An African king making his first visit to the United States since his coronation in 2021 took time to visit with students and faculty at SUNY Old Westbury on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.
His Majesty Mouhammad-Nabil Mforifum Mbombo Njoya, the sultan king of the Bamum, a pre-colonial African state that now makes up part of northwest Cameroon, took center stage for a public event where he was interviewed by SUNY Old Westbury Professor of History Sylvie Kande.
During the interview, he shared his thoughts about the legacy he hopes to leave as King, the importance of recording and sharing histories of the African people, and how today’s students can best prepare themselves for the global community of which they are a part.
“We are all different, so we need to learn and know each other,” King Njoya said directly to the students. “You have to make efforts in trying to see and understand why people are the way they are. It doesn’t mean you have to follow their ways, but the fact that you know about it helps you avoid problems and appreciate others. When you come to Africa and people see you eating with them, wearing their clothes, speaking like them, they grow more comfortable.”
You have to make efforts in trying to see and understand why people are the way they are. It doesn’t mean you have to follow their ways, but the fact that you know about it helps you avoid problems and appreciate others.
-- King Njoya
The stop at SUNY Old Westbury is part of King Njoya’s diplomatic visit aimed at strengthening cooperative relations between the Bamoun Kingdom and educational and governmental organizations in the United States. During the campus visit, King Njoya and the delegation members from Bamoun also held discussions with SUNY Old Westbury President Timothy E. Sams and other administrative and student leaders.
“Hearing firsthand from a sitting monarch is a unique cultural experience that our students will never forget,” said President Sams. “I look forward to continuing the conversations we started today so that we can create more life-changing experiences to prepare the rising generations who will assume leadership responsibilities both in America and in Africa.”
The discussions are expected to lead to the development of potential student exchange, faculty research and other educational opportunities between the SUNY campus and educational institutions serving the Bamoun.
The Bamoun Kingdom is one of the oldest in sub-Saharan Africa. With historians dating its creation to the late 14th century, the Bamoun Kingdom is among the most famous traditional kingdoms on the African continent, having the historic distinction of inventing at the end of the 19th century their own phonetic script. Current estimates show the number of Bamoun worldwide to be 1.3 million people.
Banner Photo Caption: King Njoya (left) arrives to campus outside the Campus Center, where he was greeted by SUNY Old Westbury President Timothy E. Sams.