WELCOME TO GUNEKU VILLAGE
Guneku is a rural community in Momo Division located in the Northwest region of Cameroon, Central Africa. It has a tropical climate with 2 main seasons; the rainy and dry seasons with a population of approximately 10 000 inhabitants. The main occupations of the inhabitants are subsistence farming, and cattle rearing. Guneku has a lot of touristic sites such as the palace, caves, mountains, waterfalls and beautiful scenery with hills and valleys, rivers and springs. Guneku is one of the 31 communities that make up the Meta clan sharing boundaries with Mbemi, Nyen, Tugi, Zang-Tembeng, Oshie, Mundum and Bafut. The Bantous and Mbororos are the two tribes that cohabit peacefully in the community.
The community is ruled by a paramount Fon Fomuki (traditional authority) who is the custodian of tradition and all community members are answerable to him. The Fon is the representative of the Central government. There is a community council that makes laws that are used to govern the community and the Fon enforces these laws making sure they are strictly adhered to by everyone in the community. Any defaulters are disciplined accordingly. A Guneku man is proud, humble, innovative, hardworking, welcoming, open-minded and lead by examples. They are found in all works of life.
Guneku has a dynamic cultural and development association abbreviated GUDECA ( Guneku Cultural & Development Association) that oversees the designing, planning, and implementation of community-based projects. It is made up of an elected committee for a 4-year term with at least 60% youth and female representation. GUDECA has branches in Europe, Canada and America. At the end of each year, the committee produces an annual report of activities and presents it to the community which is the supreme decision body with respect to development issues in the community.
In terms of Infrastructure, Guneku has 4 primary schools, one secondary school and a Presbyterian health centre and easily accessible to Mbengwi and Bamenda towns by road. Only 40% of the community has pipe-borne and electricity. It is connected to the rest of the world through MTN, Orange and CAMTEL which are the main telephone providers in the country. At the household level, the father is the head of the household; he takes decisions that affect the entire family. He decides when to take a sick child to a health facility; what portion of the household income should be used for food, education and other basic needs. However, this situation is gradually changing as more women are empowered to be responsible housewives and mothers.
HRH FON OF GUNEKU
MARKETS: The 8 day of the week “Ngon” is the market day which holds in Guneku. “Tan”in Ngamunghe, “Mbon” in Mbengeghang, “Eje'e” in Ngamunam or Munam and “Kwe” in Fringyeng quarters.
MEDICAL CARE: There are 3 medical facilities in Guneku village. Because of the undulating scape of the village, Guneku has many caves that were considered in the yesteryears as hide outs from enemies during the colonial warfare days. These today could be developed through the ministry of tourism and leisure to generate income for developmental programs of the village.
CASH / FOOD PRODUCTION: The cash crops of Guneku include oil palm, Raffia palm, coffee, maize and groundnuts with plantains and cocoyam which are the main products from upper Guneku. Guneku with the highest grazing surface area in Meta, cattle rearing is carried out here by the bororo settlers though many natives have embraced cattle farming.Wood carving, bag and basket weaving and other domestic crafts are also being practiced in Guneku. The youths of Guneku and those of neighboring village's exploit sand from the River Batmuki which runs through this village from upper Guneku and joins the Mezam River. Those who build with stones have no problem as this is no problem having stones from Guneku.
CHURCHES: There are many churches in Guneku as are the quarters. you can find the Presbyterian church right in the palace. In fact the palace of Guneku is surrounded by churches. In Guneku village as a whole there are through a synoptic research by this writer the following religious houses of God. 12 Presbyterian churches 2 Catholic churches 1 Full gospel church 1 Good shepherd ministry 1Apostolic church 1 Mounts Zion 1 kingship ministry
SCHOOLS: There are two Gov't Secondary institutions in Guneku; G.S.S. Guneku and G.S.S. Ngamungeh and seven Gov’t Primary Schools; G.S.
CULTURE: Musongong is the dance of the Guneku people. As Meta people, Guneku people speak the MENEMOdialect though some meta people refer to this dialect as “META” (not true). TOURISM: NOTE: In a global note Meta is a land of PEACE. The people are lovers of peace, kindness, receptive, approachable and above all respect the law and hierarchy. So are the people of Guneku. While the people of Guneku are downcast with tears for the passing away of their father. This writer congratulates the people of Guneku as they seriously prepare and await the return of their KING IN NEW CLOTHING.