As competition for European trade among the coastal peoples of Cameroon grew more intense, young King William's rivals multiplied and his centralised authority crumbled.
[3] Bimbia had been in a state of almost perpetual war since its height in the early 19th century, as rival factions fought for favour with European traders.
Acting Consul Hopkins of Great Britain was called in to settle the dispute, although his degree of input is not known.
Wealth had become just as important as heredity in determining social status, which had allowed several rivals to William's primacy to emerge.
Although most of these explorers were missionaries, William feared that their efforts would result in direct trade with the inland tribes and the elimination of the Isubus' role as middlemen.
[4] Baptist missionary Quintin Thomas described a confrontation with the king on a ship awaiting landfall at Bonjongo, a settlement of a rival ethnic group, the inland Bakweris: A number of people came from Bimbia; young King William came to me and told me they had met and had a big palaver about my being among the Bakweris.