Lionesses den: Ajara says exit not triggered by row over captaincy.

This was barely 48 hours after the group began training in the buildup to the forthcoming 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The forward exited the den alongside 35-year-old defender, Falonne Meffometou with sources notably indicating that the pair took the decision in protest of the appointment of 25-year-old defender, Collette Ndzana as the new captain of the selection.

In a lengthy statement posted on her official social media pages over the weekend, the attacker said the decision was not due to any sort of disagreement over the change in leadership within the playing body, insisting that her “priority is Cameroon not the captaincy.”

“My departure has never been an issue of captaincy. Up until this camp, we all knew who the captain was. I could not leave my role as deputy-captain to demand the captaincy. The armband has never been an obsession for me, let alone a condition for serving my country. The only honor I have is wearing the Indomitable Lionesses’ jersey,” the former Atletico Madrid forward wrote.

The forward said she chose to leave after experiencing situations that she judged were not compatible with the values that have guided her throughout her 18-year-long career as a footballer.

“I chose to step away, not out of anger, but out of responsibility. I did not want my presence to become a source of distraction or division in a squad that must remain united around a single objective: defending the colors of Cameroon,” Njoya Ajara said.

According to the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup star, had the forthcoming Women’s AFCON tournament been held in March and April this year as originally scheduled, she was not going to be a part of the Indomitable Lionesses group due to the simple reason that she was not named in Cameroon’s team for the tournament.

She said the fact that she accepted to join the side’s ongoing camp despite the fact that she was originally supposed to miss the tournament further proves that she prioritizes the interest of Cameroon over every other interests. 

“For 18 years, across the youth setups and the senior team, I have had the privilege of representing Cameroon. Throughout all these years, I have always strived to be a player who respects my coaches, the technical and medical staff, the administration, my teammates, my opponents, and everyone who has accompanied me on my journey” she explained.

“I do not claim to be perfect, but I have always tried to be true to the values my parents instilled in me: respect, discipline, humility, hard work, and a love for Cameroon. It is precisely because these values are essential to me that I made the decision to leave this training camp,” she added.

United behind team

The forward who has represented Cameroon in six major tournaments over the last more than 12 years, said she will be strongly behind the Lionesses during the forthcoming tournament as a show of her patriotism and gratitude to Cameroon and the Indomitable Lionesses selection.

“To those with whom I have shared so many battles, I wish you an excellent preparation and a wonderful AFCON. I will be your number one supporter. I will celebrate every goal, every victory, and every moment of pride that you offer to our nation,” the attacker said.

Lionesses finalise preparation 

The Indomitable Lionesses are expected to begin the final phase of preparations this Monday. This will be ahead of the Women’s AFCON which runs from July 25 to August 16. Cameroon will face Mali, Ghana and Cabo Verde in Group D.

The team is expected to hold the final preparations at the Mundi Complex in the outskirt of Yaounde.

Ahead of the gathering, the head coach of the selection, Valentine Nguele, named her 26-person final squad for the tournament last Friday.

The contingent is made up of three goalkeepers, nine defenders, seven midfielders and seven attackers.

Forward, Aboudi Onguene, is the oldest member of the group. 

The 37-year-old will be representing Cameroon in the Women’s AFCON for eighth time.

She made debut in the competition in the 2008 tournament in next-door Equatorial Guinea where she scored once as Cameroon finished fourth on the final standing.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3832 of Monday June 29, 2026