How time flies and things stay the same in Cameroon. We are living another year when the date of the Cup of Cameroon is kept close to the President of the Republic's chest. Don't we have the right to know when this big event should take place?
The MTN Elite 1 championship ended over two months ago. The finalists of the Cup of Cameroon (Aigle Dschang and cotonsport Garoua) are known since July. The date of the final remains mystery.The Ministry of Sports is allegedly stifling plans by the country's football governing body FECAFOOT to start the new season on 27 September 2008 until the Cup final is held in the presence of the President of the Republic.
Following is an article entitled "The President's Time..."from the column "Geof's Game Plan" published by the Herald newspaper in November 2007 in the In the middle of a similar mess. It's a shame to see that one simply has to change the dates and the names of the teams and the story will be same one year after...
The President's Time...
One of President Biya's favourite mannerisms is to look at his watch. In principle that means the man likes to keep to time. It should also mean that he is ready to do all that is expected of him on time. In reality, it seems the President only minds the time that he sets regardless of what is expected by his people. Let's take the Cup of Cameroon as an example; does anyone (but the President) know in advance when this major event of Cameroon's sporting calendar is due?
Generally, FECAFOOT tries it bit to get the competition going. Usually the semi-finals are played around September or at worse in early October [even earlier this 2008 in July]thus unveiling the names of the finalists. It is then that the anxious wait begins for the players, and the supporters of the teams concerned. The federation cannot dare announce a date of the final because it is a "state issue". All ears and eyes are turned to the Presidency but nothing often comes from that direction until December. This year [2007] it seems it would be early December but there have been years when the Cup final was played closer to New Year's day because it was not the right time as yet for the President.
On a purely sports perspective, the harvest is usually dour performances by teams whose players have lost concentration from a long wait and are out of form because the football season is over. At times, the African football Confederation (CAF) has threatened to rule out Cameroon from competitions involving continental Cup Winners because our federation is unable to provide the names of its representatives. For one who seems to be time conscious, it is not good public relations for the President to be seen as contributing to a whole nation missing an international deadline. But does he care?
From a managerial/economic standpoint having to wait on the President's time for the Cup of Cameroon to be announced is a real headache for Club owners/presidents. They have to keep the players together, spend for food and lodging at the (unending) camp. They even have to pay their players at a time when they should be on unpaid leave. But does it matter to someone?
Our leaders are noted to copy many things from the West, particularly from our former colonial powers. I am afraid that in this case ours has not picked up the good habits. For instance, in England, the next FA Cup final has been scheduled for the new Wembley on Stadium [follow this link for 2009 date]on 17 May 2008. In France, everyone who cares about the French Cup knows that the final is set for 24 May 2008 [follow this link for the 2009 date] and French President Sarkozy is expected to be present - a bit like the Head of State at our own Cup Final.
Isn't it ridiculous that the French and the English (who had already played their Cup finals) are already aware of the date of the next final when we barely know the date of our... final two days (if not one day) to the event? Why? What is so difficult in knowing in advance the dates and time for what is supposed to be a popular and unifying event? Must the President continue to chair the final of the Cup of Cameroon? Can't we just abandon that piece of tradition that demands he should be there? Would it be an abomination for the President to behave like his peer in France who simply appears at the stadium on the date decided by the French Football Federation?
There is a school of thought that holds that African leaders think we are living in modern villages where they are the Fons and Lamidos. In Fondoms and Lamidats the traditional ruler is venerated a deity. Deities being gods and the time of the gods being the best, should we shut up and assume (notwithstanding the headaches) that the time of our ruler is the ...?
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Have a nice weekend.
Posted by: Kamer | September 27, 2008 at 06:32 AM
This explains a lot - I am a footbal fan from England who has just moved to Bamenda, Cameroon.
I have repeatedly asked when the football season would start as I am keen to watch FC Bamenda but no one seemed to know.
Now I know why.
Posted by: our man in cameroon | September 29, 2008 at 03:30 AM