# Mamfe

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamfe
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{{short description|City in the Southwest Region of Cameroon}}
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|official_name          = Mamfe
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|image_skyline          =  German Bridge (Cross River, Mamfe).jpg
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|image_caption          =[German colonial era](/source/Kamerun) bridge over the [Cross](/source/Cross_River_(Nigeria))/[Manyu River](/source/Manyu_River) near Mamfe
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'''Mamfe''' or '''Mamfé''' is a city in and the capital of [Manyu](/source/Manyu_(department)), a division of the [Southwest Region](/source/Southwest_Region_(Cameroon)) in [Cameroon](/source/Cameroon). It is {{convert|74|km|4=0|abbr=on}} from the border of [Nigeria](/source/Nigeria), on the [Manyu River](/source/Manyu_River).<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mamfe {{!}} town, Cameroon|url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Mamfe|access-date=2020-12-01|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref> It has a population of 42,500 (2024 estimates).

It is known as a centre for [traditional religion](/source/Animism) (e.g., [Obasinjom and Ekpe Society](/source/Obasinjom_and_Ekpe_Society)) and [traditional medicine](/source/traditional_medicine). Mamfe used to be known for bad infrastructure within the city limits, especially the roads, but in recent times the roads have been tarred and are currently in good condition. The roads leading in and out of the city have also been tarred e.g., Mamfe - Bamenda, Mamfe - Kumba, Mamfe - Ekok.

The [Peace Corps](/source/Peace_Corps) has maintained a presence in the Mamfe area since they entered the country in 1962.
thumb|Cultural display in mamfe
Since 2017, Mamfe has been a frequent battleground in the [Anglophone Crisis](/source/Anglophone_Crisis). The city saw heavy fighting in December 2017, when the Cameroonian Army battled the [Ambazonia Defence Forces](/source/Ambazonia_Defence_Forces) for control over Mamfe and the surroundings.<ref>[http://cameroonnewsagency.com/days-sporadic-gun-shots-mamfe-relative-calm-returns-massive-exodus/ After Days of Sporadic Gun Shots In Mamfe: Relative Calm Returns, Massive Exodus], Cameroon News Agency, December 15, 2017. Accessed Nov 24, 2018.</ref> In May 2020, separatist fighters assassinated the newly elected mayor, Ashu Priestly Ojong.<ref>[https://cameroonnewsagency.com/mamfe-mayor-killed-two-soldiers-injured-in-eshobi/ Mamfe Mayor Killed, Two Soldiers Injured In Eshobi], Cameroon News Agency, May 10, 2020. Accessed May 10, 2020.</ref>
As of January 2023, suspected separatist fighters stormed Mamfe and set a [Total](/source/TotalEnergies) petrol station on fire.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mamfe fire {{!}} Mamfe - Update Alleged separatist fighters have stormed Mamfe town and set a Total petrol station on fire The incident which occurred Monday January 23... {{!}} By Cameroon News Agency {{!}} Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/CAMEROONNEWSAGENCY/videos/mamfe-fire/894119255113621/ |access-date=2023-01-24 |publisher=Cameroon News Agency|language=en}}</ref>

== Etymology ==
The name "Mamfe" comes from the [Bayangi language].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamfe_languages|title=Mamfe languages}}</ref>{{Circular reference|date=April 2022}} When Germans first arrived in the area via the Cross River, the Germans greeted a local man at the Egbekaw River site who was carrying sand from the shore and tried interrogating him about where they were.  The Banyang man didn't understand and only said in his dialect, "Mamfie fah?" ("Where should I put it?").  The Germans heard this as "Mamfe" and named the area so.

== Demographics ==
The Egbekaw village is the native/pioneer of Mamfe town. The inhabitants speak a [Bayang language](/source/Mamfe_languages) as their mother tongue, called [Nyang](/source/Nyang_language), although English is the official language spoken along with [Pidgin](/source/Pidgin) and several other dialects, including [Ejagham](/source/Ejagham_language). The city is also noteworthy for the high proportion of Nigerians who live there.

== Education ==
Mamfe has no university yet, but the Catholic university is now under construction. The [Mamfe Girls](/source/Queen_of_the_Rosary) College was Cameroon's first all-female boarding school. There is also a teachers' training college, and several vocational schools.

== Cuisine ==
thumb|Bayangi from Cameroon
Popular local foods in Mamfe include [eru](/source/eru_(vegetable)) and [fu-fu](/source/fu-fu), [fu-fu](/source/fu-fu) and ogbono soup, koki and plantains.

==Climate==
left|thumb|Afternoon sun in Mamfe, Cameroon
Mamfe has a [tropical monsoon climate](/source/tropical_monsoon_climate) ([Köppen climate classification](/source/K%C3%B6ppen_climate_classification) ''Am''). As Mamfe is in a river valley, humidity can be over 90% and temperatures can exceed 120 F (49&nbsp;°C) during the Dry Season (February - April).  During the rest of the year, temperatures remain in the 80-90s (27 to 37&nbsp;°C) and only fall during the Rainy Season, sometimes to 70F (21&nbsp;°C).

The climate can be very uncomfortable for travellers, but tourism is beginning in the area, though small.  Points of interest are the old German bridge, the Mamfe Cross, the Mamfe River by boat, and the Mamfe Cathedral. Hotels are few, but can and do accommodate western travellers.

<div style="width82%">
{{Weather box
|location = Mamfe
|single line = Yes
|metric first = Yes
|Jan high C = 31.4
|Feb high C = 33.5
|Mar high C = 33.3
|Apr high C = 32.9
|May high C = 32.1
|Jun high C = 30.8
|Jul high C = 29.0
|Aug high C = 28.7
|Sep high C = 30.1
|Oct high C = 30.9
|Nov high C = 31.4
|Dec high C = 31.1
|year high C = 31.3
|Jan mean C = 25.6
|Feb mean C = 27.2
|Mar mean C = 27.9
|Apr mean C = 27.8
|May mean C = 27.3
|Jun mean C = 26.5
|Jul mean C = 25.6
|Aug mean C = 25.4
|Sep mean C = 25.9
|Oct mean C = 26.5
|Nov mean C = 26.4
|Dec mean C = 25.8
|year mean C = 26.5
|Jan low C = 19.9
|Feb low C = 21.0
|Mar low C = 22.2
|Apr low C = 22.5
|May low C = 22.5
|Jun low C = 22.2
|Jul low C = 22.0
|Aug low C = 21.9
|Sep low C = 21.8
|Oct low C = 21.9
|Nov low C = 21.6
|Dec low C = 20.3
|year low C = 21.6
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 17.8
|Feb precipitation mm = 57.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 157.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 224.3
|May precipitation mm = 272.0
|Jun precipitation mm = 372.8
|Jul precipitation mm = 479.2
|Aug precipitation mm = 465.1
|Sep precipitation mm = 488.9
|Oct precipitation mm = 415.8
|Nov precipitation mm = 93.4
|Dec precipitation mm = 28.6
|year precipitation mm = 3072.0
|unit precipitation days = 1.0 mm
|Jan precipitation days = 2
|Feb precipitation days = 4
|Mar precipitation days = 11
|Apr precipitation days = 17
|May precipitation days = 20
|Jun precipitation days = 24
|Jul precipitation days = 25
|Aug precipitation days = 27
|Sep precipitation days = 26
|Oct precipitation days = 24
|Nov precipitation days = 8
|Dec precipitation days = 2
|year precipitation days = 190
|Jan sun = 181.9
|Feb sun = 173.6
|Mar sun = 167.5
|Apr sun = 166.7
|May sun = 167.7
|Jun sun = 131.0
|Jul sun = 87.2
|Aug sun = 72.8
|Sep sun = 101.3
|Oct sun = 135.3
|Nov sun = 171.9
|Dec sun = 187.9
|year sun = 1744.8
|source 1 = NOAA<ref name= NOAA>{{Cite FTP | url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/TABLES/REG__I/KM/64890.TXT
| server = [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration](/source/National_Oceanic_and_Atmospheric_Administration)
| title = Mamfe Climate Normals 1961–1990
| accessdate = October 19, 2015}}</ref>
|date=October 2015
}}</div>

==Notable people==
*[George Elokobi](/source/George_Elokobi) (b. 1986), professional footballer<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.goal.com/en/people/cameroon/31269/george-elokobi |title=George Elokobi |publisher=Goal.com |accessdate=5 July 2015 }}</ref>
*[Late Chief Solomon Ashu Arrey of Ossing](/source/Late_Chief_Solomon_Ashu_Arrey_of_Ossing) (1905-2005)
*Senator Mfaw Tabetando Ndiepnso
*[Matilda Nkwo](/source/Matilda_Nkwo), First Miss Cameroon, 1977, Miss Commonwealth  Nigeria, 1988
*Honorable Enow Tanjong (first governor of the region post colonization and Former member of parliament representing the Manyu people, Built the first church n the area.)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Coord|5|46|N|9|17|E|region:CM_type:city|display=title}}

Category:Populated places in Southwest Region (Cameroon)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mamfe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamfe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamfe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.
