By George Esunge Fominyen
The traditional wrestling season has re-started in Senegal. As the crowds roared at the Demba Diop Stadium as one wrestler fell and another stood the ground, I must admit there was a fleeting bit of envy that crossed my mind.
Why can't we have such a huge event in Cameroon?
I am pleased to say at least one traditional wrestling festival will hold in Buea, Cameroon.
All Paths to Buea Town Green
It is going to be the Fako Traditional Wrestling Finals to hold on 3 January 2008. Ofcourse it cannot compare with the Senegalese money-making Championnat de Lutte Avec Frappe where among other issues the sesaon begins with negotiations over TV broadcast rights!
The good thing with our local show-case at the Buea Town Green is that it is happening. Not only does this display the commitment of the Fako Elements Cultural Association (FECA) UK branch and the dedication of its President Valentine Ndeley Molulu to sustain this dying Bakweri tradition, it has also gotten some other elite of that community to act.
In fact, I read that this edition is under the patronage of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cameroon. He so happens to be a Fako native. But I hope beyond that "identity factor" this is a sign from Cameroonian authorities that they can take the promotion of local sports and culture seriously. Maybe this could be the impetus for businesses and business-persons to take advantage of the popularity of this sport and make marketing gains.
Funding Traditional Sports
Believe it or not this contest nearly did not happen. At one point it seemed to have been left to one person (Ndeley Molulu) to shoulder the activity. Funding was insufficient and the local companies that could advertise or use this as a platform for promotion did not deem it neccessary to support the event. They had other fish to fry and were ready to just to provide the organisers with T-shirts?!
When Guinness decided to sponsor the Mount Cameroon race in the 70s, it was a non-existent village or touristic exercise. See what it became many years down the lane...See what it did for Guinness in terms of marketing? What this means is that MTN or Orange or FAKOSHIP could jolly-well create a niche for themselves by pioneering support for a traditional wrestling league. This is a promotional platform that could prove beneficial in the long run.
I may be wrong. But what I see happening in Senegal with TIGO and Orange (mobile telephone operators) in relation to wrestling causes me to think there is something to dig down that line...
While waiting for the great day when the Big sponsors would shift gear and steer towards traditional wrestling - I suppose it is down to Fako Elite to seriously support the sport. Consider this. I heard from somewhere that the budget to organise the finals is 2 million? 3million CFA Francs? If each Fako elite in the diaspora (partiularly US and UK) were to chip-in approximately 10,000 FCFA a year we are surely going to beat that figure and make this event last.
What's the Relevance
Phew! Why should someone spend that much for wrestling? Aren't there other real areas for cultural and social development?
The point is culture is a difficult thing to be re-born. When it's lost it's gone! If it can be saved - it does not matter how much investment could be put in it. Just ask the French why they are so intent on keeping the French language alive in the face of the domination of English. Moreover, God knows how many other Bakweri and Cameroonian tradtions have disappeared as the people get more and more "civilised!"
And as this story from IRIN News shows, in Senegal tradtional wrestling could be a way of curbing crime and taking youngsters out of delinquency. Well... to an extent.
I wish I would have been in Buea to watch those fights with my own eyes! All the same best of luck to the boys and girls who will be at the éwok'esua this weekend.
I remember watching a traditional wrestling competition in Buea Town in Dec 2007. It was so interesting to see especially the female wrestlers compete.I even produced a number of radio programmes thereafter.My hope is that this discipline would blossom and one day produce stars in the likes of our footballers.
Posted by: akwe | January 01, 2009 at 12:33 PM