Legal Scope of the Germano-Duala Treaties

Scientific Essay from the year 2022 in the subject History - Africa, , language: English, abstract: Adamou NDAM NJOYA writes that the Treaty of 12 July 1884 is not a treaty between States but rather an agreement between German private firms and Duala princes. He indicates that while the Preliminary Treaty was signed by a representative of the German Reich, the Final Treaty was signed only by the German firms of Duala although the Reich later acknowledged it. Another criticism of the Germano-Duala Treaty is based on the fact that the final agreement omitted the clauses of the Preliminary Treaty, clauses by which the kings and chiefs preserved their commercial monopoly. Moreover, the agreement of 12 July 1884 was not ratified by all the Duala sovereigns. Prince LOCK PRISO of Hickorytown refused to sign it and organized fierce resistance. This resistance led to an open war against the Germans from December 10 to 22, 1884. By this agreement, the Duala kings and chiefs ceded their rights of sovereignty, legislation and administration to German private firms and finally to the Reich. They only retained their rights to levy taxes but lost their rights to negotiate with other parties. By reserving this right to levy taxes and keep the lands of towns and villages as private property of the natives when they would lose their sovereignty, the Duala created an ambiguous situation that later became a source of conflict.