Implication of the Mankon Diaspora in the Social Transformation of Bamenda, Cameroon, 1961-2021

The presence of large numbers of Mankon indigenous people in the United States of America,
Canada, Britain, Germany, China and other countries constitutes a substantial source of development in the
homeland funded through remittances. The extent to which migrant Mankon communities reconnect with their
home community in terms of visible and viable socio-economic contributions provides room for a much more
profound scholarly engagement. It is in this perspective that this paper examines the social activities of the
Mankon diaspora in the development of the homeland. To this end, this study made use of primary and
secondary sources. Primary sources mostly constituted interviews with Bamenda diaspora returnees and those
abroad. A cross-section of Mankon locally based indigenes was also interviewed to have the incidence of
diaspora contributions in their communities. Secondary sources comprised both published and unpublished
books and articles scooped from diverse public and private repositories. The study adopted a thematic approach
in the presentation of the article and the use of qualitative analysis. From its finding, the study revealed that a
characteristic spirit of communalism among the diaspora population necessitated their ventures in social and
economic enterprises that benefitted the homeland.