A soccer tournament aimed at promoting peace, unity and social cohesion has kicked off in the Donga Mantung Division of the volatile North West Region.
Christened the “Mafor Yah Judith Epse Achidi Peace and Unity Football Tournament”, the competition that is in its fourth edition this year kick started on Sunday June 16, 2024.
The official launching of the three-month-long tournament took place at the Nkambe Municipal Stadium in the presence of local soccer stakeholders and thousands of football fans.
The Group Stages of the tournament will be played in all the five Sub Divisional headquarters viz: Ako, Misaje, Ndu, Nkambe and Nwa. Teams that qualify from the pools will advance to the knockout stage for the Divisional Quarter Finals, according to a schedule seen by NewsWatch. The entire competition will span June and August, 2024.
During the official launching, football lovers, youths and traditional rulers of Donga Mantung as well as the administration of the Division showered praises on the tournament’s benefactor who is also the General Manager of incumbent telecoms company, Cameroon Telecommunications, (CAMTEL), for her laudable efforts to build peace in the Division and promote national unity through soccer.
Praises galore
Recognizing the unifying influence of sports in general and the population’s love for football in particular, the traditional ruler of Nkambe, HRH Fon Amidu Nji thanked Judith Achidi for the innovative way of strengthening peace and social cohesion through soccer.
The traditional ruler of Njap village, HRH Fon Stanley Chifu, on his part, said football brings people together and breaks barriers between youths and other community members.
A member of the Local Organizing Committee and Focal Point for Nkambe Central Sub Divisional Pool, Richard Ndi Tamnjong, said by sustaining the tournament for four years running, the CAMTEL GM has proven beyond reasonable doubts that what a man can do, a woman can do it even better.
Local soccer analysts like John Nformi Ndi say the tournament offers spectators more than just the fanfare. He says matches of the tournament in different Sub Divisions are great opportunities for fans to interact with people from different villages and social backgrounds, thus transforming potential tensions into relationships.
Talents detection
The Sub Delegate of Sports and Physical Education for Nkambe Central Sub Division, Ndah Victor, said besides its main objective of strengthening peace and social cohesion and national unity, the tournament will also serve as a nursery to build budding talents. He saluted the laudable efforts by Judith Achidi in building a community free of violence through sports.
Eight teams have been licensed to compete in Nkambe Central Sub Divisional Pool. They include 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.
An identical number of participating teams has registered in Nwa while half of the number is licensed in Misaje pool.
Young Stars and Spartans FCs battled out in the tournament’s opener at the Nkambe Municipal Stadium, with the Spartans ‘surrendering’ to Young Stars who defeated them 2-1.
The official launching of the tournament has thus set the stage for matches to be played in other Sub Divisions beginning in the coming days, according to organizers.
The benefactor, Judith Achidi has appealed to the players to display their talents while on the field and has called on the fans to maintain peace and showcase love among themselves while enjoying the soccer jamboree.
