Bamenda I: Dr Taniform Peter uses football tourney to foster peace, fight drug abuse.

Aside fostering peace and social cohesion, this year’s edition, which featured 16 teams, spread across the senior, veteran and under-17 categories. It was also used to fight drug abuse among youth. 

The closing ceremony was attended by the representative of the Governor of the North West Region, Njindong Marcellus; Bamenda City Mayor, Achobong Tambeng Paul; and the Fon of Bamendankwe, HRM Fon Forchesiri III.

Also present was the President of the North West House of Chiefs, HRM Fon Nfor Amidu Nji, and a host of other traditional and community leaders. Atugolah Football Club emerged champions, after defeating Nkar Football Club 4-1 in the final of the senior category. 

Tourney used to foster peace, fight against drug abuse

The tourney sponsor, Dr Taniform Peter, expressed delight with the successful organisation of the competition.

He said this year’s edition succeeded in its mission of fostering peace and unity in Bamendankwe and its environments, as well as combating delinquency and drug abuse among young persons. 

“I am deeply impressed by what I have seen today. This competition has successfully brought our young people together. That aggregation alone gives them a vital platform to exchange ideas among themselves, allowing positive influences to connect with and mentor those at risk of delinquency,” he said. 

Dr Taniform said Bamendankwe has over the last years gained a strong reputation as a steadily growing cosmopolitan locality, despite the socio-political crisis that has largely hindered the smooth development of the North West and South West Regions in the last decade. 

Taniform said the community’s growing status has imposed the need for stakeholders to introduce well-tailored initiatives like the football tourney to enable the community strategically harvests the fruits of the rapid growth while carrying other communities along.

“Throughout the recent crisis, we sharpened our focus toward a single key objective: unifying us as a community. Bamendankwe is becoming increasingly cosmopolitan, and should take its leading role in modeling peaceful coexistence for the wider Region. I believe we have successfully modeled that vision and seeing this template spread across the North West Region is tremendously gratifying,” he said. 

Dr Taniform also announced the imminent creation of a youth digital platform, with courses for young people to learn, connect and unite. This, he said, is to continue pushing the impact of activities beyond football. 

Gov’t, other stakeholders hail initiative 

The representative of the Governor of the North West Region, Njindong Marcellus, hailed the initiative of the tourney and urged the youths to be united, mobilise the population and engage in sensitisation activities, ahead of the start of the new school year in the Region. 

Organisers hailed the Douala Port Authority for the significant contributions to support the competition, with donation of school bags and other didactics to participating teams.

The team President of Atugolah Football Club, Chenwe Pascal, expressed gratitude to organisers of the competition. He attributed the success of his team to the team spirit that reigned among his players. 

“The players were so united, and also the peace we have had in the community; where we freely carried out training sessions on Mondays without any disturbance, also contributed to our victory,” Chenwe said. 

Zoom on prizes won, amount injected into competition 

Organisers said an englobing financial package of some 100 million FCFA, was pumped in to ensure the successful organisation of the tourney.

The package covered the football tournament and other social, educational, agriculture and community-development schemes, with external supports mainly from the Douala Port Authority. 

The heavy consignment was distributed during the final, with the award of individual and team prizes to participating athletes and off-field officials and distribution of support gadgets to farmers. 

The overall champion in the senior category bagged home the sum of one million FCFA plus a trophy. The runners up received a package of 500,000 FCFA, while the third-placed outfit pocketed the sum of 300,000 FCFA.

The winners of the Fair Play Award and the Best Fan Club prizes in the category received 50,000 FCFA each, while similar distinctions were handed out to the Man of The Match, the Best Goalkeeper, the Top Goal Scorer and Player of The Tournament. 

Similar heavy financial and material packages were handed out to the teams that distinguished themselves in the veteran and under17 categories, with the top three selections in the veteran category respectively pocketing 500,000, 300,000 and 150,000 FCFA.

The champion of the under17 category bagged home the sum of 200,000 FCFA. The runners up team received 100,000 FCFA and an additional package of 200,000 FCFA from MTN, while the bronze medalist pocketed 50,000 FCFA.

All 12 ball boys received 50,000 FCFA each, plus a school bag containing didactic materials. A group of farmers was handed farm tools in what organisers said was distributed in line with the tournament’s guideline as an event that is designed to support community development.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3896 of Tuesday September 01, 2026