The cooperation of local Chiefs with the German colonial administration in the conquest of Cameroon (1884-1916)

Abstract

This article looks at how local Cameroonian chiefs accompanied the German crown’s conquest of Cameroon. The aim mis to question the strategies they used within their command units to facilitate access to land for the German colonial administration. Using archival documents and second-hand sources, Charles Atangana, Martin Paul Samba, Sultan Njoya, Essono Ela, Fon Galéga I^st and all the Bamiléké chiefs, it can be deduced that these are the names of those who cooperated closely with the German crown. These chiefs used three main strategies to pave the way for German settlers to conquer certain territories: pacification, subjugation of indigenous resistance and the expeditionary guide strategy. 

Keywords: German conquest, strategy, local chiefs, cooperation, command unit