The Widikum people are an

ethnic group An ethnic group or an ethnicity is a grouping of people who identify with each other on the basis of shared attributes that distinguish them from other groups. Those attributes can include common sets of traditions, ancestry, language, history, ...

Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...

and are one of the largest ethnic groups of the North-West Region of Cameroon .

Origins

According to oral tradition, the Widikum people originated from an area near the villages of Bamben and Numben in the Northwest region of Cameroon. Egun Oyimi is said to be the ancestral home of the Widikum-speaking people found in Momo division, parts of

Mezam Mezam is a division of the North West Region of Cameroon. The department covers an area of 1745 km and as of 2005 had a total population of 524,127. The capital of the department lies at Bamenda. Subdivisions The department is divided admini ...

Lebialem Lebialem is a department of Southwest Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 617 km and as of 2005 had a total population of 113,736. The capital of the department lies at Menji. Since the outbreak of the Anglophone Crisis in ...

, Manyu,

Menchum Menchum is a department of Northwest Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 4469 km and as of 2005 had a total population of 161,998. The capital of the department lies at Wum. The Menchum River drains this area, flowing west ...

Menoua Menoua is a department of West Province in Cameroon. The department covers an area of 1,380 km and as of 2019 had a total population of 276,000. The capital of the department lies at Dschang. Subdivisions The department is divided administr ...

, and Bamboutus divisions..

Language

The Widikum people mainly speak the Meta’ language, which is broken up into 2 main dialects: Menemo (

Mbengwi Mbengwi is the headquarters of Momo Department in the Northwest Region of Cameroon, located some 22 km from Bamenda. Information The indigenous people are Meta people, to whom a few settlers from neighboring tribes like Ngie and Oshie ha ...

), and Moghamo (

Batibo Batibo is a name that refers to a town and a subdivision in Cameroon, Africa. It is located along the Trans-African Highway, 27 miles west of Bamenda and about 100 miles east of Nigeria. Batibo is the economic, social, political and cultural heart ...

), These dialects have slight differences, but generally sound the same and mutually intelligible.

Culture

The Widikum people have a very vibrant and colorful culture, which includes traditional clothing, dances, and cuisines. Widikums, along with the most of the North West Region, wear what is commonly called “Bamenda Dress/Clothes.” However, each tribe has a particular design and pattern belonging to them. Widikums have over a dozen of traditional dances, which include the Kwem Sword Dance, Tewara Dance, Mukonge Dance, and one of the most popular, the Chibi Dance. Each of the dances has their own meanings and may be dances at different occasions. For example, one certain dance could be performed at a funeral, while another could be performed at a wedding.

Demographics

Widikum people are primarily found in the Momo Department (Division) of the North West Region of Cameroon. Momo is then made up of 5 LGA’s which are: •

•

•Ngie •Widikum •

Njikwa Njikwa is a town and commune in Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the we ...

Momo is populated with over 250,000+ inhabitants.

References

Sources

* * * * * {{authority control Ethnic groups in Cameroon Northwest Region (Cameroon)