Cup of Cameroon final 2024: Sports minister lays groundwork for hitch-free event.

Minister Mouelle Kombi was speaking in Yaounde on Tuesday while chairing the first preparatory meeting ahead of the final, whose official date is yet to be made public.

The minister had set up a general supervisory committee, a central organisation committee and 15 sub committees to take charge of the football Cup final.

The sub committees include; infrastructure and equipment, logistics and transport, medical, security, mobilisation, marketing, restauration, protocol, animation. 

Speaking during the planning meeting, the country’s sport boss stated that such an event is very important in the life of the nation, given that all those who distinguished themselves throughout the season in various sports discipline will be honoured.

He thus said it was imperative for everyone who has been handed a role in the organisation of the Cup final to be at their best.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the Head of the Infrastructure and Equipment sub committee, Prof Cyrille Tollo Batoum, who doubles as Technical Adviser in the Ministry of Sports and Physical Education, said the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium will be fully ready to host the final.

“I want to reassure that the main infrastructure which is the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium will be ready for this event, just like the training pitch and we’re starting work almost immediately,” Prof Tollo said.

A day after the planning meeting, the various committees are already at work. The animation sub committee organised the first rehearsal session at the Annexe 1 of the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium yesterday.

Some youths have been drafted in by the sub committee and will carry out choreographic displays and also presents Cameroon’s rich culture before the kickoff of the final.     

Finalists strategising

While the committees are at work, the two clubs to play this year’s Cup of Cameroon final, Aigle of Menoua and Colombe of Dja and Lobo are strategising to outsmart each other.

Aigle have set up camp in Nkilzok near Mfou in the outskirts of Yaounde, where they are holding their final training sessions.

The Menoua Division club, from the West Region travelled to Centre Region on Tuesday September 16. 

Before heading to Yaounde, Coach Temfack Gaston and his boys received the blessings of Menoua traditional rulers. They were also offered a 2 million FCFA by the Dschang Council as support to galvanise them ahead of the final. 

It should be noted that weeks back, the Governor Awa Fonka Augustine rallied the elite of Menoua and West Region to raise funds to support the club. 

The fundraising culminated in Dschang culminated in the presentation of the club’s new bus. Created in 1927, Aigle are chasing their first Cup of Cameroon trophy.

On their part, Colombe of Dja are camped at the Mundi Complex, equally in the outskirts of Yaounde.

Prior to taking up residence at Mundi Complex, Coach Richard Towa’s team has played a number of friendly matches in the build up to the Cup final. 

They are bent on getting a positive result, in order to return home with the trophy. The club from the South Region is also chasing its first Cup of Cameroon trophy.

While the date for the final hasn’t been officially made public, The Guardian Post has gathered that the event will hold on Sunday September 22.  The event officially marks the end of the 2023/2024 sports season in the country.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post issue N0:3234 of Thursday September 19, 2024