A Fon is a chieftain or king of a region of Cameroon, especially among the Ngie, Widikum, Tikar, and Bamiléké peoples of the Bamenda grass fields (the Northwest, West Region) and the Lebialem of the South West Region. Following the defeat of Germany in World War I, the Fons of British Cameroon came under British rule, and the Fons of French Cameroon came under French rule. Since Cameroon's independence in 1961, the Fons are under the jurisdiction of the Government of Cameroon. However, they maintain semi-autonomous union councils and jurisdiction over their hereditary land.
Some of the historically significant Fons of the Northwest are:
In the Southwest region, only Lebialem division has Fons, the most notable of them being The Fon of Fontem.