Donga Mantung: CAMTEL GM using football tourney to promote peace, national unity.

Judith Yah Sunday, an elite of the area, who is also General Manager of Cameroon Telecommunications, CAMTEL, has for the third year running, been using the holiday soccer tournament to promote peace and national unity in Donga Mantung.

The official launching of the fourth edition of the holiday tournament was staged in Nkambe, chief town of the Division.

The launching ceremony took place June 16, 2024, at the Nkambe Municipal Stadium, with over 10,000 excited football lovers in attendance. 

The tournament will be played in the five Subdivisional headquarters that make up Donga Mantung Division. 

They include Ako, Ndu, Nkambe, Nwa and Misaje Subdivisions. The annual football jamboree will be run for three months. 

During the official launching at the Nkambe Municipal Stadium, football lovers, youths and traditional rulers of Donga Mantung, as well as the administration of the Division, poured showers of praises on the General Manager of CAMTEL, for her laudable efforts in promoting peace and national unity in the Division. 

Speaking at the official launching, HRH Fon Amidu of Nkambe expressed gratitude to Mafor Yah Judith epse Achidi, for using football to achieve objectives that go beyond the practice of sports.

The monarch particularly singled out Judith Yah Sunday for her efforts in building social cohesion, national integration and enhancing peace. 

For his part, Tamnjong Richard Ndi, focal point for Nkambe Central and member of the Local Organising Committee, said the General Manager of CAMTEL, Mafor Yah Judith espse Achidi, has proven beyond reasonable doubts that what a man can do, a woman can do it even better. 

Harping on the importance of peace and unity, HRH Fon Stanley of Njap village, said football brings people together and breaks barriers between youths and other community members. 

For football analysts and fans like Ndi John Nformi, being a spectator during a football encounter is much more than watching just the game. 

To him, it was a unique opportunity for him to interact with people from different villages and social backgrounds, thus transforming tensions into relationships.

To the Nkambe Sub Delegate for Sports and Physical Education, Ndah Victor, the tournament will equally serve as a nursery to build budding talents and encourage social cohesion. 

He equally lauded the efforts of Mafor Yah Judith espse Achidi, in building a community free of violence, through sports. 

He revealed that in the coming days, matches will equally be played in the various playgrounds in the entire Donga Mantung Division. 

Thrilling opening encounter

In the Nkambe Central Sub Division Pool, the opening match between Spartans of Bih and Young Stars FC, produced fireworks. 

At about 1pm, the Nkambe Municipal Stadium was jam-packed with football lovers. 

The sounds of the gongs, the vuvuzelas, and drumbeats echoed into the hills of Njiseng and the lowlands of Bih, Njimptuh and Tabenken. 

They emitted signals that national unity and peace building process are gaining steam in Donga Mantung Division. 

At exactly 2pm, the Sub Delegate of Sports and Physical Education, Ndah Victor, gave the official kick off of the tournament. At the end of the match, Young Star FC defeated 2 goals to 1, to emerge winner. 

The Nkambe Central Subdivision Pool is made up of eight teams; Young Stars FC, Kungi FC, Early Birds International of Tabenken, Formation Sango FC, New Market FC, Spartans FC of Bih, Mangwang FC and Mansoh FC.

This story was first published in The Guardian Post issue No:3149 of Tuesday June 25, 2024