The Bamiléke Economic Ground-Breaking Mission in the Bamenda Grasslands (Cameroon), 1961- 2010

The Bamiléke in the Cameroon Grasslands constitute one of the most dynamic social migrant
groups distinguished for space occupation, business creation, expansion and a characteristic phenomenon of
breaking new economic grounds. This paper seeks to examine the economic implantation of the Bamiléke in
the Bamenda Grasslands. It argues that coming from a background of business inventiveness, the Bamiléke
were shrewd entrepreneurs with flexible agencies who smartly identified, explored and exploited grey areas
of economic opportunities in their host communities. In order to achieve this goal, the people to a large extent
benefited from an accommodating environment, a tradition of solidarity network mediated through, but not
reduced to a scheme of collective financial pooling which was mutually beneficial to all those who nursed
interest in business activities. The article further contends that the Bamiléke economic miracle was a product
of humble beginnings in petty trading, modesty in winning confidence, chanced situations, foresight for
prospective gains and entrepreneurial spirit in taking and cushioning risk through multiple tactics of
diversification. The paper made appeal to some selected primary and secondary sources and the conclusions
were drawn after a qualitative historical analysis.