the actions were not motivated by opposition to the Cameroonian state.
“The excluded are not our enemies,” the circle stressed. “We pray for peaceful elections in Cameroon and the unity of our communities.”
The episode highlights the continuing influence of traditional societies in Cameroon, where cultural and spiritual authorities maintain oversight over community behavior, even amid national political contests.
Analysts note that while such actions have symbolic weight, they also reflect ongoing tensions between customary structures and formal political processes in the country.
The 15-year ban on Yebga and other expelled Mbombog members underscores the seriousness with which the lodge views breaches of its ethical code, sending a clear message about the sanctity of its internal laws and its independence from partisan politics.
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