Donga-Mantung

Donga-Mantung (Mantungia) is a division of the Northwest Region of Cameroon. The division covers an area of 4279 km and as of 2001 had a total population of 337,533. The capital city of the division is Nkambe. Etymology Donga Mantung Division got its names from a German Explorer, Donga, who opened a German Station and Hospital in Mbem, Nwa in 1911. Mr Dunga also operated the first hydroelectricity plant on a river found beside the hospital simply called "Mantum" meaning "river " in the Mbem dialect, by the natives. So, this station and the German directives made the man and his project on the "Mantum" river made the Germans to simply considered him and his project a reference point for their exploration of the Cameroon high plateau. Eventually, the administration of Cameroon found these names representative of the historical, developmental and local distinctions that should be used in honour of the incredible work of this German. It is also to be noted that it was Donga who used forced labour to excavate the road to Mbem via the dangerous Rom Rock manually. History Cameroon became a German Protectorate on July 14, 1884. By 1916, Germany was defeated during the First World War by the Allied Forces, and Cameroon was handed over to France and Britain under the League of Nations Mandate Agreement of 1922. Britain and France were mandated by the League of Nations to administer and prepare Cameroon for self-government at a later date. The Mandate Agreement resulted in the partition of Cameroon between the French and the British who had to enact policies that would ensure efficiency in the administration of their respective portions of the Mandate Territory of Cameroon. From 1916 to 1922, Britain had no formal administrative policy for the Cameroons and Nigeria. It was only in 1923 that the British "Orders-in-Council" created the then administrative Units known as Native Authorities (NA) headed by Traditional Rulers. The 1923 Orders-in-Council established British colonial Policy for the Cameroons and Nigeria. The Orders-in-Council equally enacted that British Law which were already applicable in Nigeria be extended to both Northern Cameroons and Southern Cameroons. By this policy, each village or Chieftaincy or Fondom constituted a Native Authority. The 1923 Orders-in-Council introduced a native administrative system known as "Indirect Rule", through which Britain administered its colonies in Africa through indigenous Chiefs and Traditional Institutions.