Rules which pay are going to stay: Indigenous institutions, sustainable resource use and land tenure among the Ouldeme and Platha, Mandara Mountains, Northern Cameroon1

Abstract

Introduction :Much has been written in what respect and why Africa does not show good governance. Some of these studies focusing on the state as the ”Black Man’s Burden” (Davidson B., 1992), others are pointing at the weak formal institutional aspects, corruption and the ”Politics of the Belly” (Bayart J.F., 1993). More challenging and interesting are nevertheless analysis which argue that “Africa works”, showing how Africa is governed for example by patron-client-systems. This is not only do...