The German Empire established the Kamerun protectorate in August 1884.

[1] At the conclusion of the First World War, the Treaty of Versailles divided German Kamerun between France and the United Kingdom, with what would become East Cameroon becoming French Cameroon.

Voters in neighbouring British administered Southern Cameroons were asked in a referendum held in 1961 whether they wished to join either Nigeria or Cameroon.

[2][3] Following a referendum held on 20 May 1972, a new constitution came to effect on 2 June 1972, which reconstituted Cameroon as a unitary state with the federated state of East Cameroon being abolished.

The federal constitution gave the institutions of East Cameroon executive and legislative competence in all areas not specifically reserved for the federal government.