Cameroon's museum of war keeps ancient stories alive

Goulfey, a town located about fifty kilometers from Kousseri in the northern region of Cameroon, is experiencing a new captivating look.

Most tourists who arrive here are fascinated by the design of this small sultanate situated at the edge of the Logone River and close to Ndjamena, the Chadian capital.

Goulfey, is a clay dwelling built centuries ago. It was converted to a museum and also acts as a cultural centre where young people come to learn about the rich culture of the Kotokos.

"First and foremost. this museum serves the history of the Kotoko principality. So this mass of earth is an element that was brought up for a long time by the old SAOs," Abba Aba Kaka, communications officer to the meum told Africanews.

The history of Goulfey began between the 16th and 18th centuries during Arab invasion.

The Arabs found people embedded in ancestral traditions, locally known as the cult of the varan.

The Varan is considered as the divine symbol of the City and also as a spiritual element of protection and divination. It plays an important religious and political role within this community.

It is believed that the spirits known as the ''Gbwéi-gbwéi'' collaborated with the people through the traditional priest to regularly offer household food like pots of honey and milk to the Varans housed in the Tower.

But the famous war emperor Rabah came from Egypt with the aim of converting locals here to Muslims and also taking slaves.

He encountered fierce opposition in the town of Gulfey where unarmed people fought the Arabs. They forged their weapons from iron and built a tower.

The weapons that were used in this battle are still present.

"When we saw movements and unknown people from above, we knew that they were coming for war and then they took the weapon here, went around to attack them from outside," Mahamat Abamé, museum guide told Africanews.

These strategies allowed them to get hold of the enemies from behind and shoot them.

Rabat is considered the founder of Goulfey. Djagara afterward led a victory over Rabat with the help of the French who later led this territory.

The region was separated from Chad, Nigeria and Niger and named, the sultanate of Goulfey.

This famous small town located between Chad and Cameroon is famous for its practice and techniques of warfare in the region. It is separated from Chad by the Logone River.

This story has been taught to the younger generation for centuries.